A process for treating minerals containing metal sulphide and a precious metal, the process comprising fine grinding the minerals and subjecting the minerals to a first leaching step conducted under oxidising conditions at a pH of from 5 to 7, and subjecting a pulp or suspension or solid residue from the first leaching step to a second leaching step conducted under oxidising conditions at a pH of at least 9.0.

A process for the recovery of gold from carbon fines waste, which are produced, especially from carbon-in-leach (CIL) and carbon-in-pulp (CIP) processes. The gold may be eluted from carbon fines with alkaline eluent having a low oxidation reduction potential (ORP). Value added products may be obtained from the extracted carbon fines.

An activated carbon regeneration method of the present invention is for eluting gold from activated carbon on which the gold has been adsorbed and thereafter recycling, in adsorption of the gold, the used activated carbon from which the gold has been eluted, the method including: washing the used activated carbon with an acidic washing liquid, alkaline washing liquid or neutral washing liquid; and when the used activated carbon is washed with the acidic washing liquid, keeping the acidic washing liquid after the washing in an acidic region, or when the used activated carbon is washed with the alkaline washing liquid or neutral washing liquid, keeping the alkaline washing liquid or neutral washing liquid after the washing in an alkaline region or neutral region.

An activated carbon regeneration method of the present invention is for eluting gold from activated carbon on which the gold has been adsorbed and thereafter recycling, in adsorption of the gold, the used activated carbon from which the gold has been eluted, the method including: washing the used activated carbon with an acidic washing liquid, alkaline washing liquid or neutral washing liquid; and when the used activated carbon is washed with the acidic washing liquid, keeping the acidic washing liquid after the washing in an acidic region, or when the used activated carbon is washed with the alkaline washing liquid or neutral washing liquid, keeping the alkaline washing liquid or neutral washing liquid after the washing in an alkaline region or neutral region.

The present disclosure provides a method for extracting lithium from salt lake brine, which includes: flowing the salt lake brine through a lithium adsorbent at a varying flow rate to obtain a lithium-rich adsorbent, where the lithium ions in the salt lake brine are adsorbed on the lithium adsorbent, and where during the adsorption process, the flow rate of the salt lake brine decreases, and a difference between the initial flow rate and the final flow rate of the salt lake brine is 0.5-3 BV/h; washing the lithium-rich adsorbent; and desorbing the lithium ions from the washed lithium-rich adsorbent with a lithium ion eluent, to obtain a desorption solution.

The present disclosure provides a method for extracting lithium from salt lake brine, which includes: flowing the salt lake brine through a lithium adsorbent at a varying flow rate to obtain a lithium-rich adsorbent, where the lithium ions in the salt lake brine are adsorbed on the lithium adsorbent, and where during the adsorption process, the flow rate of the salt lake brine decreases, and a difference between the initial flow rate and the final flow rate of the salt lake brine is 0.5-3 BV/h; washing the lithium-rich adsorbent; and desorbing the lithium ions from the washed lithium-rich adsorbent with a lithium ion eluent, to obtain a desorption solution.

A process for leaching minerals that contain metal sulphides and one or more precious metals or precious metal compounds, the process comprising the steps of a first leaching step to leach the minerals under oxidative conditions at a pH of less than 4 to form a slurry or pulp, the slurry or pulp comprising a solid phase containing unreacted components, solid reaction products and elemental sulphur, and subjecting the slurry or pulp or solid residue from the first leaching step to a second leaching step comprising oxidative leaching at pH of at least 9.0 to thereby form thiosulphate, whereby the thiosulphate leaches precious metal from the solid residue.

A process for leaching minerals that contain metal sulphides and one or more precious metals or precious metal compounds, the process comprising the steps of a first leaching step to leach the minerals under oxidative conditions at a pH of less than 4 to form a slurry or pulp, the slurry or pulp comprising a solid phase containing unreacted components, solid reaction products and elemental sulphur, and subjecting the slurry or pulp or solid residue from the first leaching step to a second leaching step comprising oxidative leaching at pH of at least 9.0 to thereby form thiosulphate, whereby the thiosulphate leaches precious metal from the solid residue.

The present invention is intended for effectively removing copper, iron, sulfur, which are impurities, from activated carbon on which gold is adsorbed before gold eluting in the point of view of gold recovery, and is related to a method for eluting gold from an activated carbon on which at least sulfur (S) and gold (Au) are adsorbed, whereas the activated carbon is washed with an alkali solution before eluting the gold, and then the gold is eluted from the activated carbon.

A method for separating at least two metals from each other in a metal refining process, the method comprising: injecting a feed solution comprising the metals into a column or flow pipe comprising a monolithic solid body having a plurality of channels; and flowing the feed solution through the plurality of channels in the monolithic solid body to separate the metals.