Abstract: Processes for producing copper granules on a surface of a reducing metal. The process can include contacting the reducing metal with an aqueous solution comprising a copper(II) salt and a halide. The molar ratio of the halide to the copper(II) in the copper (II) salt can be at least about 3:1. The granular copper can be produced on a surface of the reducing metal, and is optionally removed from the surface of the reducing metal by shaking, washing, and/or brushing, and/or optionally with stirring and/or circulating of the aqueous solution.

Abstract: Systems and methods for basic leaching are provided. In various embodiments, a method is provided comprising leaching a slurry comprising a copper bearing material and an ammonia leach medium, adding copper powder to the slurry, separating the slurry into a pregnant leach solution and solids, and performing a solvent extraction on the pregnant leach solution to produce an loaded aqueous stream.

Abstract: A method of recovering copper from a copper sulfide concentrate comprising a copper arsenic sulfosalt or a copper antimony sulfosalt, using pyrite as a catalyst. The concentrate and pyrite are added to an acidic sulfate leach solution. The copper is leached from the concentrate, in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas, under conditions whereby the pyrite is substantially unoxidized. The pyrite:copper sulfide ratio of the pyrite being added to the copper sulfide present in the concentrate being added is at least 1:3. The pyrite may be maintained at a concentration in the leach solution of at least 9 grams per liter. The leached copper is recovered from the solution by conventional methods.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for recovering metal values from metal-bearing materials. During a reactive process, a seeding agent is introduced to provide a nucleation site for the crystallization and/or growth of solid species which otherwise tend to passivate the reactive process or otherwise encapsulate the metal value, thereby reducing the amount of desired metal values partially or completely encapsulated by such material. The seeding agent may be generated in a number of ways, including the recycling of residue or the introduction of foreign substances. Systems embodying aspects of the present invention may be beneficial for recovering a variety of metals such as copper, gold, silver, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, rhenium, uranium, rare earth metals, and platinum group metals from any metal-bearing material, such as ores and concentrates.

Abstract: A system and process for recovering copper from a copper-containing ore, concentrate, or other copper-bearing material to produce high quality cathode copper from a leach solution without the use of copper solvent extraction techniques or apparatus. A process for recovering copper from a copper-containing ore generally includes the steps of providing a feed stream containing comminuted copper-containing ore, concentrate, or other copper-bearing material, leaching the feed stream to yield a copper-containing solution, conditioning the copper-containing solution through one or more physical or chemical conditioning steps, and electrowinning copper directly from the copper-containing solution, without subjecting the copper-containing solution to solvent extraction.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a process for the production of sulfuric acid and liberation of precious metal values from materials containing sulfur through pressure leaching operations. In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, the sulfur-bearing materials may comprise residues from pressure leaching operations, such as those carried out at medium temperatures. The process of the present invention can be advantageously used to convert such sulfur-bearing materials to sulfuric acid by means of pressure leaching. The sulfuric acid so produced can be used beneficially in other mineral processing operations, for example those at the site where it is produced. Metals, such as precious metals, that are contained within the sulfur-bearing materials advantageously may be recovered from processing products by established precious metals recovery technology.

Abstract: Copper values are efficiently recovered from a copper ore, including secondary sulfides, by first crushing the ore to a particle size P-80 of about 1 to 2 inches, then grinding the so crushed ore to a particle size P-80 of between Tyler 4 mesh and 20 mesh, and then classifying the ground ore into a fines fraction of less than 65 mesh and one or more coarse fractions of more than 65 mesh. The fines are then leached or subjected to flotation to form a concentrate which is leached to form a pregnant leach solution. In parallel, the coarse fraction or fractions are leached also to form a pregnant leach solution. The leaching operations are carried out with ferric sulfate lixiviant at atmospheric pressure and elevated temperature. During leaching ferric sulfate is reduced to ferrous sulfate. The pregnant leach solutions are then subjected to solvent extraction to recover the copper values and subsequently to electrowinning to produce copper metal.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for making a shaped copper article directly from a copper-bearing material, comprising: (A) contacting said copper-bearing material with an effective amount of at least one aqueous leaching solution to dissolve copper ions into said leaching solution and form a copper-rich aqueous leaching solution; (B) contacting said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution with an effective amount of at least one water-insoluble extractant to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution to said extractant to form a copper-rich extractant and a copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (C) separating said copper-rich extractant from said copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (D) contacting said copper-rich extractant with an effective amount of at least one aqueous stripping solution to transfer copper ions from said extractant to said stripping solution to form a copper-rich stripping solution and a copper-depleted extractant; (E) separating said copper-rich st

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the hydrometallurgical separation and recovery of biological nutrients, cadmium, lead, and gypsum from raw materials such as electric arc furnace flue dust. Biological nutrients, including zinc and iron, are selectively separated and recovered from raw materials, including metals and metal oxides, and are selectively and variably recombined, to achieve a biological nutrient product which a desired relative concentration of zinc and iron. The process is a closed system generating no solid waste, no liquid water or acid waste streams, and whereby gypsum, and substantially all hazardous wastes such as lead and cadmium, are separated and recovered from raw material for sale as commercial products.

Abstract: There is provided a novel hydrometallurgical process for the extraction of copper from sulphidic concentrates involving an oxidizing pressure leach using dilute sulphuric acid and a carbonaceous additive. The leaching step is carried out preferably at temperatures above the melting point of sulphur but below about 200.degree. C.

Abstract: Heavy metals are reclaimed from a concentrated wastewater solution containing heavy metal cations and an acid by adding to the wastewater a bed of scrap aluminum in a total amount between about 160% and about 180% of the stoichiometric requirement for complete reduction of the dissolved heavy metal cations to their elemental states and adjusting the acid content of the wastewater to 5% to 20% by volume and allowing the heavy metal cations to react with the scrap aluminum to oxidize the aluminum and to reduce the heavy metal cations to their elemental states thereby producing demetallized wastewater which is neutralized with caustic to produce a treated effluent.