Abstract: An ion exchange compound in a fluid organic carrier is cycled between mixing and separating from a weak acid stream and a strong acid stream. The weak acid stream is cycled between directly contacting ore to chemically dissolve metal and exchanging the metal for hydrogen ions of the exchange compound. The strong acid stream is cycled between exchanging its hydrogen ions for the metal bonded to the exchange compound and yielding the metal to a recovery system. The mixing and separation of the organic carrier with the two acid streams is by a pump, an electric field and a centrifuge.

Abstract: Fluids are separated from each other by passing their mixture through an electric field and centrifuge in sequence. The drops of a first fluid dispersed in a second fluid are coalesced by the force of an electric field to a predetermined size. The mixture is then passed into a centrifuge which develops the force to move the coalesced drops away from the other fluids of the mixture without reaching the value at which fluid shear forces, between the coalesced fluid and the fluid in which the coalesced fluid is dispersed, will fragment the coalesced drops.