# US 12,000,016 B2 · Environmentally-friendly compositions and methods for extracting minerals and metals from ore

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- Number: US 12,000,016 B2
- Document ID: US12000016B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/955,927
- Filed: 2018-12-22
- Published: 2020-10-29
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-27
- Assignees: Locus Solutions Ipco, LLC
- Applicants: Locus Solutions IPCo, LLC
- Inventors: Sean Farmer; Ken Alibek; Samal Ibragimova
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000016B2

## CPC

- C22B 3/18: with the aid of microorganisms or enzymes, e.g. bacteria or algae
- C12N 1/16: Yeasts; Culture media therefor
- C12N 1/20: Bacteria; Culture media therefor
- C22B 3/02: Apparatus therefor
- C22B 11/042: {Recovery of noble metals from waste materials}
- C22B 15/0065: {Leaching or slurrying (with organic compounds C22B3/16)}
- C22B 19/20: Obtaining zinc otherwise than by distilling
- C22B 23/0407: {Leaching processes}
- C22B 26/12: Obtaining lithium
- Y02P 10/20: Recycling
- C22B: PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS (electrolytic C25); PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

The subject invention provides safe, environmentally-friendly, compositions and methods for extracting minerals and/or metals from ore. More specifically, the subject invention provides for bioleaching using a composition comprising one or more biosurfactant-producing microorganisms and/or microbial growth by-products. In specific embodiments, the composition comprises biosurfactant-producing yeasts and/or their growth by-products.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for extracting minerals and/or metals from ore, the method comprising:
obtaining ore comprising one or more minerals and/or metals selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, cobalt, lithium, zinc and nickel, and gangue;
crushing, grinding, micronizing or pulverizing the ore into smaller ore particles; applying a biological leaching reagent comprising a Starmerella bombicola yeast and/or a growth by-product thereof to the ore particles, wherein the growth by-product is a biosurfactant;
mixing the biological leaching reagent with the ore particles to form a slurry;
allowing the minerals and/or metals to separate from the ore; and
collecting the minerals and/or metals from the slurry.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the mixing occurs continuously.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the separated minerals and/or metals are dispersed and/or float in the slurry as solution.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the separated minerals and/or metals are sequestered by the yeast and/or growth by-product thereof of the biological leaching reagent.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the minerals and/or metals are collected from the slurry via gravity, froth flotation, electrostatic separation, magnetic separation, wet size screening, dry screening or cyclone classifying.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the ore is in the form of mine tailings.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein contacting the ore with the biological leaching reagent comprises placing the ore particles into a tank, column, vat or pool and pouring the biological leaching reagent into the tank, column, vat or pool.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the biological leaching reagent further comprises glycine.