Process for recovery of metals from metal-containing ores
AssigneeCognis Corporation
InventorsStephen M. Olafson, G. Timothy Fisher, Michael J. Virnig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Use of a mixture of a C9 alkylsalicylaldoxime and a ketoxime as an extractant in a water-immiscible organic solvent solution in a metal extraction circuit to enhance the transfer of iron values to a dilute acid wash solution when the metal loaded organic solvent/extractant solution is washed with the dilute acid wash solution.
Claims31
In a process for the removal of iron values from a water-immiscible organic solvent containing an oxime extractant loaded with at least one other metal value by washing the organic solvent with a dilute aqueous sulfuric acid solution, the improvement wherein the oxime extractant is a C9 alkylsalicylaldoxime or a mixture of a C9 alkylsalicylaldoxime and a ketoxime, the contact time in a mixer between the organic solvent and the dilute aqueous sulfuric acid solution is from about 1 to about 5 minutes, and the dilute aqueous sulfuric acid solution contains from 0 to 99% by weight of a diluted electrolyte-containing aqueous sulfuric acid solution from a tankhouse.
A process for the recovery of copper from a copper ore comprising the steps of:
- A) leaching the copper ore with a strong acid to form an aqueous acid leach solution having a pH of about 0.9 to about 2.0 containing copper ions and lesser quantities of other metal ions including iron ions;
- B) contacting the aqueous acid leach solution with a water-immiscible organic solvent containing an extractant comprising a mixture of a C9 alkylsalicylaldoxime and a ketoxime to form a metal extractant complex;
- C) separating the organic solvent containing the metal-extractant complex from the now metal ion depleted aqueous acid leach solution;
- D) contacting the organic solvent containing the metal-extractant complex with a dilute aqueous sulfuric acid solution for a contact time in a mixer of from about 1 to about 5 minutes to remove iron values from the organic solvent phase, wherein the dilute aqueous sulfuric acid solution contains from 0 to 99% by weight of a diluted electrolyte-containing aqueous sulfuric acid solution from a tankhouse;
- E) mixing the organic solvent phase with an aqueous strip solution of concentrated sulfuric acid to extract the copper values into the strip solution;
- and
- F) recovering the copper values from the strip solution in a tankhouse.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.