Cognis Corporation

Basf Corporation

Henkel Corporation

Cognis IP Management Gmbh

Innoveco Australia Pty. Ltd.

Sociedad Minera Pudahuel Ltda., C.p.a.

Oryxeio Ingenieria Limitada

Hans Christian Hein

Michael J Virnig

Phillip L Mattison

Gary Alan Kordosky

Stephen M Olafson

R Brantley Sudderth

George A Wolfe

Andrew Nisbett

Mary Collins

Ricardo Oliver Hein Hoernig

Ralph L Jensen

Pavel Spiridonov

Eladio Rojas

Gabriel Araya

Terry L Crandell

Esteban M Domic

A hydrometallurgical process is provided for the selective extraction of one or more target metals from ore, concentrates, tailings, slags or other metal bearing solids, by combining simultaneously leaching with sorption in the state of wet solids. The sorption and leaching are performed simultaneously, which reduces the required number of process stages in comparison to conventional technologies. Performing the sorption leaching in wet solids enables a significant increase in the concentration of leaching agents in relation to target metal(s) content in solids, at the same addition rate of said leaching agents, improving thermodynamic conditions and leaching kinetics for dissolving target metal(s). The invention has the main advantage of improving metal recoveries at a reduced consumption rate of leaching agents.

Process for metal extraction with sorption leaching in wet solids

The addition of a compatible metal salt crystal to the organic solution entering the mixer(s) in the solvent extraction stage(s) and/or the stripping stage(s), or to the emulsion mixture of the organic solution and the aqueous solution in the mixer(s), or to the mixture of the organic solution and the aqueous solution in a settler tank(s) following the mixer(s) in the solvent extraction and/or stripping stage(s) following the leaching of metal values from the ore containing that/those value(s) into an aqueous solution, and prior to the further refining of those values in processes, such as electrowinning, during mining operations for those metal values in order to improve the phase separation of the organic phase and the aqueous phase, and to promote the removal of contaminants from the organic phase.

Process for improving phase separations in solvent extraction circuits

The disclosed invention provides a process for enhanced recovery of one or more metal values from heap and/or dump leaching of ores containing the metal values, the process comprising:

Method for heap and dump leaching coupled with solvent extraction for metal recovery

An interlaced series parallel configuration for the extraction of metal values from an metal value containing aqueous is a special series parallel configuration wherein the stripped organic is first contacted in a second extraction stage with the partially copper depleted aqueous stream exiting from a first extraction stage. This partially loaded organic then advances to a parallel extraction stage where it is contacted with a fresh volume of PLS and extracts additional copper. The organic then advances to the first extraction stage where it contacts a second stream of PLS. This approach results in an overall higher recovery of copper than in the conventional modified series parallel configuration. An increase of 4% overall recovery of copper is achieved relative to that realized with the conventional series parallel configuration.

Interlaced series parallel configuration for metal solvent extraction plants

The preparation of concentrated solutions of oxime metal extractants, such as aldoximes and ketoximes, or mixtures of aldoxime and ketoxime, and the use thereof in formulating or preparing extraction reagent compositions for use in an extractant organic phase in a process of extracting metals from aqueous solutions containing metal values; and in particular, to concentrates which are solutions of individual ketoxime or aldoxime or mixtures of water-insoluble hydroxy aldoximes and ketoximes, in varying ratios by weight of 1:100 aldoxime to ketoxime, or conversely, 100:1 ketoxime to aldoxime, in water-immiscible hydrocarbon solvents or equilibrium modifiers. The invention also provides for maintaining stability of concentrates determined by accelerating rate calorimetry to define the ranges of oxime concentration and volume whereby the concentrate will be a stable, flowable, pourable and pumpable concentrate which can be safely stored long term. The extraction compositions may also optionally contain equilibrium modifiers or kinetic additives.

Concentrated solutions of oxime metal extractants and method of formulating extractant compositions therefrom

Processes for the recovery of copper from aqueous solutions containing nitrate ions

A method for the recovery of extractant from the aqueous effluent continuously exiting from a solvent extraction circuit, in which the effluent is contacted with the same water-immiscible diluent being used in the circuit as solvent for the extractant, such that the extractant transfers from the aqueous effluent phase to the diluent phase. The diluent phase, now enriched in extractant, is separated from the aqueous effluent, now depleted in extractant. The separated diluent phase can then be recontacted with effluent or may be combined with the organic phase of the solvent extraction circuit.

Method of recovering extractant

Solvent extraction is used for selective recovery of a dissolved metal such as copper from an aqueous solution of metals by means of an organic liquid, immiscible with the aqueous solution and selective for the metal of interest. The metal is extracted from the organic liquid by means of another aqueous stripping solution. The metal values are sufficiently concentrated in the aqueous stripping solution to get continuous precipitation of a metal salt in a substantially pure form. The metal salt is separated, rinsed, and dried to form an intermediate product. Preferably, the metal salt is a sulfate which is then dehydrated and thermally decomposed to form metal oxide and sulfur dioxide. The metal oxide may be also considered as an intermediate product. It is also desirable to pyrometallurgically reduce the metal oxide until pure metal powder is obtained, or it may be cast into ingots.

Process for recovering metals from solution through solvent extraction

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Santiago, Chile

Hans Christian Hein