Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of one or more metal values from a metal ore material in the presence of clays and/or fines material said ore material being comprised of one or more metal values and a matrix material having a sulfur content wherein the sulfur is present in an oxidation-reduction state of zero or less. The process comprises forming particulates from particles of said ore material, particles comprising said clays and/or fines material, an acid-resistant polymeric agglomeration aid and an inoculate comprising bacteria capable of at least partially oxidizing the sulfur content; forming a heap of said particulates; biooxidizing the sulfur content and recovering those one or more metal values.

Abstract: The novel esters of a chiral alcohol and a mesogenic carboxylic acid are characterized by the general formula (I) ##STR1## in which the symbols have the following meanings: n denotes 0 or 1,R.sup.1 denotes a straight-chain or branched (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, in particular fluorine,R.sup.2 denotes unsubstituted or substituted (C.sub.6 -C.sub.18)aryl, cyclo(C.sub.5 -C.sub.12)alkyl or mononuclear or binuclear heteroaryl possessing a five-membered and/or six-membered ring, andMC denotes a molecular radical of a mesogenic monocarboxylic acid MC-OH after elimination of an OH group where n=0, and denotes a molecular radical of a mesogenic dicarboxylic acid HO-MC-OH after elimination of two OH groups where n=1, with the exception of compounds in which n denotes 0, R.sup.1 denotes CH.sub.3, R.sup.