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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 18, 1997
Filed:
May. 24, 1996
William J Kohr, San Mateo, CA (US);
Chris Johansson, San Francisco, CA (US);
John Shield, San Mateo, CA (US);
Vandy Shrader, San Mateo, CA (US);
Geobiotics, Inc., Hayward, CA (US);
Abstract
A method for improving the heap biooxidation rate of refractory sulfide ore particles that are at least partially biooxidized using a recycled bioleachate off solution is provided. The method includes the steps of biooxidizing a heap of refractory sulfide ore particles with a bioleachate solution; collecting, from the heap, a bioleachate off solution that includes a plurality of inhibitory materials dissolved therein, the concentration of each individual inhibitory material being below its individual inhibitory concentration but the combined concentration of at least two of the inhibitory materials being sufficient to inhibit the biooxidation rate of the refractory sulfide ore particles; conditioning the bioleachate off solution to reduce the inhibitory effect caused by the combined concentration of the at least two inhibitory materials; recycling the reconditioned bioleachate solution to the to the heap; and biooxidizing the refractory sulfide ore particles in the heap with the reconditioned bioleachate solution.