A method of leaching copper from a copper sulfide ore which includes adding a potential adjustment agent for lowering a potential of a leaching solution obtained after leaching copper from the copper sulfide ore by using iodide ion and iron (III) ion, the leaching solution being stored in a tank for storing the leaching solution.

This application addresses an integrated smart system to control the variables involved in the process for melting mineral concentrates. Specifically, it addresses an integrated smart system that allows the whole melting process operation to be controlled, measuring the mineralogical quality and quantity of the concentrate that is injected into the melting furnace, as well as variables such as the temperature, the level of the liquid phases and the percentage of copper within the furnace. In this manner, by reading said variables, it acts autonomously on manipulated variables, considering uncertainties, allowing a stable temperature to be maintained in the reactor, allowing products to be obtained at the required quality and controlling the liquid phases therein, among other controlled variables, to achieve efficient melting.

The method may comprise receiving historical data (e.g., mineralogy data, irrigation data, raffinate data, heat data, lift height data, geographic data on ore placement and/or blower data); training a predictive model using the historical data to create a trained predictive model; adding future assumption data to the trained predictive model; running the forecast engine for a plurality of parameters to obtain forecast data for a mining production target; comparing the forecast data for the mining production target to the actual data for the mining production target; determining deviations between the forecast data and the actual data, based on the comparing; and changing each of the plurality of parameters from the forecast data to the actual data to determine a contribution to the deviations for each of the plurality of parameters.

This invention patent application addresses a system for the detection and quantification of mineralogical species via x-ray diffraction (XRD) of the concentrate of dry copper before it is injected into a converter or melting furnace. Specifically, it addresses a device that performs a mineralogical analysis, in line and in real time, of the concentrate of copper in the bath smelting furnace via x-ray diffraction (XRD), which allows for control over the ideal mixture for the optimal process for copper sulfide (Cu2S)-white metal, iron sulfide (FeS)-Slag and pyritic sulfur (S2)-temperature.

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 step of processing a metal sulfide concentrate in a reductive activation circuit 220 that operates at a first redox potential, to produce a reductively-activated metal sulfide concentrate. The method may further comprise the step of subsequently processing the activated metal sulfide concentrate in an oxidative leach circuit 240 to extract metal values. In some disclosed embodiments, reductive activation steps and/or oxidative dissolution steps may employ mechano-chemical and/or physico-chemical processing of particles or agglomerates thereof. Reductive activation may be made prior to heap leaching or bio-leaching operations to improve metal extraction. Systems for practicing the aforementioned methods are also disclosed.

The method may comprise receiving historical data (e.g., mineralogy data, irrigation data, raffinate data, heat data, lift height data, geographic data on ore placement and/or blower data); training a predictive model using the historical data to create a trained predictive model; adding future assumption data to the trained predictive model; running the forecast engine for a plurality of parameters to obtain forecast data for a mining production target; comparing the forecast data for the mining production target to the actual data for the mining production target; determining deviations between the forecast data and the actual data, based on the comparing; and changing each of the plurality of parameters from the forecast data to the actual data to determine a contribution to the deviations for each of the plurality of parameters.

A method of operating a copper or other metal value concentrator is disclosed. According to some embodiments, the method may comprise producing a final copper concentrate; periodically or continuously analyzing the produced final copper concentrate to obtain a grade value of the produced final copper concentrate; and diverting the produced final copper concentrate to a downstream smelting operation if/when the grade value of the produced final copper concentrate is at or above a minimum acceptable grade threshold; or, diverting the produced final copper concentrate to a downstream hydrometallurgical operation capable of producing copper cathode or other saleable copper product from the produced final copper concentrate, if/when the grade value of the produced final copper concentrate is below said minimum acceptable grade threshold. A copper concentrator capable of conducting the aforementioned method steps is also disclosed.

Provided herein is a system for producing suspensions comprising soluble metal ions. The system comprises a basket to hold a metal load comprising a permeable floor so as to allow a solution to come into contact with the metal load. The system further comprises a vessel within which the solution and the basket may be maintained while metal ions are leached from the metal load into the solution. Some embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to a system used to produce a suspension comprising copper ions. Additionally, provided herein are methods of using the system to produce suspensions comprising soluble metal ions. Some embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of making suspensions comprising copper ions. The resultant suspensions comprising metal ions may be further modified to supply a pharmaceutically acceptable treatment.

Provided herein is a system for producing suspensions comprising soluble metal ions. The system comprises a basket to hold a metal load comprising a permeable floor so as to allow a solution to come into contact with the metal load. The system further comprises a vessel within which the solution and the basket may be maintained while metal ions are leached from the metal load into the solution. Some embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to a system used to produce a suspension comprising copper ions. Additionally, provided herein are methods of using the system to produce suspensions comprising soluble metal ions. Some embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of making suspensions comprising copper ions. The resultant suspensions comprising metal ions may be further modified to supply a pharmaceutically acceptable treatment.

A method for recovering a valuable substance is provided. The method includes a thermal treatment step of thermally treating a target, which contains a valuable substance and is stored in a target storing unit, via a flame blocking unit configured to block a flame for thermally treating the target such that the target storing unit is not contacted by the flame, and a valuable substance recovering step of recovering the valuable substance from a thermally treated product of the target obtained in the thermal treatment step.