Recovering precious metals and small precious stones from clay suspensions
AssigneeAteba Mines Inc.
InventorsDavid Krofchak, Peter A.C.A. Howe, David M. Howe
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Abstract
A process for recovering precious metal particles or small precious stones from aqueous clay suspensions containing said precious metal particles or precious stones in suspension with clay particles includes adding a sufficient amount of deflocculating agent to cause deflocculation of the clay particles, and allowing the deflocculated suspension to settle. The settled material containing the precious metal particles or small precious stones is then removed.
Claims12
A process for recovering precious metal particles or small precious stones from an aqueous clay suspension containing said precious metal particles or precious stones in suspension with clay particles including:
- adding a sufficient amount of deflocculating agent to said aqueous clay suspension to cause deflocculation of the clay particles and produce a deflocculated suspension containing the precious metal particles or precious stones,
- allowing the deflocculated suspension to settle, and
- removing settled material containing the precious metal particles or small precious stones.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.