Abstract: A process for recovering zinc from a zinc containing material, the process including the steps of: leaching the zinc containing material with an alkaline lixiviant comprising an aqueous mixture of NH3 and NH4Cl, or ionic equivalent, having a NH4Cl concentration of between about 10 g/L and about 150 g/L H2O and a NH3 concentration of between 20 g/l H2O and 250 g/L H2O, to produce a zinc containing leachate; stripping ammonia from the leachate to produce a stripped liquor which includes a zinc containing precipitate, the stripped liquor having a NH3 concentration of between 7 and 30 g/L H2O; and recovering the zinc from the stripped liquor.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material for subsequent processing to recover valuable material, such as valuable metals, from the mined material is disclosed. The method includes a combination of selective breakage of mined material, for example, by using microwaves and/or high pressure grinding rolls, subsequent size separation, and then particle sorting of a coarse fraction of the separated material based on differential heating and thermal imaging.

Abstract: A process for recovering zinc from a zinc containing material, the process including the steps of: leaching the zinc containing material with an alkaline lixiviant comprising an aqueous mixture of NH3 and NH4Cl, or ionic equivalent, having a NH4Cl concentration of between about 10 g/L and about 150 g/L H2O and a NH3 concentration of between 20 g/l H2O and 250 g/L H2O, to produce a zinc containing leachate; stripping ammonia from the leachate to produce a stripped liquor which includes a zinc containing precipitate, the stripped liquor having a NH3 concentration of between 7 and 30 g/L H2O; and recovering the zinc from the stripped liquor.

Abstract: A method of leaching a metal value from a heap of a metal-containing ore and a heap leaching operation are disclosed. The method includes establishing a downward flow of a leach liquor through a section of the heap by supplying the leach liquor onto a top surface of the section and allowing the leach liquor (containing metal values in solution) to drain from a lower part of the section. The method is characterized by supplying the leach liquor onto the top surface of the section at a flow rate that is sufficient so that the downwardly flowing leach liquor saturates the section of the heap.

Abstract: A process for leaching an ore containing sulfidic copper-containing minerals includes carrying out an aerated oxidizing leach of a part of the ore and producing an acidic leach liquor containing ferrous ions, ferric ions, and copper ions in solution. The process also includes carrying out a leach of another part of the ore using the leach liquor under conditions that minimize reactions with a source of iron in the ore and producing a leach liquor containing copper ions in solution. The process further includes recovering copper from the leach liquor.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material for subsequent processing to recover valuable material, such as valuable metals, from the mined material is disclosed. The method includes a combination of selective breakage of mined material, for example, by using microwaves and/or high pressure grinding rolls, subsequent size separation, and then particle sorting of a coarse fraction of the separated material based on differential heating and thermal imaging.

Abstract: A method of leaching a metal value from a heap of a metal-containing ore and a heap leaching operation are disclosed. The method includes establishing a downward flow of a leach liquor through a section of the heap by supplying the leach liquor onto a top surface of the section and allowing the leach liquor (containing metal values in solution) to drain from a lower part of the section. The method is characterized by supplying the leach liquor onto the top surface of the section at a flow rate that is sufficient so that the downwardly flowing leach liquor saturates the section of the heap.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material for subsequent processing to recover valuable material, such as valuable metals, from the mined material is disclosed. The method includes a combination of selective breakage of mined material, for example, by using microwaves and/or high pressure grinding rolls, subsequent size separation, and then particle sorting of a coarse fraction of the separated material based on differential heating and thermal imaging.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for crushing material, particularly mined material, are disclosed. In one embodiment two or more pairs of crushing rolls successively crush mined material. The pairs of crushing rolls are arranged and operated so that an upstream pair of rolls produces a feed, preferably a pressurized feed, for a downstream pair of rolls. In another embodiment, at least an upstream pair of rolls is driven intermittently, for example, by means of a stepping motor to provide stepped rotational movement of the rolls.

Abstract: A process for leaching an ore containing sulphidic copper-containing minerals is disclosed. The process includes carrying out an aerated oxidising leach of a part of the ore and causing reactions with a source of iron such as pyrite in the ore and producing an acidic leach liquor containing ferrous ions, ferric ions, and copper ions in solution. The process also includes carrying out a leach of another part of the ore using the leach liquor produced in step (a) under conditions that minimise reactions with a source of iron such as pyrite in the ore and producing a leach liquor containing copper ions in solution.

Abstract: A Bayer process is disclosed. The Bayer process includes a step of treating any one or more of: (a) Bayer liquor or liquors produced in the process, (b) precipitated aluminium trihydrate particles produced in the process, and (c) other solids added to or produced in the process, with ultrasonic energy and destroying organics in the liquor or liquors, on the precipitated aluminium trihydrate particles, and on the other solids.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material for subsequent processing to recover valuable material, such as valuable metals, from the mined material is disclosed. The method includes a combination of selective breakage of mined material (for example, by using microwaves and/or high pressure grinding rolls), subsequent size separation, and then particle sorting of a coarse fraction of the separated material based on differential heating and thermal imaging.

Abstract: A method of separating potassium chloride and sodium chloride from a heated solution of these salts, such as a solution obtained from potash ore, to recover potassium chloride from the ore is disclosed. The method includes a combination of steps of (a) extracting water from a heated solution containing potassium chloride and sodium chloride using a membrane system and (b) subsequently cooling the solution discharged from the membrane system, whereby steps (a) and (b) make it possible to selectively recover potassium chloride and sodium chloride from the solution.

Abstract: A method and an assembly for treating minerals using microwave energy are disclosed. The method includes exposing a moving bed, preferably a mixed moving bed, of mineral particles to pulsed high energy microwave energy so that at least substantially all particles receive at least some exposure to microwave energy.

Abstract: A method of treating ore particles to facilitate subsequent processing of the ore particles to recover valuable components from the ore is disclosed. The method includes exposing the ore particles to microwave energy and causing structural alteration of the ore particles. In one embodiment structural alteration is achieve without significantly altering the mineralogy, i.e., composition, of the ore. In another embodiment structural alteration is achieved with minimal change to the sizes of the ore particles. In another embodiment the method includes exposing the ore particles to short duration, high energy pulses of microwave energy.

Abstract: A floating water surface cover module, comprising a rim (1), and a shallow dome-shaped cover (2 )extending from the top of the rim (1 )and formed with a vent (3), the rim and cover being formed with shaped air-filled air-tight cavities (5 )spaced around the rim (1 )to provide buoyancy, the rim (1 )and the cover (2 )being configured so that one module will nest within another to form a stable stack.

Abstract: A method and an assembly for treating minerals using microwave energy are disclosed. The method includes exposing a moving bed, preferably a mixed moving bed, of mineral particles to pulsed high energy microwave energy so that at least substantially all particles receive at least some exposure to microwave energy.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for crushing material, particularly mined material, are disclosed. In one embodiment two or more pairs of crushing rolls successively crush mined material. The pairs of crushing rolls are arranged and operated so that an upstream pair of rolls produces a feed, preferably a pressurised feed, for a downstream pair of rolls. In another embodiment, at least an upstream pair of rolls is driven intermittently, for example, by means of a stepping motor to provide stepped rotational movement of the rolls.

Abstract: A Bayer process is disclosed. The Bayer process includes a step of treating any one or more of: (a) Bayer liquor or liquors produced in the process, (b) precipitated aluminium trihydrate particles produced in the process, and (c) other solids added to or produced in the process, with ultrasonic energy and destroying organics in the liquor or liquors, on the precipitated aluminium trihydrate particles, and on the other solids.

Abstract: A process for recovering zinc from a zinc containing material, the process including the steps of: leaching the zinc containing material with an alkaline lixiviant comprising an aqueous mixture of NH3 and NH4Cl, or ionic equivalent, having a NH4Cl concentration of between about 10 g/L and about 150 g/L H2O and a NH3 concentration of between 20 g/l H2O and 250 g/L H2O, to produce a zinc containing leachate; stripping ammonia from the leachate to produce a stripped liquor which includes a zinc containing precipitate, the stripped liquor having a NH3 concentration of between 7 and 30 g/L H2O; and recovering the zinc from the stripped liquor.