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US 2025/0059623 A1Published application
Geothermally Powered Hydrometallurgical Zinc Production
AssigneeEnhancedGEO Holdings, LLC
InventorsGreg Lindberg, Kimberly C. Conner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A geothermally powered zinc production subsystem includes a geothermal system with a wellbore extending from a surface into an underground magma reservoir. A hopper receives a sphalerite ore that is crushed and provided to a flotation tank. The flotation tank is heated by a heat transfer fluid heated by the geothermal system, and a product of the flotation tank is used to prepare zinc.
Claims16
A geothermally powered zinc production system, comprising:
- a geothermal system comprising a wellbore extending from a surface into an underground magma reservoir, the wellbore configured to heat a heat transfer fluid via heat transfer with the underground magma reservoir, thereby forming heated heat transfer fluid;
- a leach tank configured to:
- receive zinc oxide;
- receive an acid;
- and
- heat the received zinc oxide and the received acid via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby producing a leach product and a leach residue;
- a purification tank configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the leach product produced by the leach tank;
- and
- remove impurities from the received portion of the leach product, thereby producing a zinc sulfate solution;
- an electrolytic smelter configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the zinc sulfate solution produced by the purification tank;
- and
- conduct electrical current through the received zinc sulfate solution via electricity generated using the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby causing a zinc coating to form;
- and
- a foundry configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the zinc coating produced by the electrolytic smelter;
- heat the received zinc coating via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby causing the zinc coating to melt and become molten zinc;
- and
- cast the molten zinc to form a zinc product.
17 more elements
A method, comprising:
- heating, using a geothermal system comprising a wellbore extending from a surface into an underground magma reservoir, a heat transfer fluid via heat transfer with the underground magma reservoir, thereby forming heated heat transfer fluid;
- receiving, by a leach tank, zinc oxide;
- receiving, by the leach tank, an acid;
- heating the received zinc oxide and the received acid via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby producing a leach product and a leach residue;
- receiving, by a purification tank, at least a portion of the leach product produced by the leach tank;
- removing, by a purification tank, impurities from the received portion of the leach product, thereby producing a zinc sulfate solution;
- receiving, by an electrolytic smelter, at least a portion of the zinc sulfate solution;
- conducting electrical current through the received zinc sulfate solution via electricity generated using the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby causing a zinc coating to form;
- receiving, by a foundry, at least a portion of the zinc coating produced by the electrolytic smelter;
- heating, by the foundry, the received zinc coating via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby causing the zinc coating to melt and become molten zinc;
- and
- casting the molten zinc to form a zinc product.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.