Patents by Inventor Keith B. Murden

Keith B. Murden has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method for treating iron-bearing slags containing precious metals, particularly slags created in the smelting process of copper and nickel
    Patent number: 4717419
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating iron-bearing slags containing precious metals, particularly slags created in copper and nickel smelting processes, by reducing the slag so that by means of adding a possible sulphidizing agent, the composition of the molten slag is regulated in solidified state to fall within the area where the metallicized, iron-bearing molten copper sulphide is in balance with the metallic copper and the iron-base metal alloy. By means of controlled cooling, the precious metals contained in this molten sulphide having an advantageous liquidus temperature are concentrated into the iron-base metal phase, whereafter the phase containing the precious metals can be separated by means of magnetic separation. After the magnetic separation, a selective hydrometallurgic treatment is carried out in order to recover the precious metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1988
    Assignee: Outokumpu Oy
    Inventors: Juho K. Makinen, Keith B. Murden, Heikki P. Saari