A highly scalable process has been developed for stabilizing large quantities of the zeta-polymorph of V.sub.2O.sub.5, a metastable kinetically trapped phase, with high compositional and phase purity. The process utilizes a beta-Cux V.sub.2O.sub.5 precursor which is synthetized from solution using all-soluble precursors. The copper can be leached from this structure by a room temperature post-synthetic route to stabilize an empty tunnel framework entirely devoid of intercalating cations. The metastable ?-V.sub.2O.sub.5 thus stabilized can be used as a monovalent-(Li, Na) or multivalent-(Mg, Ca, Al) ion battery cathode material.

An arrangement that is suitable for processing an aqueous metal-containing slurry to separate undesired fractions therefrom. The arrangement includes the units intended for cooling the slurry and simultaneously causing air-induced evaporation of a fraction of the water in the slurry. A method for processing an aqueous metal-containing slurry is disclosed using the arrangement.

Methods and apparatus for liquid/solid separation for use in applications such as dewatering fine particulate solids, and recovery of valuable metals from ore in a leaching process are provided. One application relates to methods of agitation leaching of metals such as gold from gold-bearing feedstock. A slurry is formed in a tank by agitation, and allowed to settle. A filter bed forms to drain the liquid from the tank, and a vertical screen pipe such as a well point addresses the formation of an impervious film on the upper surface of the filter bed.

The polymer-supported chelating agent is polyisobutylene having a thiol-thioether terminal group. The polymer-supported chelating agent is made by reaction of the terminal carbon double bond of polyisobutylene with 1,2-ethanedithiol in a one-step click reaction, resulting in PIB functionalized with a thiol-thioether sequestering group. In use, the polymer-supported chelating agent is added to a biphasic solvent system containing a transition metal in solution for removal of the transition metal by liquid/liquid extraction. The transition metal is chelated or sequestered by the chelating agent and removed in a nonpolar organic phase, such as heptane.

Reagent compositions, methods and systems for reducing concentrations of impurity metals during metallurgic processes. Certain methods and systems in particular pertain to control of iron concentration in copper electrowinning electrolyte solutions.

A process for extraction of copper from an arsenical copper sulfide concentrate is provided. The process includes atmospheric oxidative leaching of a feed slurry including the arsenical copper sulfide concentrate and an acidic iron sulfate-containing leach solution, in the presence of oxygen, to produce a leach slurry including copper and arsenic dissolved into the leach solution. After dissolving the copper and arsenic, and before precipitating the arsenic dissolved during the oxidative leaching, pre-precipitation solids are recovered from the leach slurry to produce the pre-precipitation solids and a resulting pregnant leach solution including the copper and arsenic. Scorodite-containing seed is introduced to the pregnant leach solution including the copper and arsenic to induce precipitation of the arsenic dissolved during the oxidative leaching, as scorodite. Solids are recovered from the pregnant leach solution to produce the solids, including the scorodite, and an arsenic-reduced pregnant leach solution including the copper. The arsenic-reduced pregnant leach solution including the copper is subjected to solvent extraction for recovering copper and thereby producing a raffinate including sulfuric acid and iron sulfate, and at least a portion of the raffinate including the sulfuric acid and iron sulfate is recycled to the oxidative leaching.

Various embodiments provide a leaching solution monitoring module comprising a first leaching solution distribution system interface, a flow meter in fluid communication with the first leaching solution distribution system interface, the flow meter in fluid communication a 3-way pressure regulator, and a second leaching solution distribution system interface in fluid communication with the 3-way pressure regulator.

The subject invention provides safe, environmentally-friendly, compositions and methods for extracting minerals and/or metals from ore. More specifically, the subject invention provides for bioleaching using a composition comprising one or more biosurfactant-producing microorganisms and/or microbial growth by-products. In specific embodiments, the composition comprises biosurfactant-producing yeasts and/or their growth by-products.

The method may comprise receiving historical data (e.g., mineralogy data, irrigation data, raffinate data, heat data, lift height data, geographic data on ore placement and/or blower data); training a predictive model using the historical data to create a trained predictive model; adding future assumption data to the trained predictive model; running the forecast engine for a plurality of parameters to obtain forecast data for a mining production target; comparing the forecast data for the mining production target to the actual data for the mining production target; determining deviations between the forecast data and the actual data, based on the comparing; and changing each of the plurality of parameters from the forecast data to the actual data to determine a contribution to the deviations for each of the plurality of parameters.

A method for the electrolytic production of pure copper from copper-containing compounds dissolved in a high-temperature bath of molten salts which function as an electrolyte in an electrolytic cell. An electric current is passed between an anode immersed in the copper-ion rich molten salt bath and a cathode or cathode-lined kettle in which the molten salt bath is contained, thereby reducing the dissolved copper ions to form pure molten copper. The deposited molten copper collects at the bottom of the kettle and can be separated from the molten salt bath using conventional means.