Oxidative leaching methods

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for leaching a material comprising copper in a zero oxidation state, wherein the method comprises contacting the material with an acidic aqueous solution having a pH less than 6 to form a leaching mixture, and oxidizing the copper with an oxidizing agent of formula LipMqM′rOs. M comprises one or more metals chosen from nickel, manganese, and cobalt, M′ comprises one or more metals chosen from Mg, Ca, Ba, Al, Ti, Zr, Zn, Fe, V, Mo, and W; p ranges from 1 to 1.4; q ranges from 0.6 to 2; r ranges from 0 to 1; s ranges from 2 to 4; and a total amount of copper present in the material before leaching in moles divided by a total amount of the oxidizing agent in moles, mols(Cu)/moIs(OA), ranges from n(eM)/8 to 2 n(eM); n(eM)_=2(s-q)-p-r⋅oxm′ and OxM′ is the average oxidation number of M′ determined by calculating the molar average of the most stable oxidation number for each metal, as an oxide, comprised by M′.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.