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.

The present invention provides a method of recovering copper and zinc from an aqueous sulfate and chloride containing solution. In the first process step zinc and copper are simultaneous extracting with an extraction solution comprising a liquid chelating cation exchanger and a liquid anion exchanger. The extraction is followed by consecutive stripping stages. First the anionic species are washed from the organic phase with one or more aqueous solutions and finally the copper is stripped with an aqueous acidic solution.

Methods and systems for removing polar compounds from a metal-containing solution. According to various example aspects, methods and systems for removing hydrolysis byproducts and other polar compounds from a metal-loaded organic solution of a solvent extraction process.

A rotation-suspension smelting method, in which a powdered sulfide concentrate and an oxygen-containing gas are sprayed into a high-temperature reaction tower. The oxygen-containing gas is divided into two parts: the second oxygen-containing gas is sprayed in the form of an annular direct flow into the reaction tower and forms a bell-shaped wind curtain; and the first oxygen-containing gas is transformed into a rotation-jet and jetted into the center of the wind curtain. In the space between the gas flows, the concentrate entering in a direction deviated towards the center is drawn in the rotation-jet, and a high-temperature off-gas is sucked in, forming a gas-particle mixed two-phase rotation-jet. The sulfide concentrate is ignited, at the same time, a melt containing matte (or metal) and slag is formed; and the matte (or metal) is separated from the slag at the bottom of the reaction tower, completing the metallurgical process.

A rotation-suspension smelting method, in which a powdered sulfide concentrate and an oxygen-containing gas are sprayed into a high-temperature reaction tower. The oxygen-containing gas is divided into two parts: the second oxygen-containing gas is sprayed in the form of an annular direct flow into the reaction tower and forms a bell-shaped wind curtain; and the first oxygen-containing gas is transformed into a rotation-jet and jetted into the center of the wind curtain. In the space between the gas flows, the concentrate entering in a direction deviated towards the center is drawn in the rotation-jet, and a high-temperature off-gas is sucked in, forming a gas-particle mixed two-phase rotation-jet. The sulfide concentrate is ignited, at the same time, a melt containing matte (or metal) and slag is formed; and the matte (or metal) is separated from the slag at the bottom of the reaction tower, completing the metallurgical process.

This invention relates to a process for recovering valuable metals from ore with significantly reduced water consumption through the discrete treatment and storage of coarse tailings. Ore is ground to produce a coarse particulate ore. The coarse particulate ore is treated in a coarse flotation stage to produce a low grade concentrate fraction and a coarse tailings fraction. The low grade concentrate fraction is treated to produce fine tailings and a saleable concentrate. The coarse tailings are treated separately from the fine tailings and water is recovered from the coarse tailings by hydraulically stacking; filtering or screening, whereafter the coarse tailings are dry stacked, without being recombined with the fine tailings.

This invention relates to a process for recovering valuable metals from ore with significantly reduced water consumption through the discrete treatment and storage of coarse tailings. Ore is ground to produce a coarse particulate ore. The coarse particulate ore is treated in a coarse flotation stage to produce a low grade concentrate fraction and a coarse tailings fraction. The low grade concentrate fraction is treated to produce fine tailings and a saleable concentrate. The coarse tailings are treated separately from the fine tailings and water is recovered from the coarse tailings by hydraulically stacking; filtering or screening, whereafter the coarse tailings are dry stacked, without being recombined with the fine tailings.

A method is disclosed for extracting metals from concentrated sulphurated minerals containing metals by direct reduction with regeneration and recycling of the reducing agent, iron, and of the flux, sodium carbonate. It is a combination of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes which differ from the conventional processes. They do not require previous toasting of the concentrated sulphurated minerals and are technically and economically more advantageous than the presently used processes, since they directly reduce to zero the positive oxidation state of the metal, using a single reactor for extracting the metal, regenerating and recycling the metallurgical feed materials in complementary processes, the kinetics of the chemical reactions being characterised by high speed, without generating any slags or pollutant gases. The metals can be extracted at a reduced cost and in an environmentally sustainable manner

A method is disclosed for extracting metals from concentrated sulphurated minerals containing metals by direct reduction with regeneration and recycling of the reducing agent, iron, and of the flux, sodium carbonate. It is a combination of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes which differ from the conventional processes. They do not require previous toasting of the concentrated sulphurated minerals and are technically and economically more advantageous than the presently used processes, since they directly reduce to zero the positive oxidation state of the metal, using a single reactor for extracting the metal, regenerating and recycling the metallurgical feed materials in complementary processes, the kinetics of the chemical reactions being characterised by high speed, without generating any slags or pollutant gases. The metals can be extracted at a reduced cost and in an environmentally sustainable manner

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.