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:
Apr. 14, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 23, 2006
John O. Marsden, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Robert E. Brewer, Park City, UT (US);
Joanna M. Robertson, Thatcher, AZ (US);
David R. Baughman, Golden, CO (US);
Philip Thompson, West Valley City, UT (US);
Wayne W. Hazen, Lakewood, CA (US);
Roland Schmidt, Golden, CO (US);
John O. Marsden, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Robert E. Brewer, Park City, UT (US);
Joanna M. Robertson, Thatcher, AZ (US);
David R. Baughman, Golden, CO (US);
Philip Thompson, West Valley City, UT (US);
Wayne W. Hazen, Lakewood, CA (US);
Roland Schmidt, Golden, CO (US);
Phelps Dodge Corporation, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a system for recovering metal values from metal-bearing materials. During a reactive process, a seeding agent is introduced to provide a nucleation site for the crystallization and/or growth of solid species which otherwise tend to passivate the reactive process or otherwise encapsulate the metal value, thereby reducing the amount of desired metal values partially or completely encapsulated by such material. The seeding agent may be generated in a number of ways, including the recycling of residue or the introduction of foreign substances. Systems embodying aspects of the present invention may be beneficial for recovering a variety of metals such as copper, gold, silver, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, rhenium, uranium, rare earth metals, and platinum group metals from any metal-bearing material, such as ores and concentrates.