The present invention relates to the recovery of metals from raw ores or concentrates, and more specifically, to the recovery of rare earth elements, or oxides or salts thereof, from ores containing bastnaesite carbonatite, and/or monazite. The ore is processed by a method that may include one or more of the following steps: (i) mechanically processing the ore; (ii) calcination and/or roasting of the ore to form a calcinated material and/or roasting of the ore to form a roasted material; (iii) leaching of the calcinated material or roasted material in an aqueous solution; (iv) solid/liquid separation to remove a solid residue from the aqueous solution to recover a rare earth element solution; and (v) precipitation of the rare earth element solution to isolate a rare earth element, or oxide or salt thereof.

A process for recovering value metals from ore comprising rock, including the steps of preselection of a grade of ore to be microwaved to form an ore stream; subjecting the ore stream to microwave energy to partially fracture rocks in the stream and form a partially fractured ore stream; crushing the partially fractured ore stream to preferentially fracture the pre-weakened ore, to form a crushed ore stream; and Screening the crushed ore stream to form a fines fraction ore stream for further processing; and a gangue fraction that may justify further processing.

A process for recovering value metals from ore comprising rock, including the steps of preselection of a grade of ore to be microwaved to form an ore stream; subjecting the ore stream to microwave energy to partially fracture rocks in the stream and form a partially fractured ore stream; crushing the partially fractured ore stream to preferentially fracture the pre-weakened ore, to form a crushed ore stream; and Screening the crushed ore stream to form a fines fraction ore stream for further processing; and a gangue fraction that may justify further processing.

A method of making black mass from lithium containing batterie includes the steps of closing a chamber enclosing lithium-containing batteries and injecting nitrogen into the chamber to create an atmosphere sufficiently low in oxygen to prevent explosions and burning of the lithium-containing batteries. The lithium-containing batteries are shredded in the nitrogen atmosphere to produce shredded batteries. The shredded batteries are heated in the nitrogen atmosphere to a temperature sufficient to vaporize electrolyte and plastics from the batteries and produce pyrolyzed fragments. Lithium is present in a water-soluble nitrate form within the pyrolyzed fragments. The pyrolyzed fragments are classified to produce a black mass and a remaining metals fraction. The remaining metals fraction can be further classified to recover ferrous metals, light metals, and heavy metals.

A method of making black mass from lithium containing batterie includes the steps of closing a chamber enclosing lithium-containing batteries and injecting nitrogen into the chamber to create an atmosphere sufficiently low in oxygen to prevent explosions and burning of the lithium-containing batteries. The lithium-containing batteries are shredded in the nitrogen atmosphere to produce shredded batteries. The shredded batteries are heated in the nitrogen atmosphere to a temperature sufficient to vaporize electrolyte and plastics from the batteries and produce pyrolyzed fragments. Lithium is present in a water-soluble nitrate form within the pyrolyzed fragments. The pyrolyzed fragments are classified to produce a black mass and a remaining metals fraction. The remaining metals fraction can be further classified to recover ferrous metals, light metals, and heavy metals.

A process for roasting of metal concentrate wherein concentrate particles are fed into a roaster where they are thermally treated at a temperature in the range of 500 and 1200° C. in a fluidized bed to form a calcine. At least parts of the calcine are withdrawn from the roaster together with a gas stream as a solid fraction. Concentrate particles with a diameter at least 50% smaller than the average diameter of the concentrate particles are separated as small particles and/or particles from the gas-solid-fraction are separated in at least one step as small calcine particles and/or particles are gained in another hydrometallurgical step as other particles. Defined particles are pelletized, whereby at least 80% of the pellets feature a diameter of at least 80% of the concentrate particles average diameter. The pellets are fed into the roaster.

A method of leaching copper from a heap of ore which includes an ore agglomeration step, an ore stacking step wherein agglomerated ore is stacked to form a heap, a curing step, a leach step, and a rinse step, wherein, during the ore agglomeration step the ore is contacted with an acidified solution, nitrates or nitrites, and chloride, to create an oxidative environment prior to the leach step.

A method of leaching copper from a heap of ore which includes an ore agglomeration step, an ore stacking step wherein agglomerated ore is stacked to form a heap, a curing step, a leach step, and a rinse step, wherein, during the ore agglomeration step the ore is contacted with an acidified solution, nitrates or nitrites, and chloride, to create an oxidative environment prior to the leach step.

A method and an industrial plant for separating a waste material comprises at least one metal and at least one organic material. A separated fraction of the waste material is provisioned which is isolated from the waste material in the course of a mechanical preparation operation. The separated fraction comprises briquettes produced from the waste material, and optionally a coarse fraction of the waste material or of another waste material. A reactor is charged with the separated fraction and gas containing oxygen is introduced into the reactor and the separated fraction is combusted in an incomplete combustion process. The separated fraction is melted into a liquid slag phase and into a liquid metal-containing phase. The slag phase and/or the metal-containing phase are poured off from the reactor.

A method and an industrial plant for separating a waste material comprises at least one metal and at least one organic material. A separated fraction of the waste material is provisioned which is isolated from the waste material in the course of a mechanical preparation operation. The separated fraction comprises briquettes produced from the waste material, and optionally a coarse fraction of the waste material or of another waste material. A reactor is charged with the separated fraction and gas containing oxygen is introduced into the reactor and the separated fraction is combusted in an incomplete combustion process. The separated fraction is melted into a liquid slag phase and into a liquid metal-containing phase. The slag phase and/or the metal-containing phase are poured off from the reactor.