Methods for selective leaching and extraction of precious metals in organic solvents

A method of leaching gold from a substance comprising gold, the method comprising

• (i) leaching the substance with a first mixture comprising:
• (a) an acid;
• (b) an oxidizing agent;
• and
• (c) a solvent selected from acetic acid, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, and tetrahydrofuran to provide a second mixture,
• the leaching being done under conditions to leach the gold from the substance, wherein
• the conditions to leach the gold from the substance comprise stirring the substance and the first mixture for a time of about 0.1 minute to about 2 hours at a temperature of about 20° C. to about 60° C., the acid is a hydrogen halide, chlorous acid, chloric acid, bromous acid, bromic acid, iodous acid, iodic acid, perchloric acid, sulfuric acid, oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, an organic acid or combinations thereof, and
• the oxidizing agent is ozone, nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, O2, bubbled air, I2, Br2, Cl2, potassium monopersulfate, an ammonium polyatomic salt, calcium hypochlorite, a sodium polyatomic salt, a potassium polyatomic salt, manganese oxide, a tetraalkylammonium salt, peroxomonosulfuric acid, urea, peracetic acid, or combinations thereof;
• and
• (ii) separating insoluble impurities from the second mixture to provide a solution of dissolved leached gold.