In one embodiment, the invention provides a leaching method using a support made of a polypropylene material to form agglomerates with a metal bearing material or mineral concentrates.

A rotary atomizer for receiving molten material and projecting droplets of the molten material there from; the rotary atomizer having a rotating well for receiving molten material. The well comprising a base and a peripheral wall extending from a peripheral rim around the base, the top of the peripheral wall having an inner top edge and a lip region extending away from the inner top edge at an angle of 0-60 degrees below the horizontal. Preferably the upper region of the peripheral side wall extending to the inner top edge is substantially vertical.

Provided is a method for transporting reductant such as coke into a metallurgical furnace containing a bottom layer containing molten metal and a top layer on top of the bottom layer containing molten metal. The method comprises a first providing step for providing reductant, a second providing step for providing metal, a forming step for forming carriers containing reductant and metal of reductant provided in the first providing step and metal provided in the second providing step, and a feeding step for feeding carriers formed in the forming step into the metallurgical furnace. Also provided is a carrier and a production method for producing carriers.

The present invention refers to an agglomeration drum and to a procedure for the agglomeration of mineral inside said drum for the pretreatment of minerals, both of them mainly used in hydrometallurgy. Said drum and procedure use a system and a phase of recirculation of gases as part of the invention. Additionally, in the agglomeration procedure the process of chemical reactions occurring inside the agglomeration drum is included. The agglomeration drum, agglomeration procedure and the reactive process allow to obtaining uniform, stable and poorly degradable agglomerates that have a bigger agglomerate-reagent contact surface. The agglomerates or aggregates produced in the agglomeration drum and according to the process of the invention increase the extractive yield of the later leaching process thus reducing the creation of preferred ways for the leaching solution in the leaching piles. In addition, the drum and procedure of the invention allow preventing the release of gases to the environment, having a gas recirculation system, which by being closed keeps gases inside the agglomeration drum and process. This recirculation of gases not only allows preventing the release of said gases to the environment, but it also reduces the operating costs by using the recirculated gases as part of the agglomeration process.

An ironmaking method includes ore beneficiating a high combined water content iron ore including a loss of ignition of 3 to 12 mass % into a goethite-rich part including at least a loss of ignition of 4 mass % or more and an iron content of 55 mass % or more; agglomerating the goethite-rich part into first fired pellets in a pellet induration furnace; and the first fired pellets into a shaft furnace while the first fired pellets have a surface temperature of 600? C. or higher, and directly reducing the first fired pellets using a reducing gas containing 60 volume % or more of hydrogen.

Described herein are methods for methods for extracting earth elements from rare earth element sources. In one aspect, the rare earth element source includes clayey materials present in coal and coal by-products, where one or more rare earth elements are adsorbed on the clayey materials. The methods involve admixing the rare earth element source with a base and an electrolyte composition. In one aspect, the electrolyte composition includes a chelating agent and/or a complexing agent. The extraction process is conducted at temperatures less than or equal to 100 C., which makes the process cost-effective and sustainable.

Described herein are methods for methods for extracting earth elements from rare earth element sources. In one aspect, the rare earth element source includes clayey materials present in coal and coal by-products, where one or more rare earth elements are adsorbed on the clayey materials. The methods involve admixing the rare earth element source with a base and an electrolyte composition. In one aspect, the electrolyte composition includes a chelating agent and/or a complexing agent. The extraction process is conducted at temperatures less than or equal to 100 C., which makes the process cost-effective and sustainable.

A method of leaching copper-containing ores, such as chalcopyrite ores, with a leach liquor in the presence of silver and an activation agent that activates silver whereby the silver enhances copper extraction from copper ores.

A method of leaching copper-containing ores, such as chalcopyrite ores, with a leach liquor in the presence of silver and an activation agent that activates silver whereby the silver enhances copper extraction from copper ores.

The invention relates to a hot-briquetting or hot-compacting installation, in particular for directly reduced iron, having at least one first row (1) of presses with one or more first roll presses (2), and having at least one second row (3) of presses with one or more second roll presses (4), having at least one first cooling conveyor (7) beneath the first row (1) of presses, and a second cooling conveyor (8) beneath the second row (3) of presses, and having a plurality of material lines (6), which are assigned in each case to the individual roll presses (2, 4) and via which the briquetted or compacted material exiting from the roll presses (2, 4) is discharged to the cooling conveyors (7, 8). The material lines (6) are provided with one or more diverters (9), which can be adjusted such that the material from the roll presses (2, 4) of the first row (1) of presses and of the second row (3) of presses is discharged optionally in each case to the first cooling conveyor (7) or to the second cooling conveyor (8).