US 5,626,648 AGranted

Recovery of nickel from bioleach solution

AssigneeBHP Minerals International Inc.

InventorsWillem P. C. Duyvesteyn, Matt Omofoma

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Abstract

A bioleaching method is provided for recovering nickel from an ore selected from the group consisting nickel-containing lateritic ores and nickel-containing sulfidic ores or concentrates thereof. Where the ore selected is a nickel-containing lateritic ore, at least one micro-organism selective to the leaching of the lateritic ore is provided as an aqueous solution thereof maintained at a pH ranging from about 1 to 3 including a nutrient for the micro-organism. The ore may be in the form of a heap, or a charge in a vat, or as a slurry. Where the ore selected is a nickel-containing sulfidic ore or concentrate thereof, at least one micro-organism comprising a biooxidizing bacterium selective to the leaching of sulfidic ore is added as an aqueous solution to the sulfidic ore or concentrate maintained at a pH of about 1 to 3, including a nutrient for the bacterium. The ore either as a slurry, a heap, or a charge in a vat is bioleached for a time sufficient to effect the dissolution of the nickel in the ore and form a solution thereof and a residue which is separated from the solution. The nickel is then selectively extracted from the solution using an ion exchange resin, and the nickel thereafter extracted from the resin using a mineral acid.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A bioleaching method of recovering nickel from an ore selected from the group consisting nickel-containing lateritic ores and nickel-containing sulfidic material which comprises:

where the ore selected is a nickel-containing lateritic ore, at least one micro-organism selective to the leaching of the lateritic ore is added to an aqueous slurry thereof maintained at a pH ranging from about 1 to 3 including a nutrient for said micro-organism;
said at least one micro-organism used in leaching said lateritic ore being a fungi that systemically produces a carboxylic acid conducive for chelating the nickel in the ore and thus produce a solution containing nickel;
where the ore selected is a nickel-containing sulfidic ore or a concentrate thereof, at least one micro-organism comprising an ore biooxidizing bacterium selective to the leaching of sulfidic ore is added to an aqueous slurry of said sulfidic ore maintained at a pH of about 1 to 3 including a nutrient for said bacterium;
the biooxidation of said ore being effected by using at least one bacterium selected from the group consisting of Thiobacillus thiooxidans, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Leptospiritum species, Sulfobacillus, thermosulfidooxidans or similar species, Sulfolobus brierleyi, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, Sulfolobus BC and Sulfolobus sulfataricus;
bioleaching a slurry of said selected ore for a time sufficient to effect the dissolution of said nickel in said ore and form a pregnant solution thereof and a residue;
separating said nickel solution from said residue;
contacting said separated nickel solution with an ion exchange resin containing as an active ingredient bis-picolylamine specific to the absorption of said nickel and thereby form a nickel loaded resin;
extracting said absorbed nickel from said resin by contacting said resin with a mineral acid solution;
and recovering said nickel from said mineral acid solution.

6 more elements

A bioleaching method of recovering nickel from an ore selected from the group consisting nickel-containing lateritic ores and nickel-containing sulfidic ores which comprises:

where the ore selected is a nickel-containing lateritic ore, at least one micro-organism selective to the leaching of the lateritic ore is added to an aqueous slurry thereof maintained at a pH ranging from about 1 to 3 including a nutrient for said micro-organism;
said at least one micro-organism used in leaching said lateritic ore being a fungi that systemically produces a carboxylic acid conducive for chelating the nickel in the ore and thus produce a solution containing nickel;
where the ore selected is a nickel-containing sulfidic ore or a concentrate thereof, at least one micro-organism comprising an ore biooxidizing bacterium selective to the leaching of sulfidic ore is added to an aqueous slurry of said sulfidic ore maintained at a pH of about 1 to 3 including a nutrient for said bacterium,
said at least one bacterium being selected from the group consisting of Thiobacillus thiooxidans, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Leptospiritum species, Sulfobacillus, thermosulfidooxidans or similar species, Sulfolobus brierleyi, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, Sulfolobus BC and Sulfolobus sulfataricus;
forming a heap of said selected ore or concentrate,
bioleaching said heap by passing a solution containing said microorganism gravimetrically through said heap for a time sufficient to effect the dissolution of said nickel in said ore and form a pregnant solution thereof;
collecting said pregnant nickel solution following heap leaching;
contacting said pregnant nickel solution with an ion exchange resin containing as an active ingredient bis-picolylamine specific to the absorption of said nickel and thereby form a nickel loaded resin;
extracting said absorbed nickel from said resin by contacting said resin with a mineral acid solution;
and recovering said nickel from said mineral acid solution.

7 more elements

A bioleaching method of recovering nickel from an ore selected from the group consisting nickel-containing lateritic ores and nickel-containing sulfidic ores which comprises:

where the ore selected is a nickel-containing lateritic ore, at least one micro-organism selective to the leaching of the lateritic ore is added to an aqueous slurry thereof maintained at a pH ranging from about 1 to 3 including a nutrient for said micro-organism;
said at least one micro-organism used in leaching said lateritic ore being a fungi that systemically produces a carboxylic acid conducive for chelating the nickel in the ore and thus produce a solution containing nickel,
where the ore selected is a nickel-containing sulfidic ore or a concentrate thereof, at least one micro-organism comprising an ore biooxidizing bacterium selective to the leaching of sulfidic ore is added to an aqueous slurry of said sulfidic ore maintained at a pH of about 1 to 3 including a nutrient for said bacterium which comprises:
said at least one bacterium being selected from the group consisting of Thiobacillus thiooxidans, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Leptospiritum species, Sulfobacillus, thermosulfidooxidans or similar species, Sulfolobus brierleyi, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, Sulfolobus BC and Sulfolobus sulfataricus;
forming a charge of said ore in the particulate state in a vat;
bioleaching said charge of ore in said vat by saturating said charge with the bioleach solution for a residence time sufficient to effect the dissolution of said nickel in said ore and form a pregnant solution thereof and a residue;
separating said pregnant nickel solution from said residue;
contacting said separated nickel solution with an ion exchange resin containing as an active ingredient bis-picolylamine specific to the absorption of said nickel and thereby form a nickel loaded resin;
extracting said absorbed nickel from said resin by contacting said resin with a mineral acid solution;
and recovering said nickel from said mineral acid solution.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.