Abstract: An improved hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of metallic copper, elemental sulfur, compounds of molybdenum and other valuable materials from copper sulfide ore concentrates, such as chalcopyrite. The process, comprising a reduction stage, metallic copper recovery stage, and a combined regeneration-purge-oxidation stage, is improved by the addition of a second reduction stage following the first or primary reduction stage, and by the addition of a by-product recovery stage after the second or secondary reduction stage. The secondary reduction stage also enhances overall process performance by allowing more flexible operating practices.

Abstract: Gold values are recovered from mixtures thereof contained with sulfur, especially mixtures obtained from the hydrometallurgical processing of copper. The process comprises the following steps:(a) forming an aqueous suspension of the mixture containing the gold and sulfur values;(b) adjusting the chloride concentration of the suspension so that the suspension contains at least about 12 weight percent of chloride;(c) maintaining the oxidation reduction potential of the mixture in the range of about 650-750 millivolts;(d) adding cupric chloride or ferric chloride, if not already present in the mixture, in sufficient amounts to cause the gold contained in the mixture to dissolve into the solution; and(e) recovering the gold from the solution in an electrolytic cell, or by reaction with carbon.

Abstract: Cuprous chloride, which is contained in a reduced leach solution or pregnant liquor, can be recovered as a complex salt of alkali metal chloride, such as potassium chloride, or alkaline earth metal chloride or ammonium chloride. The salts are produced by oxidation of a copper ore, such as chalcopyrite, with ferric chloride and cupric chloride, and after removal of insolubles, by adding sufficient metallic copper to the solution to reduce cupric ions to cuprous ions so as to provide a solution containing 1.5 to 2.5 molal potassium chloride, or other metal or ammonium chloride, and cooling the resultant saturated solution to precipitate the potassium chloride-cuprous chloride complex salts and recovering the complex salts. Also provided as a method for recovery of pure copper metal by electrolysis of solutions derived from the complex salts wherein the impurities are diverted to an anode loop which is separated from the cathode loop by a diaphragm.

Abstract: Cuprous chloride, which is contained in a reduced leach solution or pregnant liquor, can be recovered as a complex salt of alkali metal chloride, such as potassium chloride, or alkaline earth metal chloride or ammonium chloride. The salts are produced by oxidation of a copper ore, such as chalcopyrite, with ferric chloride and cupric chloride, and after removal of insolubles, by adding sufficient metallic copper to the solution to reduce cupric ions to cuprous ions so as to provide a solution containing 1.5 to 2.5 molal potassium chloride, or other metal or ammonium chloride, and cooling the resultant saturated solution to precipitate the potassium chloride-cuprous chloride complex salts and recovering the complex salts. Also provided as a method for recovery of pure copper metal by electrolysis of solutions derived from the complex salts wherein the impurities are diverted to an anode loop which is separated from the cathode loop by a diaphragm.

Abstract: A process is described for recovering metal values from a zinc-containing complex sulphide material comprising leaching the material in a first leaching stage under non-oxidative conditions with a controlled amount of an aqueous chloride lixiviant solution containing cupric chloride in an amount which is selected so as to solubilize at least a part of the zinc in the material and to precipitate a quantity of cupric sulphide substantially equivalent on a molar basis to the zinc leached from the material, the lixiviant solution further containing sufficient of a source of chloride ions other than cupric chloride to ensure solubilization of metal chlorides present, recovering from the first leaching stage a zinc chloride-containing leach liquor, recovering metal values from said leach liquor in a metal recovery section, treating solids from the first leaching stage under oxidizing conditions in a second leaching stage with a liquor containing hydrochloric acid and metal chlorides thereby to solubilize further me

Abstract: It has been discovered that suprisingly effective removal of impurities from copper can be achieved using electron beam distillation, especially with respect to relatively low amounts of impurities such as Ag, Se, Te, S, Bi and Pb. Certain pretreatments of unrefined metal prior to electron beam irradiation significantly improve overall results. These include iron and/or oxygen removal treatments. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, these impurity removal treatments and combinations thereof are achieved in conjunction with a new method of electron beam distillation of metals which involves a horizontal multistage system with recycle of the condensed vapor phases.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and process for electrolytically producing a particulate crystalline metal product having limited adherence to the surface of a cathode, comprising a vertically elongated cathode, at least one vertically elongated anode spaced from said cathode, a vertically elongated permeable diaphragm disposed between said anode and cathode having a mesh member disposed adjacent to the surface of said diaphragm nearest said cathode, agitating said anode to substantially reduce the polarization voltage of said anode, and agitating said cathode to dislodge a portion of said crystalline product from said cathode by engaging said product with said mesh member.

Abstract: An endless belt conveyor having readily replaceable support rollers. In an endless conveyor support structure, support rollers are carried on a cross bar which is releasably secured to the underside of I-beams in the conveyor frame. Hoists are provided so that the cross bar may be lowered and then moved laterally so that the roller to be replaced is clear of the conveyor structure.

Abstract: A rock crushing and conveying apparatus for an open pit mining operation having an apron feeder conveyor, a rock crushing assembly and an endless belt drive station, each of which are capable of being lifted by a transporter vehicle and moved within the strip mine to different locations to reduce the amount of time lost in transporting raw material from the actual mining site to the rock crusher. The gyratory crusher is housed in a toroidal body mounted on three legs and elevated so that the underside of the body, which has a load bearing ring under the crusher, is accessible to said transporter vehicle.

Abstract: A multistage method of refining a metal containing at least two metallic components in at least two sequential metal vaporization stages substantially horizontally arranged and each having a metal feed thereto, comprises,in each stage, irradiating the metal feed with an electron beam effective to heat the metal to a temperature at which the total vapor pressure of the melt is about 0.5 to 7 torr, and at which the partial vapor pressure of at least one metal component of the melt is different from that of at least one other metal component of the melt, and forming a vapor phase and a melt phase, in which each phase is either enriched or depleted in at least one metal component;wherein the vapor pressure of the condensate of said vapor phase at its condensation point is less than about 10.sup.

Abstract: A method of recovering boric acid from a subterranean deposit of colemanite ore by solution mining, comprises:supplying a leach solution comprising hydrochloric acid to the subterranean deposit via an injection well in communication therewith, whereby colemanite ore is dissolved and an aqueous pregnant solution of boric acid and calcium chloride is formed in the deposit;withdrawing the pregnant solution of boric acid and calcium chloride from said deposit via a production well in communication therewith;separating boric acid from the withdrawn solution;adding sulfuric acid to the resultant concentrated solution from which boric acid has been separated, whereby hydrochloric acid is regenerated therein and CaSO.sub.4.2H.sub.2 O is formed;separating CaSO.sub.4.2H.sub.2 O from the resultant solution containing regenerated hydrochloric acid thereby forming a regenerated leach solution; andrecycling the regenerated leach solution to the subterranean deposit of colemanite via an injection well.

Abstract: A non-polluting chemical process for recovery of metals from metal containing ores or other solid materials by:(1) Treating the ore with a large volume of an aqueous solution containing chloride and hypochlorite ions (lixiviant solution);(2) Recovering the solubilized metal values from the lixiviant solution by cementation;(3) Regenerating the hypochlorite ion by electrochemical means; and(4) Recycling the lixiviant solution.In certain instances, steps (3) and (4) may be omitted with hypochlorite ion being provided as makeup to the circuit from external sources. The process of this invention has been shown to be effective for use with ores containing carbonate and cyanicidic minerals, including calcite.

Abstract: A chemical, electro-chemical process for recovering meta values from a zinc- or lead-containing material comprises:in a solubilization stage, oxidizing the zinc- or lead-containing material by treating said material with a ferric chloride leach solution;when solubilized lead is present, separating it from the pregnant liquor forming an essentially lead free solution;dividing this essentially lead free solution into two portions;passing one portion of the essentially lead free solution into the anolyte compartment of a Zn.degree. producing electrolysis stage for use as the ferrous ion-containing anolyte thereof;separating iron from the second portion of the essentially lead free solution, forming an essentially iron free solution;passing the essentially iron free solution into the catholyte compartment of said Zn.degree. producing electrolysis stage for use as the catholyte thereof;conducting electrolysis in said Zn.degree.

Abstract: A pressure relief system for a gyratory crusher is disclosed in which two separate but interacting fluid assemblies function, respectively, to adjust the operating position of the crusher cone of the gyratory crusher and to control the pressure above which the pressure relief system is activated. The system operates to relieve excessive pressure caused by the introduction of uncrushable foreign matter into the crushing chamber and to facilitate the elimination of such matter from the crusher.

Abstract: Langbeinite and kieserite are beneficiated in a flotation process in which separation of ore particles is conducted in a froth flotation process with a magnesium chloride brine containing at least 20 moles MgCl.sub.2 per 1000 mols H.sub.2 O. Said brine is maintained at a pH below about 3.5. The preferred flotation agent is a combination of a fatty acid amine (preferably tallow amine) and an organic acid, either oleic or sebacic acid, in an approximate ratio of 2 to 4 parts amine to 1 part oleic or sebacic acid, and preferably in an amine-oleic or amine-sebacic acid ratio of about 3:1. Flotation is preferably conducted in two stages wherein the sink product from the rougher flotation contains langbeinite above about 95% concentration which is relatively free of kieserite and the froth from the rougher flotation is passed to a second "cleaner" flotation step where the kieserite is further concentrated to above about 75% kieserite.

Abstract: In an electrolysis system capable of producing particulate crystalline product having limited adherence to the cathodes, a process and apparatus for the continuous recovery of said product directly from the electrolytic cell tank substantially uncontaminated by adhering electrolyte comprising the agitation of the electrolyte to effectively influence and contribute to the control of the crystalline product size and density as well as the structural competence of the dendrites and to cause said product to separate from the cathodes, the collection of the particulate crystalline product on a conveyor transport system located in the bottom part of the electrolytic cell tank, the continuous removal of the particulate crystalline product from the electrolytic cell tank by means of the conveyor transport system, and the transportation of the crystalline particulate product through a washing zone prior to its removal from the electrolytic cell tank to substantially displace the electrolyte liquor from the particulate

Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process for pollution-free recovery of metallic antimony from stibnite and other antimony-containing materials by (a) reduction of ferric chloride by such materials to produce ferric chloride and antimony (III) chloride, (b) recovery of metallic antimony, preferably by electrolysis, (c) regeneration of the ferric chloride, and (d) purge of impurities. Optionally, the metallic antimony thus produced may be subsequently oxidized if desired to produce high purity antimony oxide. The process is amenable to cyclical operation.