Abstract: The present invention is directed to improved methods for processing battery wastes, battery casing debris and other lead contaminated materials. The improved processes of the present invention provide less environmentally stressful methods for recovering lead from such materials while at the same time producing scrap or recyclable ebonite and plastics having reduced and environmentally acceptable lead and leachable lead levels. Most of the lead is first removed by trammel scrubbing. In another aspect of the present invention ebonite and other hard surface materials to which are adhered lead contaminants are mixed with water and abraded in a high energy scrubber to remove the adhered contaminants prior to separation of the cleaned ebonite from solution. This simple and environmentally preferred hydromechanical process provides clean scrap or recyclable ebonite.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to improved methods for processing battery wastes, batter casing debris and other lead contaminated materials. The improved processes of the present invention provide less environmentally stressful methods for recovering lead from such materials while at the same time producing scrap or recyclable ebonite and plastics having reduced and environmentally acceptable lead and leachable lead levels. Most of the lead is first removed by trommel scrubbing. In another aspect of the present invention ebonite and other hard surface materials to which are adhered lead contaminants are mixed with water and abraded in a high energy scrubber to remove the adhered contaminants prior to separation of the cleaned ebonite from solution. This simple and environmentally preferred hydromechanical process provides clean scrap or recyclable ebonite.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to improved methods for processing battery wastes, batter casing debris and other lead contaminated materials. The improved processes of the present invention provide less environmentally stressful methods for recovering lead from such materials while at the same time producing scrap or recyclable ebonite and plastics having reduced and environmentally acceptable lead and leachable lead levels. Most of the lead is first removed by trommel scrubbing. In another aspect of the present invention ebonite and other hard surface materials to which are adhered lead contaminants are mixed with water and abraded in a high energy scrubber to remove the adhered contaminants prior to separation of the cleaned ebonite from solution. This simple and environmentally preferred hydromechanical process provides clean scrap or recyclable ebonite.

Abstract: A method for leaching mineral values from an underground ore body in situ comprises introducing an oxygen-bearing gas into a pressurized saturation-disengagement chamber located above ground of the ore body where the oxygen-bearing gas becomes dissolved in a leach solution. The leach solution with dissolved oxygen therein is then pumped into the well and through the ore body where the leach solution oxidizes the mineral values in the ore body permitting their solubilization and transport by the leach solution to a recovery well where the pregnant leach solution is pumped above ground. The pregnant leach solution is then treated to remove the mineral values therefrom. Insuring that the oxygen-bearing gas is completely dissolved in the leach solution above ground in the saturation-disengagement chamber prevents gas bubbles from being pumped into the ore formation, thereby preventing loss of injectivity.

Abstract: This invention relates to the solution mining of subterranean trona deposits which comprises treating the ore "in situ" with an aqueous solvent containing sodium hydroxide at a concentration of not less than approximately 1% and no greater than that which will leave the brine thus produced with no less than approximately 1.5 parts of sodium bicarbonate per hundred parts of sodium carbonate when saturated.