Patent · US Expired

Utilization of oxygen in leaching and/or recovery procedures employing carbon

US4816234A · kind A · utility

24Cited by
10References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 23, 1987
Grant dateMar 28, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 23, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P10/20
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

In gold and/or silver cyanide leaching-adsorption processes employing solid adsorbents such as activated charcoal, the overall efficiency in the recovery of gold and/or silver from ores or the like is greatly increased by contacting the cyanide slurry containing the gold and/or silver, with oxygen gas instead of normal air. A generally pure oxygen gas can be bubbled into a vessel containing the slurry, and a cover (e.g. a floating cover) may be provided on the vessel to reduce the oxygen transfer out of the solution and to facilitate pressurization of the system with an oxygen atmosphere. The procedures of the invention are applicable to carbon-in-pulp (CIP), and carbon-in-leach (CIL) processes and related processes using resins. Deaeration of the ore slurry can be practiced prior to the introduction of the oxygen.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.