A mixing apparatus for mixing particles in a liquid and its use are disclosed. The mixing apparatus comprises a tank having a bottom and a substantially vertical side wall, an agitation means comprising a rotation shaft located vertically and centrally in the tank, and an impeller arranged at a height above the bottom at the end of the rotation shaft and the impeller being a downward pumping axial or mixed flow impeller. The bottom is equipped with a corrugated formation comprising alternate consecutive ridges and valleys, the ridges and valleys extending radially in relation to a center of the bottom, whereby the valleys concentrate and channel the mixing power near to the bottom to direct the flow of the liquid and to increase the velocity of the flow near to the bottom.

A mixing apparatus for mixing particles in a liquid and its use are disclosed. The mixing apparatus comprises a tank having a bottom and a substantially vertical side wall, an agitation means comprising a rotation shaft located vertically and centrally in the tank, and an impeller arranged at a height above the bottom at the end of the rotation shaft and the impeller being a downward pumping axial or mixed flow impeller. The bottom is equipped with a corrugated formation comprising alternate consecutive ridges and valleys, the ridges and valleys extending radially in relation to a center of the bottom, whereby the valleys concentrate and channel the mixing power near to the bottom to direct the flow of the liquid and to increase the velocity of the flow near to the bottom.

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.

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.

This invention relates generally to novel methods and novel devices for the continuous manufacture of nanoparticles, microparticles and nanoparticle/liquid solution(s). The nanoparticles (and/or micron-sized particles) comprise a variety of possible compositions, sizes and shapes. The particles (e.g., nanoparticles) are caused to be present (e.g., created) in a liquid (e.g., water) by, for example, preferably utilizing at least one adjustable plasma (e.g., created by at least one AC and/or DC power source), which plasma communicates with at least a portion of a surface of the liquid. At least one subsequent and/or substantially simultaneous adjustable electrochemical processing technique is also preferred. Multiple adjustable plasmas and/or adjustable electrochemical processing techniques are preferred. The continuous process causes at least one liquid to flow into, through and out of at least one trough member, such liquid being processed, conditioned and/or effected in said trough member(s). Results include constituents formed in the liquid including micron-sized particles and/or nanoparticles (e.g., metallic-based nanoparticles) of novel size, shape, composition and properties present in a liquid.

This invention relates generally to novel methods and novel devices for the continuous manufacture of nanoparticles, microparticles and nanoparticle/liquid solution(s). The nanoparticles (and/or micron-sized particles) comprise a variety of possible compositions, sizes and shapes. The particles (e.g., nanoparticles) are caused to be present (e.g., created) in a liquid (e.g., water) by, for example, preferably utilizing at least one adjustable plasma (e.g., created by at least one AC and/or DC power source), which plasma communicates with at least a portion of a surface of the liquid. At least one subsequent and/or substantially simultaneous adjustable electrochemical processing technique is also preferred. Multiple adjustable plasmas and/or adjustable electrochemical processing techniques are preferred. The continuous process causes at least one liquid to flow into, through and out of at least one trough member, such liquid being processed, conditioned and/or effected in said trough member(s). Results include constituents formed in the liquid including micron-sized particles and/or nanoparticles (e.g., metallic-based nanoparticles) of novel size, shape, composition and properties present in a liquid.

A solvent extraction settler arrangement comprises a settler (1) having a feed end (2) and a discharge end (3), said settler being arranged to separate solution phases from a dispersion fed from the feed end while the dispersion flows to the discharge end. Elongated discharge launders (4, 5) are arranged at the discharge end (3) of the settler for each solution phase to be separated from the dispersion, each discharge launder (4, 5) including a first end (6), an outlet (7, 8) arranged at the first end, and a closed second end (9). At least one of the discharge launders (4, 5) has a form of a conical tube with a cross-section converging from the first end (6) towards the second end (9) and an inclined bottom (10, 11) descending from the second end (9) towards the first end (6).

A solvent extraction settler arrangement comprises a settler (1) having a feed end (2) and a discharge end (3), said settler being arranged to separate solution phases from a dispersion fed from the feed end while the dispersion flows to the discharge end. Elongated discharge launders (4, 5) are arranged at the discharge end (3) of the settler for each solution phase to be separated from the dispersion, each discharge launder (4, 5) including a first end (6), an outlet (7, 8) arranged at the first end, and a closed second end (9). At least one of the discharge launders (4, 5) has a form of a conical tube with a cross-section converging from the first end (6) towards the second end (9) and an inclined bottom (10, 11) descending from the second end (9) towards the first end (6).

In an autoclave apparatus for a high-pressure acid leaching process which advances leaching by stirring heated and pressurized material slurry and sulfuric acid by stirrers in compartments in an autoclave main body of a plurality of compartments, transfers slurry from an upstream side compartment to a downstream one to advance leaching, liquid flow ports for slurry transfer that open and close by doors are provided on the partition walls, the liquid flow ports for slurry transfer are installed at positions where the heights from the lowermost portion the autoclave to the center of gravity are 0.1 to 0.3 times an autoclave diameter and distances from the center lines of the partition walls to the center of gravity are 0.05 to 0.25 times the autoclave diameter, and the liquid flow ports for slurry transfer have shapes which do not reach end portions of the partition walls.

In an autoclave apparatus for a high-pressure acid leaching process which advances leaching by stirring heated and pressurized material slurry and sulfuric acid by stirrers in compartments in an autoclave main body of a plurality of compartments, transfers slurry from an upstream side compartment to a downstream one to advance leaching, liquid flow ports for slurry transfer that open and close by doors are provided on the partition walls, the liquid flow ports for slurry transfer are installed at positions where the heights from the lowermost portion the autoclave to the center of gravity are 0.1 to 0.3 times an autoclave diameter and distances from the center lines of the partition walls to the center of gravity are 0.05 to 0.25 times the autoclave diameter, and the liquid flow ports for slurry transfer have shapes which do not reach end portions of the partition walls.