CA2301482A1 - An aluminothermic method for the assay and recovery of metals and precious metals from ores and their concentrates - Google Patents
An aluminothermic method for the assay and recovery of metals and precious metals from ores and their concentrates Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2301482A1 CA2301482A1 CA 2301482 CA2301482A CA2301482A1 CA 2301482 A1 CA2301482 A1 CA 2301482A1 CA 2301482 CA2301482 CA 2301482 CA 2301482 A CA2301482 A CA 2301482A CA 2301482 A1 CA2301482 A1 CA 2301482A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- metals
- ores
- aluminum
- reducing agent
- separation
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B5/00—General methods of reducing to metals
- C22B5/02—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes
- C22B5/04—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes by aluminium, other metals or silicon
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B11/00—Obtaining noble metals
- C22B11/02—Obtaining noble metals by dry processes
Abstract
Complex ores of metals and precious metals which also contain iron spinals and similar compounds are assayed and their metals content is extracted by subjecting the ores or concentrates thereof together with an aluminum reducing agent and certain other fluxing agents including calcium oxide and a collector metal such as copper. When heated to a critical temperature an aluminothermic reaction occurs and a melting point is reached to reduce all of the mixture, the metals with or without a collector metal and the non-metallics to the slag component. After cooling, separation of all metals can be achieved either through an electrolytic process or a selective chemical dissolution process, leaving all of the recovered metals for analysis and recovery. In some ores, collecting agents are not required. This process is scalable, meaning, either assaying or a beneficiating process for run of mine production.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the assay and recovery of metals and precious metals. More specifically, this invention relates to the extraction of metals and precious metals from complex ores and to their assay.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In one specific embodiment, this invention relates to extraction of metals and precious metals from complex ores derived from the venting of sulphides during a marine environment.
Many complex ores exhibit great difficulties in determining their true metal status and grade. Traditional fire assaying of complex ores have been unable to quantify the ore samples and unable to repeat similar results of the same samples.
Many physical techniques exist, such as electron microscope technology, that can determine metal content from complex ores, however, traditional fire-assaying techniques cannot collaborate and determine the ores characteristics and values. Many complex ore bodies, large and small exist around the world that cannot be exploited with the known traditional beneficiating processes.
The object of this invention is to prove that there is an alternative economic solution for the recovery of metals and precious metals from presently known unexploitable complex ores.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Complex ores of metals and precious metals which also contain iron spinals and similar compounds are assayed and their metals content is extracted by subjecting the ores or concentrates thereof together with an aluminum reducing agent and certain other fluxing agents such as calcium oxide and preferably a collector metal such as copper. When heated to a high temperature an aluminothermic reaction occurs and a melting point is reached to reduce all of the mixture, the metals with or without a collector metal and the non-metallics to the slag component. After cooling, separation of all metals can be achieved either through an electrolytic process or a selective chemical dissolution process, leaving all of the recovered metals for analysis and recovery. In some ores, collecting agents are not required. This process is scalable, meaning, either assaying or a beneficiating process for run of mine production.
More particularly, in one aspect the invention provides a method for the assay and recovery of metals and precious metals from complex ores and concentrates containing and consisting of iron, oxides and sulphides.
Preparing a charge consisting essentially of complex ore together with fluxing agents such as calcium oxide, lime, limestone, sodium carbonate, sodium borate and mixtures thereof and a reducing agent such as aluminum. The aluminothermic process is to provide to total melting of all metals and gangue in the charge at an extremely high heat to provide a gravity separation of the heavier metals to a collector metal, such as copper, when required.
The reducing agent may be a solid aluminum metal and more particularly can consist of pure virgin aluminum or its various states in scrap form.
The fusion reaction can reach temperatures in excess of 2000 degrees C but in any event, it is such that the separation of all metals with or without a collector metal is achieved.
The fluxing agents are reactive with silica to form a fluid slag at the temperatures of the reaction.
Further, the separation of metals can be achieved electrolytically when iron is present in the alloyed metals recovered.
Alternatively, metals and precious metals can be separated by chemical dissolution by a reagent which selectively dissolves base metals leaving an undissolved residue comprising the precious metals.
As can be seen, the method of this invention provides considerable benefit and advantages to the extraction of metals and precious metals from various complex ores containing iron, various oxides and sulphides. While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred _2_ embodiments, other modifications of the process will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
This invention relates generally to the assay and recovery of metals and precious metals. More specifically, this invention relates to the extraction of metals and precious metals from complex ores and to their assay.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In one specific embodiment, this invention relates to extraction of metals and precious metals from complex ores derived from the venting of sulphides during a marine environment.
Many complex ores exhibit great difficulties in determining their true metal status and grade. Traditional fire assaying of complex ores have been unable to quantify the ore samples and unable to repeat similar results of the same samples.
Many physical techniques exist, such as electron microscope technology, that can determine metal content from complex ores, however, traditional fire-assaying techniques cannot collaborate and determine the ores characteristics and values. Many complex ore bodies, large and small exist around the world that cannot be exploited with the known traditional beneficiating processes.
The object of this invention is to prove that there is an alternative economic solution for the recovery of metals and precious metals from presently known unexploitable complex ores.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Complex ores of metals and precious metals which also contain iron spinals and similar compounds are assayed and their metals content is extracted by subjecting the ores or concentrates thereof together with an aluminum reducing agent and certain other fluxing agents such as calcium oxide and preferably a collector metal such as copper. When heated to a high temperature an aluminothermic reaction occurs and a melting point is reached to reduce all of the mixture, the metals with or without a collector metal and the non-metallics to the slag component. After cooling, separation of all metals can be achieved either through an electrolytic process or a selective chemical dissolution process, leaving all of the recovered metals for analysis and recovery. In some ores, collecting agents are not required. This process is scalable, meaning, either assaying or a beneficiating process for run of mine production.
More particularly, in one aspect the invention provides a method for the assay and recovery of metals and precious metals from complex ores and concentrates containing and consisting of iron, oxides and sulphides.
Preparing a charge consisting essentially of complex ore together with fluxing agents such as calcium oxide, lime, limestone, sodium carbonate, sodium borate and mixtures thereof and a reducing agent such as aluminum. The aluminothermic process is to provide to total melting of all metals and gangue in the charge at an extremely high heat to provide a gravity separation of the heavier metals to a collector metal, such as copper, when required.
The reducing agent may be a solid aluminum metal and more particularly can consist of pure virgin aluminum or its various states in scrap form.
The fusion reaction can reach temperatures in excess of 2000 degrees C but in any event, it is such that the separation of all metals with or without a collector metal is achieved.
The fluxing agents are reactive with silica to form a fluid slag at the temperatures of the reaction.
Further, the separation of metals can be achieved electrolytically when iron is present in the alloyed metals recovered.
Alternatively, metals and precious metals can be separated by chemical dissolution by a reagent which selectively dissolves base metals leaving an undissolved residue comprising the precious metals.
As can be seen, the method of this invention provides considerable benefit and advantages to the extraction of metals and precious metals from various complex ores containing iron, various oxides and sulphides. While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred _2_ embodiments, other modifications of the process will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
Claims (8)
1. A method for the assay and recovery of metals and precious metals from complex ores and concentrates containing and consisting of iron, oxides and sulphides comprising preparing a charge consisting essentially of complex ore together with fluxing agents such as calcium oxide, lime, limestone, sodium carbonate, sodium borate and mixtures thereof and a reducing agent such as aluminum, heating the metals and gangue in an aluminothermic process to provide total melting of all metals and gangue at an extremely high temperature to provide a fusion reaction and gravity separation of the heavier metals to a collector metal when required.
2. The method in claim 1 wherein said reducing agent is a solid aluminum metal.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said aluminum reducing agent can consist of pure virgin aluminum or its various states in scrap form.
4. The method of claim 1 in which the temperature of said fusion reaction can reach temperatures in excess of 2000 degree C.
5. The method of claim 1 in which the separation of all metals with or without a collector metal is achieved.
6. The method of claim 1 in which said fluxing agents are reactive with silica to form a fluid slag at the temperatures of said reaction.
7. The method of claim 1 where the separation of metals is achieved electrolytically when iron is present in the alloyed metals recovered.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein metals and precious metals are separated by chemical dissolution by a reagent which selectively dissolves base metals leaving an undissolved residue comprising precious metals.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2301482 CA2301482A1 (en) | 2000-03-21 | 2000-03-21 | An aluminothermic method for the assay and recovery of metals and precious metals from ores and their concentrates |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2301482 CA2301482A1 (en) | 2000-03-21 | 2000-03-21 | An aluminothermic method for the assay and recovery of metals and precious metals from ores and their concentrates |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2301482A1 true CA2301482A1 (en) | 2001-09-21 |
Family
ID=4165597
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2301482 Abandoned CA2301482A1 (en) | 2000-03-21 | 2000-03-21 | An aluminothermic method for the assay and recovery of metals and precious metals from ores and their concentrates |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2301482A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RU2515843C2 (en) * | 2008-11-24 | 2014-05-20 | Тетроникс (Интернэшнл) Лимитед | Plasma process and device for extraction of precious metals |
-
2000
- 2000-03-21 CA CA 2301482 patent/CA2301482A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RU2515843C2 (en) * | 2008-11-24 | 2014-05-20 | Тетроникс (Интернэшнл) Лимитед | Plasma process and device for extraction of precious metals |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |