A process for recovering copper from heap leach residues containing residual copper, includes identifying a production zone within the heap leach residues for secondary leaching, drilling wells into the heap at locations suitable for delivering leach solution into the production zone, injecting the leach solution including ferric ions through the wells and aerating the production zone to facilitate oxidative reactions within the production zone, and collecting effluent from the heap for copper recovery therefrom.

A process for recovering copper from heap leach residues containing residual copper, includes identifying a production zone within the heap leach residues for secondary leaching, drilling wells into the heap at locations suitable for delivering leach solution into the production zone, injecting the leach solution including ferric ions through the wells and aerating the production zone to facilitate oxidative reactions within the production zone, and collecting effluent from the heap for copper recovery therefrom.

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 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.

A heap of a material to be leached to recover a valuable metal from the material includes an electromagnetic heating system to generate heat in situ in the heap.

A heap of a material to be leached to recover a valuable metal from the material includes an electromagnetic heating system to generate heat in situ in the heap.

A system and method for recovering a metal value from a metal-bearing ore material are provided. A metal-bearing ore can be mixed with certain substances and to form an agglomerated ore. In an intermediate state, between agglomeration and heap formation, bacteria can be added to the metal-bearing ore material to produce an augmented ore. The augmented ore can then be formed into a heap. Bacteria from the heap may be fortified to assist in bacterial growth.

A system and method for recovering a metal value from a metal-bearing ore material are provided. A metal-bearing ore can be mixed with certain substances and to form an agglomerated ore. In an intermediate state, between agglomeration and heap formation, bacteria can be added to the metal-bearing ore material to produce an augmented ore. The augmented ore can then be formed into a heap. Bacteria from the heap may be fortified to assist in bacterial growth.

This disclosure provides engineered microbes coding at least one rare earth element (REE) binding ligand for the preferential separation of REEs, as well as methods of use thereof.

This disclosure provides engineered microbes coding at least one rare earth element (REE) binding ligand for the preferential separation of REEs, as well as methods of use thereof.