The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Jul. 26, 1994

Filed:

Mar. 05, 1993
Applicant:
Inventors:

William H Kruesi, Golden, CO (US);

Paul R Kruesi, Golden, CO (US);

Assignee:

Cato Research Corporation, Wheat Ridge, CO (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
C01G / ; C22B / ; C22B / ; C22B / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
423 32 ; 423 34 ; 423 36 ; 423 41 ; 423 45 ; 423 99 ; 423101 ; 423106 ; 423140 ; 423143 ; 423145 ; 423146 ;
Abstract

A method for the recovery of copper from copper-containing materials, for example, scrap, ores or dust. An aqueous cupric tetrammine sulfate lixiviant is contacted with the copper-containing material to produce a leachate containing cuprous, nickel, and zinc ions, ammonium sulfate and free ammonia. Copper can be recovered from the leachate by electrolysis. Nickel and zinc can be precipitated from the resulting spent electrolyte by oxidizing substantially all of the cuprous ions in the copper ammine sulfate solution to cupric ions and lowering the pH of the solution to a range from about pH 7.5 to about pH 8.0 in order to form a precipitate. Alternatively, copper sulfate can be added to the cupric ammine sulfate-containing solution in order to form nickel and/or zinc containing precipitate.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…