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US 5,316,567 AGranted
Hydrometallurgical copper extraction process
AssigneeCominco Engineering Services Ltd.
InventorDavid L. Jones
Life of this patent
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AssigneeCominco Engineering Services Ltd.
InventorDavid L. Jones
Estimating the term…
A process for the extraction of copper from a sulphide copper ore or concentrate comprises the steps of subjecting the ore or concentrate to agitation leaching at an elevated temperature and pressure to obtain a resulting acidic leach liquor containing dissolved copper and reducing the acidity of the resulting acidic leach liquor by effecting percolation leaching of a bed of low-grade copper ore or granular rock with the acidic leach liquor. The agitation leaching is carried out in two stages, i.e. a first leaching step at an elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of oxygen and an acidic chloride solution as lixiviant and a second leaching step at atmospheric pressure with an acidic sulphate solution. In a preferred embodiment, the bed of low-grade copper ore or granular rock is in the form of a heap and the percolation leaching comprises heap leaching. Copper is extracted from the leach liquor by solvent extraction. Solvent extraction is effected either before or after the heap neutralization leach depending on the nature of the copper ore or concentrate being treated.
A process for the extraction of copper from a sulphide copper ore or concentrate, comprising the steps of:
A process for the extraction of copper from a sulphide copper ore or concentrate, comprising the steps of:
A process for the extraction of copper from a sulphide copper ore or concentrate, comprising the steps of:
A process for the extraction of copper from a sulphide copper ore or concentrate, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.