Methods and systems for leaching a metal-bearing ore for the recovery of a metal value
AssigneeFreeport-Mcmoran Corporation
InventorsJohn Lawrence Uhrie, Gabe Bowman, Cristian Alejandro Caro Matus, Percy Mayta, Scott Hoenecke, Manuel Chavez
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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.
Claims20
A method for recovering a metal value from a metal-bearing material, the method comprising:
- agglomerating a metal-bearing material to form an agglomerated ore;
- inoculating said agglomerated ore with bacteria to form an augmented ore;
- forming at least a portion of a heap with said augmented ore;
- and
- leaching a metal value from said heap.
A method for recovering copper from a metal-bearing material, comprising the steps of:
- agglomerating a metal-bearing material to form an agglomerated ore;
- adding bacteria to said agglomerated ore to form an augmented ore;
- forming at least a portion of a heap with said augmented ore;
- leaching said heap to yield a metal-bearing solution
- conditioning said metal-bearing solution to yield an electrolyte solution suitable for electrowinning;
- and
- electrowinning copper from said electrolyte solution to yield copper.
A method for preparing a metal-bearing material for metal recovery, the method comprising:
- reducing a coarseness of a metal-bearing material to form a processed metal-bearing material;
- agglomerating said processed metal-bearing material with at least water and an acid to form an agglomerated metal-bearing material;
- and
- inoculating said agglomerated metal-bearing material with an effluent stream to form an augmented metal-bearing material, said effluent stream comprising an active bacteria strain operable to bio-leach a metal value from said metal-bearing material.
A system for recovering a metal value from a metal-bearing material, the system comprising:
- a means of agglomerating a metal-bearing material;
- a means of creating a bacteria effluent;
- a means of transporting an agglomerated metal-bearing material;
- a means of applying said bacteria effluent to said agglomerated metal-bearing material during said transporting to yield an augmented metal-bearing material;
- and
- a means of recovering a metal value from said augmented metal-bearing material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.