Abstract: The present invention 10 discloses a trash and garbage processing device which may be sized to fit into a kitchen of a home or sized to be used in a multi-family dwelling. The present invention 10 has a plurality of sorting compartments 12 disposed on the top thereof for receiving various types of waste products. There is a compartment for shrinking and palletizing plastics, another compartment for shredding paper and cardboard 58, another compartment for perishable organic waste 48, a crushing compartment for crushing cans and glass/plastic products 54 and a disposal compartment 60 for non-degradable, solid waste such as bones and batteries. After the various types of waste materials are processed, they are transferred to a conduit to a recycling bin 32 for temporary storage and then thereafter removed from the recycling bin and transferred for final disposal.

Abstract: A titanium dioxide compound was isolated from a rare type of naturally occurring ore. Processes for efficiently isolating and obtaining these TiO2 compounds, as well as methods for using them have been developed. These TiO2 compounds may be used directly in applications such as paper, plastics and paints without being subjected to the chloride or sulfate processes. Also they made be used as a feedstock for the chloride or sulfate processes. In order to obtain these TiO2 compounds, one may grind or pulverize the naturally occurring ore, disperse it in a solution or suspension, and process it by selective flocculation or aqueous biphasic extraction.

Abstract: A system and method for producing foundry quality sand from non-conventional starting materials through the combination of oolitization and classification. Incoming particulate matter is first directed into a controlled energy attrition unit where the particles are made to collide with one another. Such collisions clean and round the particles by chipping away surface projections and coatings without crushing the particles. The particle stream is then directed through a multi-fraction classifier where it is separated into two or more useable grades of foundry sand. An air classifier is preferred for the classification stage.

Abstract: The invention relates to carrier particles for use in pharmaceutical compositions for the pulmonary administration of medicaments by means of dry powder inhalers. In particular, the invention relates to a novel technological process for obtaining a carrier modified so as to improve the efficiency of redispersion of active particles and hence increase the respirable fraction. After the treatment of the invention, the surface of said modified carrier particles can also be coated with a suitable additive so as to further improve the respirable fraction.

Abstract: There is a method for the mechanical disintegration of biogenic sewage sludge, for which the sewage sludge, in an initial state, has microorganisms in the form of cells and a solid, which is formed essentially from aggregates of cells and suspended materials, and for which a disintegration process (3, 4) causes a destruction of aggregates and a destruction of cells. It is desirable to improve the disintegration. This is achieved in that, in a first disintegration step 3, primary destruction of aggregates and, in a subsequent, separate second disintegration step 4, primary destruction of cells is caused. Due to the use of two separate disintegration processes, an appreciable improvement in the disintegration is achieved, since fewer aggregates and more cells are supplied to the second disintegration process. The increased destruction of cells brings about the improvement in the disintegration.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing polished cereal to obtain no-bran cereal having a reduced size. The apparatus comprises a polished cereal processing section for removing bran remaining on surfaces of polished cereal by mixing granular material with the polished cereal so that the remaining bran is captured by the granular material, and separating the polished cereal with bran removed and the granular material with bran captured; and a granular material reprocessing section for reprocessing the granular material with bran captured and feeding back the reprocessed granular material to the polished cereal processing section for recycling the granular material. The granular material reprocessing section includes a screen tube for separating the granular material within a predetermined granularity range and a removing roller arranged to rotate in the screen tube for removing the bran captured on surfaces of the granular material fed into the screen tube.

Abstract: A metallic coating layer is removed at least partly from scrap metal pieces having a core and the coating layer on the core. The coating layer has a lower melting temperature than the core. The scrap metal pieces are agitated in a container with abrading elements so as to cause multiple collisions, whereby the coating layer is at least partly removed. During the agitating the container temperature is a temperature T in the range Ts(coat)<T<TL(core) wherein Ts(coat) is the solidus temperature of the coating layer and TL(core) is the liquidus temperature of the core. The agitation may be by rotationally tumbling or shaking the scrap metal pieces and the abrading elements.

Abstract: A composition of matter for joint or texture compound used in wallboard applications which incorporates an ingredient which has been reclaimed from waste wallboard panel. A method and system for reconstituting the waste wallboard into the joint compound is also provided. Waste wallboard is thereby recycled so that the waste wallboard does not need to be disposed in a landfill.

Abstract: An iron based product having at least a sufficient total ferrous content by weight to render the product commercially feasible wherein the product is derived by a process comprising the beneficiation of kish slag waste material having a relatively low ferrous material content before beneficiation. The resulting iron based product has a total ferrous content of substantially 90% by weight thereby making it both practical and economical for the reintroduction into iron and/or steel making processes utilizing an injection method or by briquetting at at least a portion of the resulting product. The beneficiation process involves the heating of the waste material to an extent at least sufficient for drying, separating the high sulphur slag from a remainder of the waste material and subsequently classifying the remainder of the waste material, once separated from the high sulphur slag by particle size.

Abstract: The invention comprises an improved recycling and recovery process for rugs, flooring, carpeting, carpeting materials, and other textiles particular from waste carpet containing at least some synthetic fiber backing materials, and at least some nylon as well, and more particularly for the separation and recovery of the nylon polymers in purified and reusable condition and also recovery of other polymeric fibers and materials which may be present and can be recycled and reused.

Abstract: Devices and corresponding mechanical non-fermentive methods for isolating seeds from fruits or vegetables and for releasing and separating the isolated seeds from their coats, according to one embodiment the device includes a first station including a first chamber and a second chamber at least partly separated therebetween by a perforation element, the first chamber engages a mixing mechanism for circulating a coated seeds including liquid mixture such that the coated seeds are scraped against the perforation element and passing through the element into the second chamber, the device further includes a second station including a third chamber engaging a vortexing mechanism for vortexing the liquid mixture, such that the seeds resulting from the first station are scraped against one another, thereby releasing the seeds from their coats, the device further includes drains for separating the released seed coats from the naked seeds.

Abstract: A method of separating glass from film in a recycling of laminated panes, includes the following consecutive steps: in a crusher, breaking the glass carried on the film; heating the broken panes in a heating bath; and removing the glass from the film in a separating device.

Abstract: For cleaning foodstuffs in the form of a bulk material, such as cereal grains, rice grains, soybeans, sunflower seeds, coffee beans, and the like, there is provided an optical sorting device (24, 24a, 24a') subsequent to a precleaning system (6), which enables sorting on the basis of color and/or size and/or shape. Each particle of the bulk material is allocated to a particle class determined by parameters and conveyed on a supporting surface transporting the bulk material to a reception area (43, 44, 45) for the respective particle class. To clean the bulk material, impurities and bad particles are sorted out of the product, with the product being partitioned into classes, if required.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recycling electronic waste in the form of disassembled printed circuit boards from electronic devices, from which the components have not been removed, known as printed circuit boards. After removal of the batteries, mercury switches and PCB-containing capacitors, the printed circuit boards are mechanically precomminuted and the particles are cryogenically embrittled with liquid nitrogen and comminuted in a hammermill.

Abstract: A hammer mill for batchwise operation has a mill housing having a perforated screening plate intended for discharging a fine fraction of the milling material. A coarse fraction of the milling material is emptied through an emptying flap. A supply shaft opens tangentially into the milling chamber. The supply shaft is closed by a movable closure wall. In order to maintain short consistent treatment times of the milling material and to precisely reproduce a specific degree of filling for the treatment space, the supply shaft is dimensioned such that it can receive more than a milling-chamber fill. The movable closure wall is displaceable back and forth between a raised standby position and a lowered operating position such that the milling material introduced into the supply shaft when the closure wall is raised is forced into the milling chamber and then held therein by the closure wall being displaced in the direction of the milling chamber.

Abstract: There is described a process for the disposal and recycling of resistance (or incandescent) and/or discharge lamps by crushing the lamp bodies and separating the glass, metal, heavy metal and, if appropriate, fluorescent components of the lamps by crushing the lamp bodies by means of a squeezing device whose effective distance can be adjusted in such a way that no separation of the base glass and the lamp base will be effected. Another subject-matter of the invention is a squeezing device for carrying out the process, comprising a double-belt press with an adjustable distance between the upper and the lower belt.

Abstract: Used batteries and other material for reclamation and recovery or environmentally safe disposal are transferred from a feed bin by an auger into a crusher and then into a pyrolysis chamber. The feed system excludes air or oxygen from passing through the auger and crusher into the pyrolysis chamber. The material from the crusher is transferred by an auger through the pyrolysis chamber which is heated to a decomposition temperature between 350.degree. and 650.degree. F. and is decomposed. The pyrolysis chamber includes a vapor recovery system for removing the vapors and maintaining a vacuum in the pyrolysis chamber. The vapors are withdrawn through a heat exchanger and into the liquid/gas separator where the condensed liquids are removed and the gas is further processed. The residue from the pyrolysis chamber is discharged into a residue recovery system which includes a closed auger for transferring the residue from the pyrolysis chamber into a bin.

Abstract: Adhered paper is separated from paper covered gypsum board by hammermilling the gypsum board through holes of a hammermill grate, the hole size being selected to produce a screenable mixture of pieces of paper and separated gypsum board particles. The mixture may then be screened to segregate the pieces of paper from the particles.

Abstract: Sheets of defectively manufactured wallboard are loaded in a stack on a conveyor and are advanced intermittently to a shearing station where a shear periodically cuts through the stack to sever successive leading end sections from the stack. Each cut-off leading end section drops into a shredder which reduces the wallboard into small particles and chunks capable of being recycled.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing low bark-content wood chips from whole-tree chips. The method has two or more sequential separation stages, which can be divided into pre-separation with a bark content of less than 10% and final cleaning, and in which the pre-separation comprises at least pneumatic separation and the final cleaning includes sorting based on color difference. Before pneumatic separation the bark is removed from the chips by grinding, which simultaneously reduces the particle size of the bark.

Abstract: The apparatus consists of a glass breaker alone or a glass granulator alone or combinations of the two machines along with a screen/sieve and cullet mover mechanism to sort or size the glass particles for further reprocessing or for use an end product of the glass processing apparatus. The glass breaker breaks the glass objects using a rotating shaft with breaker bars attached thereto. The glass containers are shattered by impact with radially extending members of a rotating shaft and by causing the glass to impact a breaker plate within a breaking chamber. The granulator is used to process glass cullet to create glass particles of selected size for the purpose of recycling. As a result of the granulation of the glass, it is possible to separate out or screen out the non-glass articles such as caps, rings, paper etc.

Abstract: A system for separating and packaging carpet forming fibrous material and backing material from carpet pieces for recycling. The system comprises a shredding apparatus for separating carpet pieces into substantially even sized small pieces of between two inches by two inches and four inches by four inches. These pieces are passed to a granulating apparatus which slices them into smaller pieces of between one-quarter inch and one-half inch which causes the fibrous material and backing material to begin to separate. A surge apparatus receives the partially separated materials and delivers them in an even manner to an elutriator. The elutriator using an upper air delivery system for carrying off the fibrous material and a lower air delivery system for carrying off the backing material delivers the separated materials to storage apparatus which readies the separated materials for recycling.

Abstract: A method of mixing two or more materials, at least one of which is supplied in packaged form comprises the steps of passing the packaged material to a processing unit while still in its packaging and then breaking open the packaging in the processing unit so that the material can escape therefrom. The materials can then be mixed in a mixing apparatus, with the broken down packaging subsequently being filtered from the mixed materials. In this way the material which is supplied in packaged form need not be handled directly. The filtered out packaging may be washed prior to disposal or recycling.

Abstract: A method of reclaiming rubber from vehicle tyres that enables the high grade rubber in the tread portion of the tire to be collected separate from the lower grade rubber in the sidewalls and other areas of the tire. The method comprising separating the complete tread portion from the remainder of the tire and then removing from that tread portion the high grade tread rubber. Thereafter the remainder of the tread portion and the sidewall and bead portion of the tire are each treated to separate the rubber from metallic and fabric reinforcement materials therein. The high quality tread rubber and lower grade other rubber are both removed in a particulate form.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for extracting gold from circuit boards, gold fingers and gold pins is described comprising the steps of applying liquid nitrogen directly to the surface of the circuit boards, gold fingers and gold pins, thus freezing the gold. A vibration is then instituted to loosen the gold from the substrate to which it was attached. The gold flakes or particles are then collected by a high powered vacuum apparatus.

Abstract: A process for recovering the cellulose flock component of used disposable sanitary non-woven cellulose articles, especially diapers having also a plastics component and a superabsorbent polymer component, comprising: separating the cellulose flock component from the plastics component; disintegrating the cellulose flock component in water into cellulose fibers and separating them from the water containing the superabsorbent polymer component and other waste, by selectively collecting the cellulose fibers onto a rough surface; disposing the water, effluent and separately compacting the separated cellulose fibers and the separated plastics component prior to their discharge. The invention also provides an apparatus for carrying out the process.

Abstract: A process for treating an AB.sub.5 Ni--MH battery to recover purified positive and negative electrode components of the battery is disclosed. An AB.sub.5 Ni--MH battery is placed in a mineral acid leach solution to cause the positive and negative electrode components of the battery to separate. The positive and negative electrode components are maintained in the leach solution until the negative electrode component breaks down into its dissolved rare earth metal constituents and metallic solids. The metallic solids remaining from the negative electrode component and the positive electrode components are separated from the mineral acid leach solution and subjected to an elutriation process and thereafter to ball milling to obtain Ni rich powder and Fe. The mineral acid leach solution containing the completely dissolved rare earth metals is subjected to a phosphate precipitation process to recover La and Ce in precipitate, and then subjected to a second precipitation process to recover Ni, Co, Mn and Al.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for carrying out the method are described which are used for reprocessing waste material accumulating in the production of cigarettes and similar rod-form smoking items, wherein the waste material comprises paper material, tobacco and filter material, wherein the paper material is wrapped around the tobacco, and wherein essentially the following process steps are carried out: the waste material is subjected to a dry mechanical treatment in order to obtain waste material which is broken down and in which the material components of the waste material are separated one from the other, and in particular the paper material is detached from the tobacco or the other material components, and the tobacco is subsequently sifted out of the broken-down waste material. The paper material can be suctioned out of the broken-down waste material after the tobacco has been sifted out.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of at least a major proportion of the useful metallic iron values in small sized ferrous slags and drosses in which the slags and drosses are subjected to at least one grinding step in a wet grinding mill. Depending on the size of the slag and dross particles, either a peripheral end discharge rod mill or an axial discharge ball mill is used. In a preferred configuration, two wet grinding stages are used, comprising a peripheral end discharge rod mill followed by a ball mill. Products with different metallic iron contents are recovered by interposing screens with suitably sized openings between and after the grinding mills. This process makes it possible to recover at least about 80% of the metallic iron in the feed material.

Abstract: In a process of treating waste materials for an anaerobic digestion of the biogenic organic constituents of the garbage, particularly of the source separated organic waste, the wet waste, the residual waste and the commercial wastes, an easily dewaterable suspension of the biogenic organic substances is formed in a pretreating stage by a mechanical treatment including a selective dissolution and defibration of the biogenic organic substances. In dependence on the adjusted solids concentration the action of flow-dynamical forces is so controlled that the not biogenic organic substances, are not subjected to an appreciable disintegration before they are removed at the end of the pretreatment. Non-digestable substances are removed. The suspension is converted to biogas by an anaerobic digestion and to a compost-like residue.

Abstract: A grizzly-type separator is disposed across the path of fractured glass particulates to separate electrical tips from said glass particulates. The separator is formed preferably from round separator bars of about twice the average maximum diameter of fractured glass and about equal to the maximum average diameter of the fractured glass particulates. The separator bars are discontinuous in the center to cause a change in orientation of objects moving down the bars and are secured together by cross bars spaced significantly from the separator bars.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for breaking the glass components of articles comprised of glass and nonglass components and liberating the glass components from the nonglass components by subjecting the articles to controlled vibrations sufficient to break the glass without breaking the nonglass components. The apparatus is a vibratory device having a screen deck and a plate deck. The screen deck has holes through which the broken glass falls to the plate deck. The nonglass components remain on the screen deck. Thereafter, the nonglass components are removed by one or more of a variety of means. The glass may be further processed by cleaning, rinsing and further crushing to size the glass pieces. Glass of different types may optionally be separated by taking advantage of the differences in specific gravities between glass types.

Abstract: A process and machine components, intended to be used for recycling cellulose and plastic components of disposable diapers and other non woven cellulose articles to be utilized as basic raw materials, using splicing of the diapers and cellulose articles; separating the spliced mass into a plastic stream and a cellulose stream; disposing said plastic stream; disintegrating said cellulose stream into water, and separating said cellulose flock from the superabsorbent polymers and other waste effluent included in said cellulose stream; disposing off said superabsorbent polymers and waste in said water effluent; and compacting said separated cellulose flock prior discharge.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for purification and color sortation of waste glass, a glass beneficiation process and apparatus. The invention crushes the glass into pieces less than 3 inches in size, delables the glass, and then sorts the glass according to the light transmissive properties of the glass utilizing an array of lamps electrically connected to a control module.

Abstract: A process is provided for disintegration and pure-sorted separation of different plastics of composite structural parts to be recycled, which parts consist of a support composed of thicker-walled hard plastic, an intermediate layer applied with firm adhesion to this support and composed of foam material, and a flexible foil adhering firmly to the outside of the intermediate layer and made thinner-walled than the support. The composite structural parts are first comminuted into approximately cuboid particles preferably of a granulation of approximately 20 mm and comprising still different plastics. Subsequently, the particles formed are disintegrated in a dry manner into their individual materials, and these are then separated in a pure-sorted manner. For this purpose, the less break-resistant foam material of the particles is selectively comminuted mechanically by an impact stressing of the particles to form substantially smaller crumbs than the remaining pieces of particles of more break-resistant plastic.

Abstract: Processes for selectively comminuting impure psyllium seed husk. These processes comprise milling impure psyllium seed husk in a mill which causes the husk to be fragmented by collision under conditions whereby the mean particle size of the husk material is reduced relatively more than the mean particle size of the non-husk material. In addition, processes for purifying selectively comminuted psyllium seed husk are described.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for separating milled sugarcane pith from flattened rind upon discharge from a depithing station. The method includes dividing the discharge using an endless moving screen in the discharge zone, the screen having an open mesh which is suitable to allow flow of milled pith therethrough and to carry depithed rind thereon. Preferred embodiments include apparatus associated with the endless screen for pith collection and removal, and downstream apparatus for removing pith in a secondary pith flow from the path of rind flow and diverting it to the primary pith flow.

Abstract: A method for regenerating foundry old sand which method combines impact and shearing stress of the sand grains which occurs with simultaneous dust removal. The dust removed by suction contains non-burned bentonite and carbon parts which can be re-used in the same way as the regenerated material of core sand. Environmental pollution and quantities for dumping are drastically reduced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing waste plasterboard consisting of sheets of paper or similar material adhered to a core of plaster of paris or the like, for recovering and separating the cover material from the gypsum of the core and for collecting each in a conveniently reusable form. A pair of rollers have parallel axes of rotation and are held to a variably close spacing under pressure while being counterrotated to grasp and crush pieces of plasterboard, delivering the paper and crushed gypsum core material to a vibrating screen which separates the two for separate collection and subsequent reuse as raw materials or for other purposes. A second crusher and screen may be used for additional separation of the materials.

Abstract: A process for separating foods from packaging in which the foods are comminuted with the packaging by masticating and formed into a rope. The rope is cut and foods and packaging are subsequently separated by pressing the foods through a screen. Also, a device for working the process.

Abstract: Processes for selectively comminuting impure psyllium seed husk. These processes comprise milling impure psyllium seed husk in a mill which causes the husk to be fragmented by collision under conditions whereby the mean particle size of the husk material is reduced relatively more than the mean particle size of the non-husk material. In addition, processes for purifying selectively comminuted psyllium seed husk are described.

Abstract: A thorteveitite ore beneficiation process which comprises comminuting the ore by wet autogenuous grinding to substantially liberate the thortveitite contained therein, and passing the comminuted ore through a nonuniform magnetic field to produce a concentrate and a tailing, the concentrate containing a substantially greater percentage of thortveitite than the ore.

Abstract: Processes for dehusking psyllium seeds to obtain high yields of high purity psyllium seed husk. These processes comprise milling intact psyllium seeds in a mill which causes the husk to be fragmented by collision under conditions whereby the husk is fractured and separated from the non-husk portion of the psyllium seed without substantial breakage and size reduction of the non-husk portion. Preferred milling utilizes impact speeds within the range of from about 5 m/sec to about 40 m/sec.

Abstract: Processes and apparatuses are provided for hygienically returning for reuse in subsequent manufacturing processes, the original liquid absorbing materials and moisture sealing materials of used single use collecting and/or absorbing products, previously worn by infants or adults to absorb urine and/or to collect feces. These human wastes are washed out from single use diapers, one use adult diapers, and other like purpose products, and directed into municipal sewer systems, or other systems ending in the treatment of sewage. These used single use collecting and/or absorbing products are heated to reach temperatures high enough to liquidize adhesives originally used, where necessary, to hold together the original liquid absorbing materials and moisture sealing materials, and then the liquidized adhesives are drained clear of these materials. Preferably, this removal of adhesives is completed during the washing of these one use products.

Abstract: A steel can shredding/delabeling system processes post-consumer steel cans, taken from a solid weight stream, into a densified product suitable for detinning. The steel cans are transported and fed into a surge hopper that feeds cans into a shredder. The surge hopper is designed to maintain a continuous feed to the shredder to optimize shredding efficiency. As the steel cans pass through the shredder, they are transformed into shredded, densified steel particles with the paper labels removed and reduced to paper fines. This mixture of shredded cans and paper fines is transferred by conveyor to the top of a multi-pass aspirator. The aspirator utilizes an upward air flow within a column of the aspirator to separate the materials on the basis of their terminal velocities in air. The mixture free falls down a series of cascades, while being subjected to the upward flow of air.

Abstract: A discoid element (7, 8) for a helical screw or worm arrangement comprising, on each side, identical shallow depressions (20); each depression having an open end (21) adjacent the periphery and a closed end (22) adjacent a central bore (23). The depressions (20) in one side of the discoid element are staggered with respect to those of the other side. The discoid element may also contain radial ribs (24, 25, 26, 27) constituting the sidewalls of the shallow depressions. The discoid elements may suitably be used in apparatus for dehusking grain.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a granular building material from refuse. Cylindrical granules, having a diameter of 8 mm and a length from 10 to 20 mm, are formed by granulation under a pressure of 600 bar of a homogeneous first powder mixture of 952 kg of crushed household refuse, 50 kg of quicklime and 5 kg of calcium carbonate. The granules are heated at 200.degree. C. for 30 minutes in a rotary tubular kiln so as to obtain 720 kg of granules having a moisture content of about 1% by weight. These granules are finely crushed and, in a malaxator, a second powder mixture is prepared which is composed of a mixture of 101 kg of Portland cement, 101 kg of powdered dolomite, 91 kg of calcium carbonate and 50.5 kg of water, and the fine powder resulting from the crushing of the granules. Finally, the second mixture is granulated under a pressure of 600 bar and the granules are left to harden with the setting of the cement. The final granular building material may be employed as granulate for making concrete.

Abstract: In a process of fragmenting and segregating metallic components fabricated from different aluminum alloys, a method of removing tramp impurities therefrom is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a feedstock comprised of the metallic components having mixed therewith tramp impurities, the alloys having different incipient melting temperatures. The feedstock is heated to effect incipient melting of the component having the lowest incipient melting temperature and is then agitated sufficiently to cause the component having the lowest incipient melting temperature to fragment. The agitation also causes the fragmented component to scour tramp impurities from the unfragmented feedstock. The fragmented components and tramp impurities are segregated from the unfragmented feedstock and fragmented components are separated from the tramp impurities.

Abstract: A method for separating a first, relatively dense and hard component of a liquid mixture from a second, less dense and relatively soft component of the mixture. The method comprises introducing the liquid mixture into a settlement vessel (3); abstracting the settled solids from the settlement vessel (3) and passing the abstracted, settled solids through a shearing means (22); and returning the abstracted, sheared solids to the settlement vessel (3) thereby to permit the relatively hard component of the liquid mixture to settle and separate from the relatively soft component. An apparatus for separating a first, relatively dense and hard component of a liquid mixture from a second, less dense and relatively soft component of the mixture.

Abstract: Mineral values, particularly uranium, are recovered from ground mineral-containing ore by contacting the ground ore with an oxidizing gas and leaching with an acidic or alkaline leach solution. The oxidizing gas treatment significantly increases minerals recovery and/or significantly reduces the severity of the conditions required, particularly the temperature and the concentration of leach chemicals. Further improvements are attained by separating a total ore into a coarse fraction and a fines fraction and separately treating at least a part of these two fractions. The sequence of operations, i.e., treating with oxidizing gas and leaching, the manner of leaching and the conditions of leaching are varied to obtain significantly improved results, based on the discoveries that a coarse fraction is substantially easier to leach than the total ore or the fines fraction and treatment with an oxidizing gas significantly improves the ease of leaching, particularly of the fines fraction.