Method for the recovery of precious metals from ores
OwnerRoger H. Littleinventor
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Abstract
A process for the recovery of precious metals from ore containing the same is disclosed. The process includes the formation of a lixiviant solution including a thiourea compound, urea and an alkali lignin sulfonate. The ore is then exposed to this lixiviant solution to extract the previous metals therefrom, and the dissolved previous metals are then recovered from the solution.
Claims52
A process for the recovery of precious metals from ore containing the same comprising:
- forming an acidic aqueous lixiviant solution containing a thiourea compound, urea and an alkaline lignin sulfonate;
- exposing the ore to said lixiviant solution to extract the precious metals therefrom;
- and
- recovering the dissolved precious metals from said solution.
In a process for recovering precious metals from ore containing the same wherein said precious metals are lixiviated from said ore by an acidic aqueous lixiviant solution containing a thiourea compound and subsequently deposited in a packed bed extraction column, the improvement comprising adding urea and an alkaline lignin sulfonate to said thiourea lixiviant to increase the extraction of said precious metals by said lixiviant and to increase the recovery rate of dissolved precious metals by said extraction column.
A process for increasing the precious metal extraction capability of an acidic aqueous lixiviant solution containing a thiourea compound when subjecting an ore containing said precious metals to said lixiviant, said process comprising adding urea to said lixiviant.
A process for increasing the recovery rate of dissolved precious metals from an acidic aqueous lixiviant solution containing a thiourea compound by a packed bed extraction column when passing said solution through said bed to deposit the precious metals thereon, said process comprising adding an alkaline lignin sulfonate to said lixiviant solution prior to passing said solution through said packed bed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.