Other

Rtl Contactor Holding S.a.

Rohrtil S. A.

John S Rendall

Maurice J Cahalan

A process is described for extracting phosphoric acid and metal values, such as uranium, from phosphate rock using hydrochloric acid and independently extracting the phosphoric acid and metal values from a slurry of the acidulated rock.

Extraction process

The invention describes the extraction of values, especially metal values such as copper and uranium, from minerals by passing the mineral in admixture with a leaching agent for the values through a contactor and extracting the values with an extractant stream immiscible with the mixture and of lesser density so that the values are captured by the extractant and can be withdrawn with the extractant and, if desired, isolated by any suitable means.

A continuous solvent extraction process for tar-sand uses a closed rotary contactor. A tar-sand/water slurry stream and a solvent stream are passed countercurrent through the contactor and three phases are formed: tar-sand solids at the bottom of the contactor, a barrier layer of water in which the solids are contained and an uppermost solvent phase. The solids during their travel through the contactor are repeatedly lifted off the bottom of the contactor and tumbled through the solvent phase so that the bitumen oils content of the tar-sand is progressively dissolved in the solvent. A solvent stream containing the dissolved bitumen oils is removed from one end of the contactor and discard stream consisting essentially of sand and water is removed from the other end.

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Stanford-le-Hope, United Kingdom

John S Rendall