Sherritt Gordon Mines Limited

Sherritt Gordon Limited

Derek E Kerfoot

Michael E Chalkley

Donald R Weir

Michael J Collins

A process is disclosed for recovering zinc, lead, copper and precious metals from zinc plant residue, said process comprising leaching the residue with return zinc spent electrolyte, neutralizing residual acid and reducing ferric iron in the solution by addition of zinc sulphide concentrate in the presence of a limited quantity of oxygen, flotation of the resulting slurry to separate unreacted zinc sulphide, treatment of flotation tailings with sulphur dioxide and elemental sulphur to further leach iron, zinc and impurity elements and precipitate copper, flotation of the resulting slurry to separate a copper sulphide concentrate, thickening, filtering and washing of the flotation tailings followed by addition of lime and sodium sulphide to activate lead sulphate and flotation of a lead concentrate from the residue. Iron and impurity elements are precipitated from the copper flotation tailings thickener overflow solution by addition of zinc hydroxide sludge, lime and oxygen to produce a high strength, iron free zinc sulphate solution.

Recovery of metal values from zinc plant residues

A process for recovering cobalt and nickel values from cobalt and nickel containing sulphidic material also containing iron includes roasting the sulphidic material to produce a calcine containing water soluble cobalt and nickel sulphate, and leaching the calcine in aqueous sulphate solution under oxidizing conditions at an oxygen overpressure in the range of from about 50 kPa to about 1500 kPa and at a temperature in the range of from about 100.degree. to about 180.degree. C. to produce an iron-containing residue and a cobalt and nickel containing solution. The residue is separated from the solution, and cobalt and nickel values are recovered from the solution.

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St. Albert, Canada

Derek E Kerfoot