Solvent extraction process
AssigneeCognis Corporation
InventorsGary A. Kordosky, Hans Hein Steger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circuit configuration for a metal solvent extraction plant comprising: A) an extraction section for extracting metal ions from an aqueous leach solution containing the metal ions with an organic solvent solution containing at least one metal extraction reagent, wherein the extraction section consists of three countercurrent extraction stages; and B) a stripping section consisting of one stripping stage for stripping the metal ions from the metal extraction reagent.
Claims25
A circuit configuration for a metal solvent extraction plant comprising:
- A) an extraction section for extracting metal ions from an aqueous leach solution containing the metal ions with an organic solvent solution containing at least one metal extraction reagent, wherein the extraction section consists of three countercurrent extraction stages;
- and
- B) a stripping section consisting of one stripping stage for stripping the metal ions from the metal extraction reagent.
A method for increasing the metal recovery on a metal solvent extraction plant that comprises two extraction stages in combination with two stripping stages, comprising reconfiguring the plant to contain three countercurrent extraction stages in combination with one stripping stage.
In a metal solvent extraction plant for extracting metal from a metal ore, wherein the plant contains an extraction section for extracting metal ions from an aqueous leach solution using a substantially water-immiscible organic solvent containing at least one metal extraction reagent, and a stripping section for stripping the metal ions from the metal extraction reagent, the improvement wherein the extraction section consists of three countercurrent extraction stages, and the stripping section consists of one stripping stage.
A solvent extraction process for extracting metals from an aqueous leach solution containing metal values comprising the steps of:
- I) contacting said aqueous leach solution containing metal values with a water-immiscible organic solvent containing an extraction reagent in a first extraction stage to extract metal values from said leach solution;
- II) separating the resulting metal value-containing organic solvent from the aqueous leach solution;
- III) contacting the separate aqueous leach solution from step II) with a water-immiscible organic solvent containing an extraction reagent in a second extraction stage to further extract metal values from the aqueous leach solution;
- IV) separating the resulting aqueous leach solution from the water-immiscible organic solvent;
- V) contacting the separated aqueous leach solution from step 1V) with a water-immiscible organic solvent containing an extraction reagent in a third extraction stage to extract additional metal values from the aqueous leach solution from step 1V;
- and
- VI) separating the resulting aqueous leach solution from the water-immiscible organic solvent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.