Back to results
US 2025/0066873 A1Published application
Geothermally powered pyrometallurgical copper production
AssigneeEnhancedGEO Holdings, LLC
InventorsGreg Lindberg, Kimberly C. Conner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A geothermally powered copper production system includes a geothermal system with a wellbore extending from a surface into an underground magma reservoir. A hopper receives a copper oxide ore that is crushed and provided to a leach heap to produce a copper-rich pregnant leach solution. The pregnant leach solution is provided to a settler that is heated by a heat transfer fluid heated by the geothermal system, and a product of the settler is used to prepare a copper product. A hopper receives a copper sulfide 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 a copper product.
Claims26
A geothermally powered pyrometallurgical copper 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 flotation tank comprising a vessel configured to:
- receive crushed copper sulfide ore;
- receive flotation reagents;
- suspend the received crushed copper sulfide ore and the received flotation reagents in a slurry;
- and
- heat the slurry via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby forming a froth comprising copper particles;
- a roaster comprising a vessel configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the froth produced by the flotation tank;
- and
- heat the received froth via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby causing the copper particles to be converted to copper sulfide;
- a smelting furnace comprising a vessel configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the copper sulfide produced in the roaster;
- receive smelting reagents;
- receive air;
- and
- heat the received copper sulfide, the received smelting reagents, and the received air at least in part using the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby facilitating reduction of the copper in the copper sulfide and removal of impurities to produce a copper matte and a slag;
- a converter comprising a vessel configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the copper matte produced by the smelting furnace;
- receive air;
- and
- heat the received copper matte and the received air via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby facilitating removal of impurities to produce a blister copper;
- an anode smelter configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the blister copper produced by the converter;
- heat the received blister copper via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby forming a molten blister copper;
- and
- transfer heat from the molten blister copper to a cooling fluid, thereby casting a copper anode;
- an electrolytic smelter comprising a vessel configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the copper anode produced by the anode smelter;
- heat a smelting bath via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby maintaining a temperature of the smelting bath within a range associated with electrolytic smelting;
- and
- conduct electrical current through the smelting bath using electricity generated using the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby causing a copper coating to form on a cathode;
- and
- a foundry comprising a vessel configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the copper coating produced by the electrolytic smelter;
- heat the received copper coating at least in part using the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby causing the copper coating to melt and become molten copper;
- and
- cast the molten copper to produce a copper product.
35 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 flotation tank, crushed copper sulfide ore and flotation reagents;
- suspending the received crushed copper sulfide ore and the received flotation reagents in a slurry held in the flotation tank;
- heating the slurry in the flotation tank via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby forming a froth comprising copper particles;
- receiving, by a roaster, at least a portion of the froth produced by the flotation tank;
- heating, in the roaster, the received froth via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby causing the copper particles to be converted to a copper sulfide;
- receiving, by a smelting furnace, at least a portion of the copper sulfide produced in the roaster;
- receiving, by the smelting furnace, smelting reagents and air;
- heating, by the smelting furnace, the received copper sulfide, the received smelting reagents, and the received air at least in part using the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby facilitating reduction of the copper in the copper sulfide and removal of impurities to produce a copper matte and a slag;
- receiving, by a converter, at least a portion of the copper matte produced by the smelting furnace;
- receiving, by the converter, air;
- heating the received copper matte and the received air via heat transfer with the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby facilitating removal of impurities to produce a blister copper;
- receiving, by an anode smelter, at least a portion of the blister copper produced by the converter;
- transferring heat from the heated heat transfer fluid to the received blister copper, thereby producing a molten blister copper;
- receiving, by the anode smelter, a cooling fluid;
- transferring heat from the molten blister copper to the cooling fluid, thereby casting a copper anode;
- receiving, by an electrolytic smelter, at least a portion of the copper anode produced by the anode smelter;
- transferring heat from the heated heat transfer fluid to a smelting bath, thereby maintaining a temperature of the smelting bath within a range associated with electrolytic reduction of copper;
- conducting electrical current through the smelting bath using electricity generated using the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby causing a copper coating to form;
- receiving, by a foundry, at least a portion of the copper coating produced by the electrolytic smelter;
- heating, by the foundry, the received copper coating at least in part using the heated heat transfer fluid, thereby causing the copper coating to melt and become molten copper;
- and
- casting, by the foundry, the molten copper to produce a copper product.
20 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.