Abstract: A system and process for recovering copper from a copper-containing ore, concentrate, or other copper-bearing material to produce high quality cathode copper from a leach solution without the use of copper solvent extraction techniques or apparatus. A process for recovering copper from a copper-containing ore generally includes the steps of providing a feed stream containing communicated copper-containing ore, concentrate, or other copper-bearing material, leaching the feed stream to yield a copper-containing solution, conditioning the copper-containing solution through one or more physical or chemical conditional steps, and electowinning copper directly from the copper-containing solution, without subjecting the copper-containing solution to solvent extraction.

Abstract: An electrowinning cell, having a tank with an opened upper end defined by a tank edge, electrolyte within the tank and a plurality of flat, metallic electrode plates disposed within the tank in side-by-side, spaced-apart, parallel relationship. Adjacent electrode plates define an electrode gap therebetween. An injector manifold is disposed at the bottom of the tank for feeding electrolyte into the tank at locations below the electrode plates. A collector grid, comprised of a plurality of collectors having ports, define an upper level of electrolyte by collecting the electrolyte from the tank. The ports are disposed in spaced-apart relationship within the open upper end defined by the tank edge. The collector grid and the injector creating a flow of electrolyte upward between the plates as the electrolyte flows from the manifold locations below the plates to the ports.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for laying fluid distribution lines along a surface are disclosed. An overhead support cable is secured between a plurality of anchoring devices spaced along the surface. A rotatable installation reel is then coupled to the overhead support cable and a coil of fluid distribution line is loaded on the installation reel. Fluid distribution line is laid along the surface by moving the installation reel along the overhead support cable so as to rotate the installation reel to pay out the fluid distribution line along the surface. Subsequent fluid distribution lines may be laid at substantially equal lateral spacings by moving each anchoring device or a portion of each anchoring device prior to laying each subsequent fluid distribution line.

Abstract: A process for extractive metallurgy of metal sulfides, in particular copper sulfide ores, in which a metal sulfide mineral feed material is cocurrently oxidized in an aqueous cupric chloride solution in the presence of an oxidant to form a slurry containing a metal hydroxide precipitate; the slurry is leached with an acid; the leach solution is extracted with an organic extractant; the organic extractant is stripped with an aqueous stripping medium; and the copper is electrowon from the aqueous stripping medium. The large amount of acid required for the oxidation reaction is provided by the formation of the metal hydroxide precipitate.

Abstract: A burner for smelting metal-bearing sulfide ores or concentrates by means of an oxygen-rich gas is disclosed. The oxygen-rich gas is introduced into a chamber so as to aspirate or eject the metal-bearing sulfide ore or concentrate. The oxygen-rich gas and sulfide concentrate are intimately admixed in a cylindrical mixing chamber and then jetted into the heated atmosphere of a smelting furnace.

Abstract: A continuous process for obtaining copper from a copper sulfide by:(a) contacting a first batch of the copper sulfide with a first lixiviant containing cupric chloride, and a minimum amount of ferrous chloride to leach copper;(b) separating the leach liquor from (a) from the undissolved solids and dividing the liquor into two portions; one portion of the liquor containing about the same amount of copper as is leached from the copper sulfide in (a) and (f);(c) cementing with iron the copper from the one portion of the liquor from (b);(d) recombining the portions of the liquor from (b);(e) oxidizing with oxygen the recombined portions from (d) to form a second lixiviant; the cuprous chloride therein being oxidized to cupric chloride and the iron therein, from cementing copper, being oxidized and precipitated;(f) contacting the copper sulfide solids from (b) with the second lixiviant from (e) to additionally leach the first batch of the copper sulfide;(g) recycling the leach liquor from (f) to (a) and using it a

Abstract: A method and apparatus for visually monitoring the fluidized bed of a resin ion exchanger. The method includes establishing a sample fluidized bed displaced from, but in fluid communication with, the resin ion exchanger fluidized bed and supplying a quantity of exchanger process solution in a controlled manner to the sample fluidized bed such that the sample fluidized bed represents among other exchanger fluidized bed characteristics the exchanger fluidized bed height. The apparatus includes a monitor having a transparent sampling column in fluid communication with the exchanger fluidized bed and a regulator in fluid communication with the exchanger and the sample column for establishing a solution sample for supply to the sample fluidized bed. The regulator includes an orifice for controlling the flow rate of solution sample supplied to the sample fluidized bed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for visually monitoring the fluidized bed of a resin ion exchanger. The method includes establishing a sample fluidized bed displaced from, but in fluid communication with, the resin ion exchanger fluidized bed and supplying a quantity of exchanger process solution in a controlled manner to the sample fluidized bed such that the sample fluidized bed represents among other exchanger fluidized bed characteristics the exchanger fluidized bed height. The apparatus includes a monitor having a transparent sampling column in fluid communication with the exchanger fluidized bed and a regulator in fluid communication with the exchanger and the sample column for establishing a solution sample for supply to the sample fluidized bed. The regulator includes an orifice for controlling the flow rate of solution sample supplied to the sample fluidized bed.

Abstract: An improved process for obtaining copper from a copper sulfide, in which: the copper sulfide is treated with oxygen and an aqueous leaching solution of ammonium carbonate, to form a leach liquor which contains ammonia complexes of copper sulfate and copper carbonate; the leach liquor is heated to form gaseous ammonia and carbon dioxide; the leach liquor is treated with a strongly alkaline material to precipitate sulfates and form additional gaseous ammonia; and the copper is then recovered by electrowinning. In this process, the ammonium carbonate leaching solution is formed from carbon dioxide that is generated by: adding a metal carbonate to the leach liquor during the heating thereof; and recovering the gaseous carbon dioxide, as well as the gaseous ammonia, formed during the heating of the leach liquor.

Abstract: Radiant heat transfer is increased by introducing to hot gases, such as those normally present in furnaces, a material which provides finely sized particles therein of the type which increase the emissivity and luminosity of the gases. The material is introduced separately from the furnace fuel and preferably downstream of the flame produced by the burning of the fuel. In one embodiment, an unsaturated gaseous hydrocarbon such as acetylene is introduced into the furnace at a plurality of locations downstream of the flame. The unsaturated hydrocarbon exothermically cracks in the furnace to produce hydrogen and carbon particles in the furnace hot gases. The carbon particles increase the emissivity and luminosity of the hot gases and thus their radiant heat transfer to the furnace charge.