The present zinc recovery method is characterized in including a dissolving process of treating a raw material containing zinc with an alkaline fluid at a temperature equal to or higher than 100 C. to dissolve zinc contained in the raw material, and a recovering process of recovering zinc extracted from the raw material by the dissolving process.

The present disclosure generally relates to processes for the reduction of transition metals using alkali metals to produce reduced transition metals.

The present disclosure generally relates to processes for the reduction of transition metals using alkali metals to produce reduced transition metals.

An autoclave for pressure oxidation of a slurried material including at least one sulfide material, and a method. The autoclave includes a pressure vessel for receiving the slurried material. The pressure vessel includes compartments being arranged horizontally one after the another and separated by dividers. Each divider is provided with an upper edge or at least one opening that defines level of the slurried material in the compartment. An inlet is arranged for feeding oxygen-containing gas into the pressure vessel. An agitator arrangement is arranged for agitating the slurried material in at least one of the compartments, the agitator arrangement including at least an upper impeller and a lower impeller, the impellers arranged along a vertically aligned shaft. The upper impeller is arranged at a height above the mid-level of one of the compartments, and the upper impeller is an upward pumping axial or mixed flow impeller.

An autoclave for pressure oxidation of a slurried material including at least one sulfide material, and a method. The autoclave includes a pressure vessel for receiving the slurried material. The pressure vessel includes compartments being arranged horizontally one after the another and separated by dividers. Each divider is provided with an upper edge or at least one opening that defines level of the slurried material in the compartment. An inlet is arranged for feeding oxygen-containing gas into the pressure vessel. An agitator arrangement is arranged for agitating the slurried material in at least one of the compartments, the agitator arrangement including at least an upper impeller and a lower impeller, the impellers arranged along a vertically aligned shaft. The upper impeller is arranged at a height above the mid-level of one of the compartments, and the upper impeller is an upward pumping axial or mixed flow impeller.

Methods, systems, and components suitable for carbothermal reduction processes are disclosed. Exemplary systems include a reactor, such as hybrid solarthermal-electric reactor, a solar thermal reactor, an electric reactor, or a reactor heated by gas combustion, a pellet source, a gas reactant source, and a vacuum source. The reactor can operate as a moving bed or pseudo moving bed reactor.

Methods, systems, and components suitable for carbothermal reduction processes are disclosed. Exemplary systems include a reactor, such as hybrid solarthermal-electric reactor, a solar thermal reactor, an electric reactor, or a reactor heated by gas combustion, a pellet source, a gas reactant source, and a vacuum source. The reactor can operate as a moving bed or pseudo moving bed reactor.

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 bioleaching and solvent extraction process with selective recovery of copper and zinc from polymetallic sulphide concentrates is described, comprising a bioleaching and ferric ion reducing process and a copper and zinc solvent extraction process. The bioleaching and ferric ion reducing process comprises a concentrates pulp conditioning step; a bioleaching step, wherein once the pulp is conditioned it is subjected to a bioleaching process using a plurality of bioreactors of the stirred-tank type with an air injection and diffusion system, which allows handling of a pulp density higher than 15%; a step of solid separation from a solution rich in metallic ions from the bioleaching step; and, a ferric ion reduction step, wherein the pulp from the previous step is subjected to a transformation step of ferric ions into ferrous ions. The solvent extraction step comprises a copper solvent extraction and electrolysis step; an arsenic control step, wherein arsenic is controlled in the solution once copper has been extracted from it; and, a zinc solvent extraction and electrolysis step, which uses a phosphinic acid-based zinc extraction dissolution.