A method of improving leach kinetics and recovery during atmospheric or above-atmospheric leaching of a metal sulfide is disclosed. A system for practicing the aforementioned method is also disclosed. Apparatus for practicing the aforementioned method is also disclosed. A new composition of matter which is formed by the aforementioned method, and which may be utilized in the system and apparatus is further disclosed. The new composition of matter may exhibit improved leach kinetics, and may have some utility in the semi-conductor arts, including uses within photovoltaic materials.

The method of recovering copper from sulfide ores with copper and iron, comprises the steps of reacting, in a reaction vessel, a copper-containing sulfide ore with sulfur dioxide gas to form elemental sulfur, an iron oxide and a copper sulfide, separating the solids comprising the iron oxide and copper sulfate from a liquid phase of the reaction mixture, leaching the dried solids with an aqueous solution comprising water or dilute sulfuric acid and solubilizing the copper sulfate, and recovering copper from the solubilized copper sulfate.

A copper/molybdenum separation processor is provided featuring a slurry/media mixture stage configured to receive a conditioned pulp containing hydrophobic molybdenite and hydrophilic copper, iron and other minerals that is conditioned with sodium hydrosulfide together with an engineered polymeric hydrophobic media, and provide a slurry/media mixture; and a slurry/media separation stage configured to receive the slurry/media mixture, and provide a slurry product having a copper concentrate and a polymerized hydrophobic media product having a molybdenum concentrate that are separately directed for further processing. The slurry/media mixture stage include a molybdenum loading stage configured to contact the conditioned pulp with the engineered polymeric hydrophobic media in an agitated reaction chamber, and load the hydrophobic molybdenite on the engineered polymeric hydrophobic media.

A copper/molybdenum separation processor is provide featuring a slurry/media mixture stage configured to receive a conditioned pulp containing hydrophobic molybdenite and hydrophilic copper, iron and other minerals that is conditioned with sodium hydrosulfide together with an engineered polymeric hydrophobic media, and provide a slurry/media mixture; and a slurry/media separation stage configured to receive the slurry/media mixture, and provide a slurry product having a copper concentrate and a polymerized hydrophobic media product having a molybdenum concentrate that are separately directed for further processing. The slurry/media mixture stage include a molybdenum loading stage configured to contact the conditioned pulp with the engineered polymeric hydrophobic media in an agitated reaction chamber, and load the hydrophobic molybdenite on the engineered polymeric hydrophobic media.

A method of improving metal leach kinetics and recovery during atmospheric or substantially atmospheric leaching of a metal sulfide is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method may comprise the steps of: (a) producing a metal sulfide flotation concentrate; (b) processing the metal sulfide concentrate in a reductive activation circuit that operates at a first redox potential, to produce a reductively-activated metal sulfide concentrate; and, (c) subsequently processing the activated metal sulfide concentrate in an oxidative leach circuit to extract metal values. In some disclosed embodiments, reductive activation steps may be employed prior to oxidative leaching steps (including heap leap leaching or bio-leaching steps). In some embodiments, physico-chemical processing steps may be employed during reductive activation and/or oxidative leaching. Systems for practicing the aforementioned methods are also disclosed.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for leaching copper from a oxidised copper ore, wherein at least 5% of the copper present in the oxidised copper ore is an oxidised copper compound, the method comprising the method steps of: applying an aqueous solution of a curing agent to the oxidised copper ore, producing a cured ore; forming a leach solution by applying an ammoniacal solution that has an ammonium carbonate content of less than 20 g/L to the cured ore, producing a pregnant leach solution containing copper; and passing the pregnant leach solution to a means for recovering copper.

The present disclosure is related to carbonation and selective ammonia leaching for the recovery of minor metals.

Methods, compositions and systems are provided that improve recovery of copper from previously leached copper ores. A reset solution comprising a chelating agent and a reducing agent is provided to a heap of previously leached and passivated ore to improve copper recovery kinetics in subsequent leaching stages.

A hydrometallurgical process for processing metal ore includes a dynamic oxidative step in which the ore is irrigated with specific reactive liquid mixtures at low flow rates to progressively transform the ore and maintain conditions for enhanced recovery of metal from the ore by solvent-extraction/electrowinning. In embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be used for obtaining copper metal from the refractory copper mineral chalcopyrite. A copper heap subjected to the electrochemical regimes established and maintained in the heap using these methods exhibit novel kinetics.

Methods, compositions and systems are provided that improve recovery of copper from previously leached copper ores. A reset solution comprising a chelating agent and a reducing agent is provided to a heap of previously leached and passivated ore to improve copper recovery kinetics in subsequent leaching stages.