METALEACH LIMITED Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130220078 | METHOD FOR LEACHING OF COPPER AND MOLYBDENUM - A method for leaching copper and molybdenum from an ore, residue and/or concentrate containing such, in which more than 1% of the total molybdenum is present as a sulfide and in which more than 1% of the total copper is present as an oxide, the method comprising the steps of: Exposing the ore, residue and/or concentrate to an aqueous solution of chlorine (I)-based oxidising species of a p H of at least 3.0; Allowing and/or facilitating the oxidation of the molybdenum by the chlorine-based oxidising species thereby providing a treated ore, residue and/or concentrate and a reduced aqueous solution of chlorine-based oxidising species; and Leaching the treated ore, residue and/or concentrate by exposing the treated ore, residue and/or concentrate to an aqueous ammoniacal ammonium carbonate solution to form a pregnant leach solution containing both copper and molybdenum; Passing the pregnant leach solution containing both copper and molybdenum to a means for metal recovery. | 08-29-2013 |
20130133485 | METHOD OF OXIDATIVE LEACHING OF MOLYBDENUM-RHENIUM SULFIDE ORES AND/OR CONCENTRATES - A method for leaching molybdenum and/or rhenium from a sulfide ore and/or concentrate containing such, the method comprising the steps of: Exposing the ore and/or concentrate to an aqueous solution of chlorine-based oxidising species in which the sum of the concentrations of hypochlorite and hypochlorous acid is at least 10 mol % of the chlorine-based oxidising species; Allowing and/or facilitating the oxidation of the molybdenum and/or rhenium by the hypochlorite and/or hypochlorous acid, thereby decreasing the pH such that the predominant chlorine-based oxidising species becomes chlorine; Allowing and/or facilitating the oxidation of the molybdenum and/or rhenium by the chlorine thereby producing a pregnant leach solution; and Passing the pregnant leach solution to a means for metal recovery. | 05-30-2013 |
20130025412 | METHOD FOR LEACHING ZINC FROM A ZINC ORE - A method for leaching zinc from a zinc-bearing carbonate ore, the method comprising the steps of: subjecting the zinc-bearing carbonate ore to elevated temperatures of between about 300° C. and about 900° C. thereby producing a roasted ore; subjecting the roasted ore to an aqueous acid or alkali leach thereby producing an aqueous zinc solution; and subjecting the aqueous zinc solution to a zinc recovery step. | 01-31-2013 |
20120244051 | METHOD FOR LEACHING COBALT FROM OXIDISED COBALT ORES - A method for leaching cobalt from a non-lateritic oxidised cobalt ore, the method comprising the method steps of: curing the non-lateritic oxidised cobalt ore to be leached through the application of an aqueous solution of a cobalt reducing agent selected from the group: iron (II) salts, sulfite salts, sulfur dioxide, and combinations thereof; at a pressure of between about atmospheric pressure and about 5 atmospheres, at a temperature between about 5° C. and about 65° C.; wherein the pH of the aqueous solution of the cobalt reducing agent is between about 1.0 and 10.0; and wherein the relative volumes of the aqueous solution of the cobalt reducing agent and the non-lateritic oxidised cobalt ore to be leached are such that the combination of the aqueous solution of the cobalt reducing agent and the non-lateritic oxidised cobalt ore to be leached forms a mixture with a solids content not less than about 100 g/L of aqueous solution; substantially retaining the aqueous solution of the cobalt reducing agent in contact with the non-lateritic oxidised cobalt; and leaching the cured ore at a pressure of between about atmospheric pressure and about 5 atmospheres, at a temperature between about 5° C. and about 65° C., through the application of an ammonium carbonate solution containing free ammonia thereby producing a pregnant leach solution; then passing the pregnant leach solution resulting to a means for cobalt recovery. | 09-27-2012 |
20120103138 | METHOD OF OXIDATIVE LEACHING OF SULFIDE ORES AND/OR CONCENTRATES - A method for leaching one or more target metals from a sulfide ore and/or concentrate containing such, the method comprising the steps of: (a) Exposing the ore and/or concentrate to an aqueous solution of chlorine-based oxidising species in which the hypochlorous acid comprises at least 10 mol % of the chlorine-based oxidising species; (b) Allowing and/or facilitating the oxidation of the target metals by the hypochlorous acid, thereby decreasing the pH such that the predominant chlorine-based oxidising species becomes chlorine; (c) Allowing and/or facilitating the oxidation of the target metals by the chlorine; (d) Allowing and/or facilitating the dissolution of the target metals by the solution species formed during the oxidation by hypochlorous acid and/or chlorine; and (e) Passing the pregnant solution produced thereby to a means for metal recovery. | 05-03-2012 |
20110293493 | METHOD FOR EXTRACTING ZINC FROM AQUEOUS AMMONIACAL SOLUTIONS - A method for extracting zinc from an aqueous ammoniacal zinc solution containing impurities, the method comprising the steps of: (i) contacting the aqueous ammoniacal zinc solution containing impurities with an organic phase comprising an ammonium salt of an organic extractant dissolved in a hydrophobic diluent, allowing transfer of the zinc to the organic phase and transfer of ammonium to the aqueous phase, thereby providing a zinc-enriched, ammonium-depleted organic phase and an ammonium-enriched, zinc-depleted aqueous phase containing impurities; (ii) separating the zinc-enriched, ammonium-depleted organic phase from the ammonium-enriched, zinc-depleted aqueous phase containing impurities; (iii) contacting the zinc-enriched, ammonium-depleted organic phase with an aqueous solution containing positively charged species, allowing transfer of the zinc from the organic phase and transfer of positively charged species from the aqueous phase, thereby providing an aqueous zinc solution and an organic phase containing a zinc-depleted organic extractant; and (iv) recovering the zinc from the aqueous zinc solution. | 12-01-2011 |
20100180728 | METHOD FOR AMMONIACAL LEACHING - In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for leaching one or more target metals from an ore, the method comprising the method steps of: curing the ore to be leached through the application of an aqueous solution of a curing agent, producing a cured ore; leaching the cured ore at atmospheric pressure through the application of an ammonium carbonate solution containing free ammonia, producing a pregnant leach solution; and passing the pregnant leach solution to a means for metals recovery. | 07-22-2010 |