Heap Leaching a Material

Abstract

A method of heap leaching a metal from a ROM material that contains a metal sulfide-containing material, such as a copper sulfide-containing mineral. The method comprises forming a heap of the ROM material or extending an existing heap by adding the ROM material to the heap. The method also comprises leaching the metal from the ROM material in the heap with an acidic leach liquor and producing a pregnant leach liquor containing the metal in solution and recovering metal from the pregnant leach liquor. Pyrite that is already in the ROM material generates acid and heat that facilitates leaching metal from the ROM material. The ROM material may be transferred directly from the mine to the heap without changing the size of material particles in the ROM material. The method may comprise adding additional pyrite and other additives to facilitate leaching metal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.