System and method including multi-circuit solution extraction for recovery of metal values from metal-bearing materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016053341-A1
Application number	US-201514920768-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 20, 2011
Publication date	Feb 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a metal recovery process comprising a solvent extraction process. In an exemplary embodiment, the solution extraction system comprises a plant with a first and second circuit. A high-grade pregnant leach solution (“HGPLS”) is provided to the first and second circuit, and a low-grade pregnant leach solution (“LGPLS”) is provided to the second circuit. The first circuit produces a rich electrolyte, which can be forwarded to a primary metal recovery, and a low-grade raffinate, which can be forwarded to a secondary metal recovery process. The second circuit produces a rich electrolyte, which can also be forwarded to the primary metal recovery process. The first and second circuits are in fluid communication with each other.

First claim

1 . A system for extracting metal value comprising:
a first metal-bearing solution; a second metal-bearing solution; and a solution extraction plant comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein the first circuit comprises at least two first circuit extractors and at least one first circuit stripping unit, and wherein the second circuit comprises at least two second circuit extractors and at least one second circuit stripping unit, and wherein the first circuit and second circuit are in fluid communication with each other.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first metal-bearing solution is a high-grade pregnant leach solution.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second metal-bearing solution is a low-grade pregnant leach solution.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the first metal-bearing solution is provided to the first circuit, a second portion of the first metal-bearing solution is provided to the second circuit, and the second metal-bearing solution is provided to the second circuit.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first metal-bearing solution and second metal-bearing solution comprise copper.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit is configured to produce a low-grade raffinate comprising a secondary metal.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a third first circuit extractor configured to produce a high-grade raffinate.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second circuit is configured to produce at least one second circuit raffinate, and the at least one second circuit raffinate is provided to the first circuit.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit is configured to produce a high-grade raffinate.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second first circuit stripping unit configured to receive the electrolyte.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit is configured to produce a first circuit electrolyte and the second circuit is configured to produce a second circuit electrolyte.

12 . A system for extracting metal value comprising:
a solution extraction plant comprising a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein the first circuit comprises at least two first circuit extractors and at least one first circuit stripping unit, and wherein the second circuit comprises at least two second circuit extractors and at least one second circuit stripping unit, and wherein the first circuit and second circuit are in fluid communication with each other; a primary electrowinning circuit configured to extract a primary metal value; and a second electrowinning circuit configured to extract a secondary metal value.

Assignees

• Freeport Minerals Corp

Inventors

• Morgan Jason M
• Savage Barbara J
• Meadows David G
• Hazen Wayne W

Classifications

• C22B3/44

  by chemical processes (treatment or purification of solutions by liquid-liquid extraction C22B3/26, by ion-exchange extraction C22B3/42) · CPC title

• B01D11/0488

  Flow sheets · CPC title

• B01D11/028 Primary

  Flow sheets · CPC title

• C22B3/20

  Treatment or purification of solutions, e.g. obtained by leaching (C22B3/18 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C25C7/00

  Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells; Servicing or operating of cells (for the production of aluminium C25C3/06 - C25C3/22) · CPC title