Noranda Inc.

Hydrochem Developments Ltd.

Group-conseil Genivar Inc.

Gezinus Van Weert

John C Schneider

Serge Payant

Carole Allen

Kenneth J Fair

Peter Kondos

Anthonie Van Sandwijk

An apparatus and a process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material are provided. The process comprises the steps of leaching the complex sulfide material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride, and oxygen; precipitating iron from the leach solution using lime and oxygen; removing copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust; precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using lime; and regenerating HCl from a calcium chloride leach filtrate solution to regenerate hydrochloric acid and precipitate gypsum. Related processes for recovering copper, silver, lead, and iron from complex sulfide materials and for recovering lead from residue by solubilizing lead chloride and precipitating it with lime are also provided.

Reduction of zinc oxide from complex sulfide concentrates using chloride processing

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material. The process according to the present invention comprises the steps of leaching the complex sulfide material with hydrochloric acid and oxygen; precipitating iron from the leach solution using magnesium oxide and oxygen; removing copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust; precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using magnesium oxide; and spray roasting the remaining magnesium chloride leach solution to regenerate hydrochloric acid and magnesium oxide. The present invention further relates to processes for recovering copper, silver, lead, and iron from complex sulfide materials.

Production of zinc oxide from complex sulfide concentrates using chloride processing

A process for recovering gold from a refractory sulfidic ore which has been suspended in an aqueous slurry and oxidized using nitric acid so that substantially all of the gold in the ore is made available for recovery and at least a portion of the sulfidic components present during the oxidation are oxidized to elemental sulfur, comprises bubbling air as a discontinuous phase upwardly through the oxidized slurry, thereby creating a froth containing elemental gold and sulfur. The froth is separated from the slurry to provide a concentrate, and the gold is recovered from the concentrate.

Process for recovering gold from refractory sulfidic ores

An oxidation process for releasing a metal of interest in an ore is described. The process is especially useful for releasing a metal of interest entrapped in a refractory ore. The process comprises reacting the ore with nitric acid until sufficient oxidation has occurred to release the metal of interest so that it may be recovered by conventional techniques. Nitric acid is regenerated in situ by aerating the liquid medium and contacting it with the off gases generated by the oxidation. The process is continuous and the nitric acid is recycled to the reactor preferably after removal of accumulated sulfate.

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Caledon East, Canada

Gezinus Van Weert