THIS invention relates to a method of disposing of residues from the comminution and processing of ores. The method includes the steps of classifying the processing residues into a water permeable sand fraction and a tailings fraction and depositing the tailings fraction and the sand fraction to form a multilayer structure contained by at least one containment wall (14) with the sand fraction forming continuous channels (12) through the tailings fraction (10) to allow water contained in the tailings and sand to flow by gravity, through the sand channels, to water discharge points (16), and recovering the water (18) from the water discharge points.

Described herein are technologies for concentrating rare-earth elements from a heavy fraction of grit in gangue produced in kaolin mining. In some examples, grit is separated as a non-clay fraction of gangue produced in a kaolin mining operation. The grit is separated into a heavy mineral grit sub-fraction and a light mineral grit sub-fraction. Rare-earth elements, particularly heavy rare-earth elements, are thereafter extracted from the heavy mineral grit sub-fraction using various extraction technologies.

Described herein are technologies for concentrating rare-earth elements from a heavy fraction of grit in gangue produced in kaolin mining. In some examples, grit is separated as a non-clay fraction of gangue produced in a kaolin mining operation. The grit is separated into a heavy mineral grit sub-fraction and a light mineral grit sub-fraction. Rare-earth elements, particularly heavy rare-earth elements, are thereafter extracted from the heavy mineral grit sub-fraction using various extraction technologies.

Method for recycling electronic waste are included that enable electronic waste separation and recycling to a high level of separation efficiency and end product purity which are improvements over prior methods. In preferred methods, separated electronic waste which has been subjected to magnetic separation to remove ferrous materials and shredded to an average width of less than about 40 mm is provided and then introduced to a first water tank treated so as to have a specific gravity of about 1.20 to about 1.30 and allowing a first portion of the electronic waste to float in the first water tank and a second portion of the electronic waste to sink in the first water tank; and the second portion of the electronic waste is introduced to a water vibrating table, wherein the remaining second portion of the electronic waste leaving the water vibrating table yields at least about 98% sorted recovered materials comprising pure and clean copper, aluminum, wire, circuit boards, stainless steel and mixed plastics. Other preferred embodiments employ use of a horizontal friction dehydrator in secondary separation, use of color sorting of various plastics, employing fresh-water fed vertical dehydrators at end steps of separation and use of a high purity electrostatic separation process for final products.

Method for recycling electronic waste are included that enable electronic waste separation and recycling to a high level of separation efficiency and end product purity which are improvements over prior methods. In preferred methods, separated electronic waste which has been subjected to magnetic separation to remove ferrous materials and shredded to an average width of less than about 40 mm is provided and then introduced to a first water tank treated so as to have a specific gravity of about 1.20 to about 1.30 and allowing a first portion of the electronic waste to float in the first water tank and a second portion of the electronic waste to sink in the first water tank; and the second portion of the electronic waste is introduced to a water vibrating table, wherein the remaining second portion of the electronic waste leaving the water vibrating table yields at least about 98% sorted recovered materials comprising pure and clean copper, aluminum, wire, circuit boards, stainless steel and mixed plastics. Other preferred embodiments employ use of a horizontal friction dehydrator in secondary separation, use of color sorting of various plastics, employing fresh-water fed vertical dehydrators at end steps of separation and use of a high purity electrostatic separation process for final products.

A modified selective recirculation circuit has a loading stage, a stripping stage and a filtering stage for use in processing a feed stream or slurry containing mineral particles. The stripping stage forms a first loop with the loading stage, a second loop with the filtering stage. The loading stage has a loading mixer and a loading washing screen. The stripping stage has a stripping mixer and a stripping washing screen. The loading mixer receives the slurry and causes barren media in the circuit to contact with the slurry so that the mineral particles in the slurry are loaded onto the barren media. The media is directed to the stripping stage where the mineral particles are removed from the media. The barren media is recycled to the loading stage. The stripping solution recovered from the filtering stage is returned to the stripping stage and the mineral particles are discharged as concentrate.

A modified selective recirculation circuit has a loading stage, a stripping stage and a filtering stage for use in processing a feed stream or slurry containing mineral particles. The stripping stage forms a first loop with the loading stage, a second loop with the filtering stage. The loading stage has a loading mixer and a loading washing screen. The stripping stage has a stripping mixer and a stripping washing screen. The loading mixer receives the slurry and causes barren media in the circuit to contact with the slurry so that the mineral particles in the slurry are loaded onto the barren media. The media is directed to the stripping stage where the mineral particles are removed from the media. The barren media is recycled to the loading stage. The stripping solution recovered from the filtering stage is returned to the stripping stage and the mineral particles are discharged as concentrate.

Systems and methods for the removal of electronic chips and other components from PWBs using liquid heat media are generally described. According to certain embodiments, PWBs comprising solder can be positioned within a rotatable housing. The rotatable housing can, in some embodiments, be at least partially immersed within a liquid heat medium. The liquid heat medium can be heated and/or maintained at a temperature sufficiently high to melt the solder. In some embodiments, the rotatable housing can be rotated while it is at least partially immersed in the liquid heat medium. The rotational force can aid, according to some embodiments, in the removal of solder, electronic chips (including those in which an integrated circuit is positioned on a piece of semiconductor material, such as silicon), and/or other electronic components attached to one or more surfaces of the PWB.

Systems and methods for the removal of electronic chips and other components from PWBs using liquid heat media are generally described. According to certain embodiments, PWBs comprising solder can be positioned within a rotatable housing. The rotatable housing can, in some embodiments, be at least partially immersed within a liquid heat medium. The liquid heat medium can be heated and/or maintained at a temperature sufficiently high to melt the solder. In some embodiments, the rotatable housing can be rotated while it is at least partially immersed in the liquid heat medium. The rotational force can aid, according to some embodiments, in the removal of solder, electronic chips (including those in which an integrated circuit is positioned on a piece of semiconductor material, such as silicon), and/or other electronic components attached to one or more surfaces of the PWB.

THIS invention relates to a method of disposing of residues from the comminution and processing of ores. The method includes the steps of classifying the processing residues into a water permeable sand fraction and a tailings fraction and depositing the tailings fraction and the sand fraction to form a multilayer structure contained by at least one containment wall (14) with the sand fraction forming continuous channels (12) through the tailings fraction (10) to allow water contained in the tailings and sand to flow by gravity, through the sand channels, to water discharge points (16), and recovering the water (18) from the water discharge points.