Abstract: A method of controlling the acid balance in a high chloride heap leach process tomaximise the copper dissolution in a cure step and to increase overall copper recovery which include an agglomeration stage in which acid and process solutions are combined with the ore prior to stacking to form a heap followed by a cure phase to leach a portion of the copper in the ore in the heap followed by an irrigated leach phase in which the remaining copper minerals are leached and copper is recovered from a pregnant leach solution by a solvent extraction step followed by an electrowinning step wherein the acid concentration in the pregnant leach solution which reports to the solvent extraction step is less than 10 g/L to allow effective copper recovery from the pregnant leach solution in the solvent extraction step.

Abstract: A method of controlling the acid balance in a high chloride heap leach process tomaximise the copper dissolution in a cure step and to increase overall copper recovery which include an agglomeration stage in which acid and process solutions are combined with the ore prior to stacking to form a heap followed by a cure phase to leach a portion of the copper in the ore in the heap followed by an irrigated leach phase in which the remaining copper minerals are leached and copper is recovered from a pregnant leach solution by a solvent extraction step followed by an electrowinning step wherein the acid concentration in the pregnant leach solution which reports to the solvent extraction step is less than 10 g/L to allow effective copper recovery from the pregnant leach solution in the solvent extraction step.

Abstract: A method for recovering one or more of copper, uranium and a precious metal from an ore material, including: (a) forming a heap of the ore material; (b) during active heap irrigation, contacting the heap of the ore material with an iron containing acidic leach liquor having a high chloride content in the presence of an oxygen containing gas, and producing a pregnant leach solution; and (c) recovering one or more of copper, uranium and a precious metal from the pregnant leach solution.

Abstract: A process for recovering copper, uranium and one or more precious metals from an ore material, including: a. forming a heap of the ore material; b. subjecting the heap of the ore material to an acidic heap leach using an iron containing acidic leach solution in the presence of an oxygen containing gas, and producing a pregnant leach solution and a ripios; c. subjecting the ripios to flotation to produce a copper containing ripios concentrate and tailings; and d. subjecting the ripios concentrate to a smelting process to produce a smelted copper product. e. recovering copper and uranium from the pregnant leach solution.

Abstract: A method for recovering one or more of copper, uranium and a precious metal from an ore material, including: (a) forming a heap of the ore material; (b) during active heap irrigation, contacting the heap of the ore material with an iron containing acidic leach liquor having a high chloride content in the presence of an oxygen containing gas, and producing a pregnant leach solution; and (c) recovering one or more of copper, uranium and a precious metal from the pregnant leach solution.

Abstract: A process for producing a ferric containing solution by the controlled oxidation of a ferrous containing solution, said process including providing a solution containing at least ferrous ions; treating the solution with one or more inlet gases containing sulfur dioxide and oxygen in order to oxidize said ferrous ions to ferric ions, wherein the delivery rate of the sulfur dioxide gas is oxidation rate limiting; and controlling the concentration of dissolved oxygen in said solution at an optimum value.

Abstract: A process for producing a ferric containing solution by the controlled oxidation of a ferrous containing solution, said process including providing a solution containing at least ferrous ions; treating the solution with one or more inlet gases containing sulfur dioxide and oxygen in order to oxidize said ferrous ions to ferric ions, wherein the delivery rate of the sulfur dioxide gas is oxidation rate limiting; and controlling the concentration of dissolved oxygen in said solution at an optimum value.

Abstract: A process of bioleaching a sulphide mineral slurry in a reactor which is controlled by varying the rate of supply of sparging gas to the reactor, and the energy supplied to a motor-driven agitator in the reactor, in response to the measured or inferred oxygen demand of the slurry.