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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018305788-A1
Application number	US-201816020405-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2018
Priority date	Dec 20, 2011
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
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 . (canceled)

2 . A system for extracting metal value comprising:
a solution extraction plant comprising a first circuit and a second circuit,
wherein the first circuit comprises a first first circuit extractor, a second first circuit extractor, a third first circuit extractor, a fourth first circuit extractor, and at least two first circuit stripping units, and
wherein the second circuit comprises a first second circuit extractor, a second second circuit extractor and at least one second circuit stripping unit;
a first electrolyte forwarded to a primary electrowinning circuit; and a second electrolyte forwarded to a second electrowinning circuit,
wherein the third first circuit extractor is in fluid communication with the first second circuit extractor, and
wherein the fourth first circuit extractor is in fluid communication with the second second circuit extractor.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein a first portion of a 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 a second metal-bearing solution is provided to the second circuit.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the first metal-bearing solution is a pregnant leach solution comprising a higher concentration of metal than the second metal-bearing solution.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the first metal-bearing solution and the second metal-bearing solution comprise copper.

6 . The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the second first circuit extractor and the third first circuit extractor produces a high-grade raffinate.

7 . The system of claim 2 , wherein one of the first circuit stripping units receives a lean electrolyte.

8 . A system for extracting metal value comprising:
a solution extraction plant comprising a first circuit and a second circuit,
wherein the first circuit comprises a first first circuit extractor, a second first circuit extractor, a third first circuit extractor, a fourth first circuit extractor, a first first circuit stripping unit, and a second first circuit stripping unit,
wherein the second first circuit stripping unit is in fluid communication and positioned between the second first circuit extractor and the third first circuit extractor, and
wherein the second circuit comprises a first second circuit extractor, a second second circuit extractor, and at least one second circuit stripping unit;
a first electrolyte forwarded to a primary electrowinning circuit; and a second electrolyte forwarded to a second electrowinning circuit,
wherein the third first circuit extractor is in fluid communication with the first second circuit extractor, and
wherein the fourth first circuit extractor is in fluid communication with the second second circuit extractor.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein a first portion of a 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 a second metal-bearing solution is provided to the second circuit.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first metal-bearing solution is a pregnant leach solution comprising a higher concentration of metal than the second metal-bearing solution.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first metal-bearing solution and the second metal-bearing solution comprise copper.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the third first circuit extractor produces a high-grade raffinate.

13 . 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 four first circuit extractors and at least two first circuit stripping units,
wherein the second circuit comprises at least two second circuit extractors and at least two second circuit stripping units, and
wherein the first circuit and the second circuit are in fluid communication with each other;
a first electrolyte forwarded to a primary electrowinning circuit; and a second electrolyte forwarded to a second electrowinning circuit,
wherein the third first circuit extractor is in fluid communication with the first second circuit extractor,
wherein the fourth first circuit extractor is in fluid communication with the second second circuit extractor, and
wherein the second second circuit extractor receives a lean electrolyte.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein a first portion of a 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 a second metal-bearing solution is provided to the second circuit.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first metal-bearing solution is a pregnant leach solution comprising a higher concentration of metal than the second metal-bearing solution.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first metal-bearing solution and the second metal-bearing solution comprise copper.

17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first circuit extractors produces a high-grade raffinate.

Assignees

• Freeport Minerals Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B01D11/0488

  Flow sheets · CPC title

• C22B3/44

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

• C22B3/02 Primary

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• C22B3/20

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