Hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of precious metal values from precious metal ores with thiosulfate lixiviant

Abstract

A hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of precious metal values from refractory precious metal ore materials containing preg-robbing carbon by leaching with a thiosulfate lixiviant, the process comprising a. providing a body of particles and/or particulates of an ore material having precious metal values and preg-robbing carbonaceous components; b. contacting the body of particles and/or particulates with a thiosulfate lixiviant solution at conditions conducive to the formation of stable precious metal thiosulfate complexes; c. recovering the thiosulfate lixiviant from the body of particles and/or particulates after a period of contact which is sufficient for the lixiviant solution to become pregnant with precious metal values extracted from the ore material; and d. recovering the precious metal values from the lixiviant solution. In a preferred embodiment, the refractory ore materials are low grade precious metal ore materials.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.