Abstract: A process for recovering a target metal from an oxidized metalliferous material comprises the steps of: in an acid generation stage, adding sulfuric acid to a solution comprising a metal halide to generate an acidic aqueous halide solution; in a leaching stage that is separate to the acid generation stage, leaching the oxidized metalliferous material with the acidic aqueous halide solution to leach the target metal into solution; passing the solution from the leaching stage to a target metal recovery stage in which the target metal is recovered from the solution while the metal halide is retained in solution; and returning the solution with the metal halide therein from the target metal recovery stage to the acid generation stage.

Abstract: A process for recovering a precious metal from a sulfidic material comprises the steps of preparing an acidic aqueous halide solution having an oxidation potential sufficient to oxidize the sulfidic material and render the precious metal soluble in the solution, adding the material to the acidic aqueous halide solution so that the sulfidic material is oxidized and the precious metal is solubilized and separating the precious metal from the oxidized sulfidic material. In addition, a process for removing a contaminant from a contaminated sulfidic material comprises the steps of mixing the material in an aqueous solution wherein a multi-valent species of a relatively high oxidation state oxidizes the contaminant to render it soluble in the solution, produces a contaminant refined material, and is reduced to a relatively lower oxidation state; and removing the contaminant from the solution while regenerating the multi-valent species to its relatively high oxidation state.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of zinc metal from a zinc mineral includes the steps of leaching the zinc mineral in a solution including a halide species formed from two or more different halides, to leach the zinc into the solution. The zinc-bearing solution is then electrolyzed to yield zinc metal and to generate the halide species. The electrolyzed solution including the halide species is then returned to the leaching step. A portion of the electrolyzed solution can be removed as a bleed stream from a cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell of the electrolysis process and processed to remove manganese as manganese dioxide precipitate by adding thereto limestone, and the halide species from an anode compartment of the electrolysis process. In this regard, the pH and Eh of the solution can regulated in a manner that favors the formation of the manganese dioxide precipitate over the formation of a precipitate of zinc.

Abstract: An electrolysis process for the recovery of metal from an aqueous solution is defined. On electrolysing the solution metal is caused to deposit on a deposition surface of a cathode. The process includes the step of inducing a non-uniform current density across the deposition surface so as to form areas of high current density interspaced by areas of low current density. The difference between the areas of high current density and low current density is sufficient to cause metal deposition to be concentrated on the areas of high current density so as to promote non-uniform deposition of metal across the deposition surface. An electrolysis cell for the electro-recovery of metal from an aqueous solution is also defined. The cell includes a cathode which includes a deposition surface on which metal is deposited on electrolysing of the aqueous solution.

Abstract: In medical guide wire (1A), a tapered second helical spring (7) is interposed continuously between a first helical spring (6) and the third helical spring (8) each wound around a leading end portion (2). From a middle portion of the second helical spring (7) to a leading top end of the first helical spring (6), a spiral blood stream path (10) is serially provided along a line gap (C1) of the helical springs (7, 6). A gap-stopper (12) is provided between the leading end portion (2) and the second helical spring (7) in order to induce a high speed spiral blood flow (17) along the spiral blood stream path (10) when the leading end portion (2) reaches a diseased area (13). The high speed spiral blood flow (17) provides the leading end portion (2) with the advancing force (F) and the rotational force (T).