# US 10,370,738 B2 · Methods and systems for leaching a metal-bearing ore

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- Number: US 10,370,738 B2
- Document ID: US10370738B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/427,535
- Filed: 2013-09-05
- Published: 2015-08-13
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-09-13
- Assignees: Freeport Minerals Corporation
- Applicants: Freeport Minerals Corporation
- Inventors: Joanna M Robertson; Christine Rae Green; Gabriel Elias Bowman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370738B2

## CPC

- C22B 3/18: with the aid of microorganisms or enzymes, e.g. bacteria or algae
- C22B 3/02: Apparatus therefor
- Y02P 10/20: Recycling
- C22B: PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS (electrolytic C25); PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A system and method for recovering a metal value from a metal-bearing ore material are provided. A metal-bearing ore can be mixed with certain substances and to form an agglomerated ore. In an intermediate state, between agglomeration and heap formation, bacteria can be added to the metal-bearing ore material to produce an augmented ore. The augmented ore can then be formed into a heap. Bacteria from the heap may be fortified to assist in bacterial growth.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
inoculating a first agglomerated ore comprising a metal-bearing material with bacteria to form a first augmented ore;
forming at least a portion of a heap with the first augmented ore;
leaching the first augmented ore in a heap leach to yield a metal-bearing solution;
directing at least a portion of the metal-bearing solution from the heap to a separate growth pond to form a selectively pressured bacterial colony;
adding a nutrient directly to the portion of the metal-bearing solution in the separate growth pond to yield a fortified liquid medium comprising an amplified number of bacteria within the selectively pressured bacterial colony; and
directing at least a portion of the fortified liquid medium from the separate growth pond to a second agglomerated ore during inoculation of the second agglomerated ore.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the nutrient comprises at least one of ammonia, phosphate, potassium, magnesium, carbon dioxide, and oxygen.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal-bearing solution is held in the separate growth pond for at least 12 hours prior to the directing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising heating the fortified metal-bearing solution.

### Claim 5

A method comprising:
inoculating a first agglomerated ore comprising a metal-bearing material with bacteria to form a first augmented ore;
forming at least a portion of a first heap with the first augmented ore;
leaching the first augmented ore in the first heap to yield a metal-bearing solution;
directing at least a portion of the metal-bearing solution to a second heap to form a selectively pressured bacterial colony;
adding a nutrient directly to the second heap to yield a fortified liquid medium comprising an amplified number of bacteria in the selectively pressured bacterial colony; and
directing a portion of the fortified liquid medium from the second heap to a second agglomerated ore during inoculation of the second agglomerated ore to form a second augmented ore.

### Claim 6

A method comprising:
incubating a bacterial colony in a bioreactor system;
inoculating an agglomerated ore comprising a metal-bearing material with bacteria from the bacterial colony to form an augmented ore;
forming at least a portion of a heap with the augmented ore;
leaching the augmented ore in a heap leach to yield a metal-bearing solution;
pretreating at least a portion of the metal-bearing solution to form a pretreated metal-bearing solution; and
directing the pretreated metal-bearing solution to the bioreactor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the pretreating comprises at least one of pH adjustment, metal value precipitation, separation by density, and filtration.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the pretreating comprises adding a nutrient to the portion of the metal-bearing solution in the pretreatment stage.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the nutrient comprises at least one of ammonia, phosphate, potassium, magnesium, carbon dioxide, and oxygen.