CA2335330A1

CA2335330A1 - Method and apparatus for the beneficiation of ores

Info

Publication number: CA2335330A1
Application number: CA002335330A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Dan Mackie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-02-09
Filing date: 2001-02-09
Publication date: 2002-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 2021-02-09
Also published as: CA2335330C

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus for treating a particulate ore for the recovery of contained values therefrom. The apparatus has a tank for receiving a liquid, the tank having a feed end and a discharge end and a bottom means for feeding the particulate ore to the tank at the feed end, and a manifold head tank for receiving the liquid for fluidizing the particulate ore. The apparatus also includes distribution means for intermittently distributing the liquid in the tank, means for withdrawing the ore particles at the tank discharge end, and means at the bottom of the tank at the base of the bed of coarse particulate material for withdrawing the liquid therefrom.

Claims

I CLAIM:

An apparatus for treating a particulate ore for the recovery of contained values therefrom, the apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) a tank for receiving a liquid, said tank having a feed end, a discharge end and a bottom, said tank adapted to receive a bed of coarse particulate material on the tank bottom, the tank having a base adjacent to the tank bottom;

(b) means for feeding said particulate ore to the tank at the feed end onto the bed of coarse particulate material;

(c) a manifold head tank for receiving the liquid for fluidizing the particulate ore;

(d) distribution means for intermittently distributing the liquid in the tank to fluidize the particulate ore in the tank for moving the ore particles from the feed end to the discharge end of the tank;

(e) means for withdrawing the ore particles at the tank discharge end; and (f) means at the bottom of the tank at the base of the bed of coarse particulate material for withdrawing the liquid therefrom.
2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the distribution means comprises a plurality of first pipes, each first pipe having an intake end connected to the manifold head tank so as to permit the liquid to flow intermittently from the manifold head tank, and each first pipe having an output end from which liquid from the manifold head tank is dischargable into the tank, and a plurality of vent pipes connected to the first pipes between the input end and the output end and in communication with the atmosphere such that air disposed in a first pipe is ventable from the first pipes to the atmosphere.
10 An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein liquid flow into the manifold head tank is substantially continuous, and wherein the discharge of the liquid from the manifold head tank into the first pipes is controlled by a siphon assembly comprising a movable coupling, the movable coupling being movable between a closed position and an open position, the movable coupling being biased by a biasing means to a closed position, and the movable coupling being in communication with the manifold head tank and the first pipes, liquid from the manifold head tank accumulating in the movable coupling when the movable coupling is in the closed position, and the movable coupling moving to the open position when the movable coupling has accumulated sufficient liquid therein to initiate a siphon sustained flow of the liquid from the manifold head tank, through the siphon assembly, and into the first pipes.
4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein liquid flow into the manifold head tank is at a rate such that, after the movable coupling moves to the open position and the liquid accumulated therein flows into the first pipes, the biasing means causes the movable coupling to move to the closed position.
5. A method for beneficiating particulate ores containing soluble metal values comprising:

(a) continuously feeding the particulate ore containing said values to a liquid in a tank having a feed end and a discharge end at the feed end of the tank;

(b) intermittently uniformly fluidizing the ore particles with a liquid for 5 to seconds, the liquid being released intermittently to the tank from a manifold head tank in communication with a siphon assembly;

(c) intermittently withdrawing said liquid for about 2 to 5 minutes across and along the tank whereby a pulsing or jigging action is created to move said ore particles up and down for classifying said particles into strata according to size, shape and density, and for moving the classified particles from the feed end to the discharge end of the tank;

(d) continuously separately withdrawing classified particles from said tank for recovery of the values therefrom; and (e) recycling said liquid for intermittently fluidizing the ore particles.
6. A method of leaching particulate ores containing soluble metal values comprising:

(a) forming a tank having a feed end and a discharge end for containing a leach solution;

(b) continuously feeding the particulate ore containing said values soluble in said leach solution to said tank at the feed end thereof;

(c) intermittently fluidizing the particulate ore by adding leach solution uniformly across and along the length of the tank for 5 to 10 seconds, the leach solution being released intermittently to the tank from a manifold head tank in communication with a siphon assembly;

(d) withdrawing said leach solution for about 2 to 5 minutes whereby a jigging action is created to move said ore particles up and down for classifying said particles into strata according to size, shape and density, and for moving the classified particles from the feed end to the discharge end of the tank, whereby said particles are stratified while soluble metal values are concurrently dissolved by the leach solution;

(e) withdrawing classified particles from said tank;

(f) treating the leach solution for recovery of said values therefrom; and (g) recycling said leach solution for intermittently fluidizing the particulate ore.