Process for leaching metal sulfides with reagents having thiocarbonyl functional groups
AssigneeJetti Resources, LLC
InventorsDavid DIXON, Edouard ASSELIN, Zihe REN, Nelson MORA HUERTAS
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Abstract
This application pertains to methods of recovering metals from metal sulfides that involve contacting the metal sulfide with an acidic sulfate solution containing ferric sulfate and a reagent that has a thiocarbonyl functional group, wherein the concentration of reagent in the acidic sulfate solution is sufficient to increase the rate of metal ion extraction relative to an acidic sulfate solution that does not contain the reagent, to produce a pregnant solution containing the metal ions.
Claims303
Use of a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate solution comprising halide ions at a concentration of about 1 g/L or greater and ferric sulfate.
Use of formamidine disulfide (FDS) for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate solution comprising halide ions.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising halide ions at a concentration of about 1 g/L or greater, ferric sulfate, and a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the at least one base metal from the pregnant solution.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising halide ions, ferric sulfate, and formamidine disulfide (FDS) to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the at least one base metal from the pregnant solution.
A method comprising:
- mixing an acidic aqueous pregnant solution comprising ferric sulfate, base metal ions, and a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group, wherein a portion of the reagent is complexed with the base metal ions, with an organic solvent comprising a base metal ion extractant to form a mixture;
- extracting the base metal ions from the pregnant solution into the organic solvent;
- and
- separating the mixture into a base metal ion-depleted raffinate comprising the reagent and a base metal ion-enriched organic phase comprising the organic solvent and the base metal ions.
A method comprising:
- mixing an acidic aqueous pregnant solution comprising ferric sulfate, base metal ions, and a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group, wherein the reagent is thiourea, and wherein a portion of the reagent is complexed with the base metal ions, with an organic solvent comprising a base metal ion extractant to form a mixture;
- extracting the base metal ions from the pregnant solution into the organic solvent;
- and
- separating the mixture into a base metal ion-depleted raffinate comprising the reagent and formamidine disulfide (FDS), and a base metal ion-enriched organic phase comprising the organic solvent and the base metal ions.
A method comprising:
- mixing an aqueous pregnant solution comprising ferric sulfate, base metal ions, and formamidine disulfide (FDS) with an organic solvent comprising a base metal ion extractant to form a mixture;
- extracting the base metal ions from the pregnant solution into the organic solvent;
- and
- separating the mixture into a base metal ion-depleted raffinate comprising FDS and a base metal ion-enriched organic phase comprising the organic solvent and the base metal ions.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material comprising the at least one base metal sulfide, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with a lixiviant, wherein the lixiviant comprises an acidic sulfate solution comprising ferric sulfate and a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group, to extract base metal ions from the at least one base metal sulfide to produce a pregnant solution;
- mixing the pregnant solution with an organic solvent comprising a base metal ion extractant to form a mixture;
- extracting base metal ions from the pregnant solution into the organic solvent;
- and
- separating the mixture into a base metal ion-depleted raffinate comprising the reagent and a base metal ion-enriched organic phase comprising the organic solvent and base metal ions.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material comprising the at least one base metal sulfide, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with a lixiviant, wherein the lixiviant comprises an acidic sulfate solution comprising formamidine disulfide (FDS), to extract base metal ions from the at least one base metal sulfide to produce a pregnant solution;
- mixing the pregnant solution with an organic solvent comprising a base metal ion extractant to form a mixture;
- extracting base metal ions from the pregnant solution into the organic solvent;
- and
- separating the mixture into a base metal ion-depleted raffinate comprising FDS and a base metal ion-enriched organic phase comprising the organic solvent and base metal ions.
A method of recovering a reagent comprising a thiocarbonyl functional group sequestered in material comprising at least one base metal sulfide, the method comprising rinsing the material with a wash solution comprising base metal ions to produce a pregnant wash solution (PWS) comprising the reagent.
The method of any one of claims to 118 to 122, wherein the reagent is ethylene thiourea (ETu), thioacetamide (TA), sodium-dimethyldithiocarbamate (SDDC), ethylene trithiocarbonate (ETC), thiosemicarbazide (TSCA), or a combination thereof.
A method for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate solution comprising halide ions at a concentration of about 1 g/L or greater, the method comprising the use of a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group.
A method for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate solution comprising halide ions, the method comprising the use of formamidine disulfide (FDS).
Use of a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group at a concentration in the range of about 0.2 mM to less than 50 mM for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate leach comprising ferric sulfate, wherein the thiocarbonyl functional group of the reagent has a sulfur that bears a partial negative charge, bears negative electrostatic potential surface, and has an empty π*-antibonding orbital as its lowest unoccupied molecular orbital.
Use of a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate leach, wherein the reagent is not thiourea, and wherein the thiocarbonyl functional group of the reagent has a sulfur that bears a partial negative charge, bears negative electrostatic potential surface, and has an empty π*-antibonding orbital as its lowest unoccupied molecular orbital.
Use of a reagent at a concentration in the range of about 0.2 mM to less than 50 mM for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate leach comprising ferric sulfate, wherein the reagent is thiourea (Tu), thioacetamide (TA), sodium-dimethyldithiocarbamate (SDDC), ethylene trithiocarbonate (ETC), thiosemicarbazide (TSCA), or a combination thereof.
Use of a reagent, wherein the reagent is thiourea (Tu), at a concentration in the range of about 0.2 mM to less than 50 mM for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate leach comprising ferric sulfate.
Use of a reagent, wherein the reagent is thioacetamide (TA), for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate leach.
Use of a reagent, wherein the reagent is sodium-dimethyldithiocarbamate (SDDC), for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate leach.
Use of a reagent, wherein the reagent is ethylene trithiocarbonate (ETC), for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate leach.
Use of a reagent, wherein the reagent is thiosemicarbazide (TSCA), for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate leach.
Use of formamidine disulfide (FDS) for extracting at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material in an acidic sulfate leach.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising ferric sulfate and a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group, wherein the initial concentration of the reagent in the acidic sulfate solution is in the range of about 0.2 mM to less than 50 mM, to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the at least one base metal from the pregnant solution,
- wherein the thiocarbonyl functional group of the reagent has a sulfur that bears a partial negative charge, bears negative electrostatic potential surface, and has an empty π*-antibonding orbital as its lowest unoccupied molecular orbital.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the at least one base metal from the pregnant solution,
- wherein the reagent is not thiourea (Tu), and wherein the thiocarbonyl functional group of the reagent has a sulfur that bears a partial negative charge, bears negative electrostatic potential surface, and has an empty π*-antibonding orbital as its lowest unoccupied molecular orbital.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising ferric sulfate and a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group, wherein the initial concentration of the reagent in the acidic sulfate solution is in the range of about 0.2 mM to less than 50 mM, to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the at least one base metal from the pregnant solution,
- wherein the reagent is thiourea (Tu), thioacetamide (TA), sodium-dimethyldithiocarbamate (SDDC), ethylene trithiocarbonate (ETC), thiosemicarbazide (TSCA), or a combination thereof.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising ferric sulfate and a reagent, wherein the reagent is thiourea (Tu), and wherein the initial concentration of the reagent in the acidic sulfate solution is in the range of about 0.2 mM to less than 50 mM, to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the at least one base metal from the pregnant solution.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group, wherein the reagent is thioacetamide (TA), to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the at least one base metal from the pregnant solution.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group, wherein the reagent is sodium-dimethyldithiocarbamate (SDDC), to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the at least one base metal from the pregnant solution.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group, wherein the reagent is ethylene trithiocarbonate (ETC), to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the at least one base metal from the pregnant solution.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising a reagent having a thiocarbonyl functional group, wherein the reagent is thiosemicarbazide (TSCA), to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the at least one base metal from the pregnant solution.
A method of recovering at least one base metal from at least one base metal sulfide in a material, the method comprising:
- contacting the material with an acidic sulfate solution comprising formamidine disulfide (FDS) to produce a pregnant solution comprising base metal ions;
- and
- recovering the base metal from the pregnant solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.