Method for processing complex metal sulphide materials
AssigneeBoliden Mineral AB
InventorsStig A. Petersson, Ake Sandstrom
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Abstract
A process for the treatment of complex metal sulphide materials and for the recovery of metal values from such materials. The process involves first subjecting the material to a leaching process under conditions such that sulphide-sulphur is oxidized to sulphate and such that oxidized iron and impurities such as As will pass into solution, whereafter the leaching residue is melted for conventional pyrometallurgical recovery of the metal values. Different embodiments of the process provide for the recovery of precious metal values from refractory materials containing such values and for the recovery of metal from complex copper concentrate and complex nickel concentrate.
Claims22
A process for the treatment of a complex metal sulphide material comprising subjecting the material to an oxidizing leaching process in an acid environment and under conditions so as to promote oxidation of iron and sulphur, oxidizing sulphide sulphur at least partially to sulphate whereby oxidized iron and impurities pass into solution wherein the leaching process is conducted over a period of time so that at most 80% of the sulphide sulphur content of the material is oxidized, whereby a leaching residue is formed which is suitable for pyrometallurgical recovery of the metal values and which contains the major portion of the metal values that were present in the complex metal sulphide material.
A process for recovering metal values from a metal sulphide material comprising first subjecting the material to a leaching process in an acid environment under conditions such that sulphide sulphur is oxidized to sulphate and such that oxidized iron and impurities will pass into solution and leaving the major portion of the metal values unchanged, and by then melting the leaching residue to recover the metal values by a pyrometallurgical process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.