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US 10,767,242 B2Granted
Methods and systems for leaching a metal-bearing ore using a bio-augmentation process
AssigneeFreeport Minerals Corporation
InventorsJoanna M Robertson, Christine Rae Green, Gabriel Elias Bowman
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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.
Claims15
A method comprising:
- inoculating a first agglomerated ore comprising a metal-bearing material with bacteria to form a first augmented ore;
- leaching the first augmented ore comprising bacteria in a heap leach to yield a metal-bearing solution;
- directing at least a portion of the metal-bearing solution to a separate growth pond;
- adding a nutrient directly to the metal-bearing solution in the separate growth pond to yield a fortified liquid medium;
- and
- directing at least a portion of the fortified liquid medium from the separate growth pond to a second agglomerated ore.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- leaching an augmented ore comprising bacteria in a heap leach to yield a metal-bearing solution;
- pretreating at least a portion of the metal-bearing solution to form a pre-treated metal-bearing solution;
- and
- directing the pre-treated metal-bearing solution to a bioreactor system wherein a bacterial colony is incubated.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.