Rapid ferrous sulfate biooxidation
US6294362A · kind A · utility
3Cited by
3References
16Claims
0Family size
Assignee
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Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 3, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 25, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 3, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S435/822
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Disclosed is an improved process for using iron-oxidizing bacteria to reactivate the raffinate ferrous sulfate solution in chemical leach operations. The process uses a biological raffinate converter, or BRC, as a key feature of the process. The process provides enhanced efficiency and commercial utility over the best known biological process for converting raffinate ferrous sulfate. The resulting ferric sulfate then can be recycled back into the bioleaching process of, for example, copper from chalcocite.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.