OA16266A - Method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore. - Google Patents

Method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore. Download PDF

Info

Publication number
OA16266A
OA16266A OA1201200504 OA16266A OA 16266 A OA16266 A OA 16266A OA 1201200504 OA1201200504 OA 1201200504 OA 16266 A OA16266 A OA 16266A
Authority
OA
OAPI
Prior art keywords
ore
ore particles
electrolytic bath
bath
noble metals
Prior art date
Application number
OA1201200504
Original Assignee
Belakovs, Voldemars
Costache, Nicolae
Crestin, Dumitru
Banu, Geanina Silviana
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Belakovs, Voldemars, Costache, Nicolae, Crestin, Dumitru, Banu, Geanina Silviana filed Critical Belakovs, Voldemars
Publication of OA16266A publication Critical patent/OA16266A/en

Links

Abstract

Method for the recovery of noble metals comprising the steps of subjecting ore particles to an electrolytic bath (1) enhanced by an ultrasonic bath (2), the electrolytic bath (1) comprising heavy and/or semi-heavy water; shock heating the ore particles for disintegrating them; and separating noble metals from the remains of said disintegrated ore particles.

Description

Method for Recovering Noble Metals and Other Byproducts from Ore
The présent invention relates to a method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore. The présent invention relates in particular to a method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts by disintegration of ore using nontoxic processes.
There are several methods for recovering noble métal from ore, which ail hâve different drawbacks in terms of costs, recovery rate and/or environmental safety. These methods for recovering noble métal from ore include for example:
Fire Assaying - used usually for laboratory tests; requires expensive, long and complicated processing and even though the accuracy and recovery rate are very high, it is not an economical method.
Gravity Concentration of Ore - this method is relatively inexpensive, nontoxic, but the recovery rate is low, around 30%.
Leaching - is a relatively cheap recovery method with a recovery rate of around 50%, using toxic substances such as mercury, cyanide, strong acids, etc.
Smelting - not an economical method using high températures that are not easy to achieve; not economical if applied to an industrial scale, even though the recovery rate is high at around 95%; uses toxic substances and produces toxic gases during the processing.
Electrochemistry - has a high recovery rate of up to 98% but is a slow process, which makes it uneconomical for the recovery of noble metals from ore.
Roasting / sintering - not an economical method requiring further technologies to achieve the recovery of noble metals; toxic method producing toxic gases during processing.
Thermite - not an economical method even though the recovery rate is very t
WO 2011/150984 PCT/EP2010/064678 high at around 99%; toxic process.
Hydrogen Réduction - very expensive processing with a recovery rate of around 50% with no industrial applicability; comprises an explosive dangerous process.
Recovery methods like application of colloïdal chemistry, mechanical attrition, crystal growth, metallophilicity are used in scientific experiments only and don’t hâve any industrial applicability.
An aim of the présent invention is thus to propose an industrially applicable method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore allowing for a high recovery rate.
Another aim of the présent invention is to propose an industrially applicable and economical method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore
Still another aim of the présent invention is to propose an industrially applicable method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore that doesn’t use nor produce any toxic substance.
These aims are achieved by a method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore comprising the features of the independent claim.
These aims are achieved in particular by a method for the recovery of noble metals comprising the steps of subjecting ore particles to an electrolytic bath enhanced by an ultrasonic bath, the electrolytic bath comprising heavy and/or semi-heavy water; shock heating the ore particles for disîntegrating them; and separating noble metals from the remains of said disintegrated ore particles.
The method of the invention for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore is economical applicable at an industrial scale. Experiments hâve shown that it has a typical recovery rate of 95 to 99.9%. No toxic substance is used or produced during any step of the method.
The method of the invention will be better understood by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment, with the help of the figures, where:
WO 2011/150984 PCT/EP2010/064678
Fig. 1 schematically illustrâtes an electrolytic bath placed inside an ultrasonic bath for performing a step of the method according to a preferred embodiment of the iiTv SFitiOFï,
Fig. 2 schematically illustrâtes a crucible placed in a microwave oven for performing another step of the method according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 3 schematically illustrâtes a cône shaped container placed in an ultrasonic bath for performing still another step of the method according to a preferred embodiment ofthe invention.
The method of the invention for the recovery of noble metals and other byproducts from ore preferably comprises the following steps:
- in an optional preliminary step, the ore is prepared for the following steps of the method, which includes crushing the ore to particles of a target mean size; the preliminary step uses for example commonly known mechanical techniques for crushing the ore;
- in a next step, the crushed ore is placed in an electrolytic bath that is placed in an ultrasonic bath; as explained below, the substances necessary for performing the next step of the method are produced by the electrolytic bath and penetrate into the macro and micro pores of the ore with the help of the ultrasonic bath;
- in a following step, the ore is disintegrated using shock heating, preferably microwave shock heating;
- the noble metals are then recovered from the disintegrated ore, using preferably an ultrasonic induced gravity séparation process.
The method of the invention for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore is preferably performed on small particles of crushed ore.
In an optional preliminary step of the method- of the invention, the ore is thus crushed down to a predetermined target particle size, which participâtes to an increased efficiency of the next steps of the method of the invention for maximizing the recovery rate achieved with the method of the invention. The target size for the ore particles is
WO 2011/150984 PC T/EP 2010/064678 preferably smaller than or equal to 590 microns (30 US Mesh), more preferably smaller than or equal to 420 microns (40 US Mesh), even more preferably smaller than or equal to 250 microns (60 US Mesh). Crushing of the cre is performed usirtg any appropriate, preferably mechanical, method.
Optionally, the crushed ore is further centrifuged in order to create micropores and/or cracks or macropores in the ore particles and/or in order to further open micropores and/or cracks or macropores made in the ore particles during crushing.
According to the invention, the preferably crushed ore is placed in an electrolytic bath and simultaneously submitted to ultrasounds.
According to a preferred embodiment schematically illustrated in Fig. 1, the ore particles are placed in two ore containers 30 that are immersed at a distance from each other in an electrolytic bath 1. The external walls of the ore containers 30 are preferably permeable to the ions of the electrolytic bath. In a preferred embodiment, the external walls of the containers 30 are made of a microporous nylon membrane. The ore containers 30 are preferably cône shaped for an improved efficiency of the method of the invention. Other shapes are however possible within the frame of the invention.
An electrode 3 is located in each ore container 30. The électrodes 3 are electrically connected to a source of electrical power, which is not represented on the figures. The électrodes 3 are for example made of titanium or nickel and preferably hâve both the same shape and size. The électrodes 3 are preferably meta Hic rods that are located vertically along the central axis of their respective ore container 30. Other shapes and configurations of the électrodes are however possible within the scope of the invention. Each electrode may for example comprise several branches that are spread within their respective ore container.
According to the invention, the electrolytic bath 1 is placed in an ultrasonic bath 2, in which ultrasounds are generated that propagate through the walls of the electrolytic bath container 10 and into the electrolytic bath 1. The température of the ultrasonic bath 2 is preferably around eîghty degrees Celsius.
The composition of the electrolytic bath 1 preferably includes heavy and/or semiheavy water, such as for example deuterium or tritium. The concentration of heavy
WO 2011/150984 PCT/EP2010/064678 and/or semi-heavy water in the electrolytic bath 1 is for example between 2 to 5 percents.
The composition of the uitrasonic bath 2 is for example essentially water and/or any liquid in which ultrasounds efficiently propagate. The ultrasounds are preferably generated by one or more uitrasonic transducers located preferably inside the uitrasonic bath container 20, which are not shown on the figures for the sake of readability and conciseness.
The electrolytic processing of the ore is initiated by applying direct current (DC) voltage to the électrodes 3, for example six volts DC voltage with a current density of six amperes per square decimeter (A/dmz). One of the électrodes 3 becomes the anode, while the other electrode 3 becomes the cathode. Preferably, the polarity of the DC voltage is inversed at regular intervals in order to submit the ore contained in both ore containers 30 to the same treatment, i.e. to the same polarities for équivalent periods of time. The DC voltage is for example applied to the électrodes 3 for a total of two hours, divided in four cycles of thirty minutes each. After each cycle of thirty minutes, the polarity of the DC voltage is changed, i.e. after each cycle of thirty minutes, the cathode becomes the anode and vice versa.
When an electrical potential différence is generated between the électrodes 3 by applying the DC voltage, substances including chlorine, hydrogen, heavy water and reactive métal alkalines are produced in the electrolytic bath 1 near the électrodes 3. These substances produced in the electrolytic bath 1 at least partly penetrate the ore particles that are contained in the ore containers 30 and immersed in the electrolytic bath 1. According to the invention, the effects of the electrolytic processing of the ore is enhanced by the uitrasonic bath 2, in that the ultrasounds produced in the uitrasonic bath 2 and propagating through the electrolytic bath 1 speed up the production of the substances mentioned above and facilitate their pénétration in the micropores and cracks or macropores of the ore particles.
During the electrolytic processing of the ore, chlorine and other gases and/or soluble salts are produced near the anode, which penetrate the ore particles contained in the corresponding ore container 30. These gases and/or soluble salts will participate
WO 2011/150984 PCT/EP2010/064678 to the disintegration of the ore particles in a next step of the method.
At the same time, hydrogen is produced near the cathode, thereby locally increasing the concentration of heavy water, i.e. of deuterium and/or tritium in particular, that pénétrâtes the macro- and micropores of the ore particles contained in the corresponding ore container 30, this pénétration being enhanced under the effect of the ultrasonic bath 2.
Regularly altemating the polarity of the DC voltage applied to the électrodes 3 thus ensures that the ore particles of both ore containers 30 will be penetrated by similar quantities of the same substances.
In a variant embodiment of the method of the invention, reactive métal chlorides, for example sodium, calcium, potassium, etc., are included in the composition of the electrolytic bath 1. Alkaline reactions then take place near the cathode, which generates an at least partial disintegration the ore particles contained in the corresponding ore container 30.
As mentioned further above, the ultrasonic bath 2 enhances the pénétration of the substances produced near the cathode into the macro- and micropores of the ore particles contained in the corresponding ore container 30. At the same time, free hydrogen atoms are absorbed by platinum group metals (PGM) présent in the ore particles, whereas this absorption is drastically increased by the ultrasonic bath 2.
The electrolytic processing of the ore particles, enhanced by the ultrasonic bath 2 and preferably comprising a number of alternated cycles, cleans and fills the macro- and micropores of the ore particles with substances generated in the electrolytic bath 1, thereby preparing the ore particles for a next step of the method of the invention.
This next step is schematically illustrated in Fig. 2. The prepared ore particles, which were submitted to the electrolytic bath enhanced by ultrasonic bath in a previous step of the method, are placed in a crucible 5. The crucible 5 is preferably made of magnetite powder and fire clay. The crucible 5 containing the ore particles is introduced into an oven 4, preferably a microwave oven, for shock heating of the ore particles, i.e. the ore particles are subjected to a very fast and important température increase. The température of the ore particles is for example elevated to a température between 200
WO 2011/150984 P CT/EP2010/064678 and 300°C within 60 to 180 seconds, preferably to 250’C within 120 seconds.
Shock heating of the ore particles is preferably performed in a microwave oven. Submitting the prepared ore particles to high power microwave radiations provokes high excitation of the heavy, semi-heavy and light water molécules in the ore particles, thereby rapidly increasing their température. Other technologies are however possible within the frame of the invention for shock heating the ore particles.
Through shock heating, steam is rapidly produced from the heavy, semî heavy and light water contained in the macro and micro pores of the ore particles, which induces high pressure in the macro- and micropores of the ore particles. The rapid Î0 increase of pressure makes the ore particles explode, thereby provoking their at least partial disintegration, which releases nanoparticles of noble metals contained therein.
During shock heating, the PGM also release the previously absorbed hydrogen at a high pressure, which also participâtes to the disintegration of the ore particles and to the release of nanoparticles of noble metals.
If, according to a variant embodiment, reactive métal chlorides were used in the electrolytîc bath, then, during shock heating, different salts, including for example bicarbonates, and alkalines which hâve dissolved in the electrolyte bath and hâve penetrated the macro- and micropores of the ore particles react with ore substances causing various chemical reactions. As a resuit of these chemical reactions, some ore substances become soluble, thereby further participating to the disintegration of the ore and the release of noble metals.
The shock microwave heating process for example lasts fifteen minutes at a microwave frequency of 2.45 GHz, the input power of the microwave radiation depending on the quantity of ore particles in the oven.
According to the method of the invention, the disintegrated ore particles and the released nanoparticles are submitted to a next step of séparation of noble metals from the remaining ore, preferably to a mechanicaî step of séparation. This step of séparation according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is schematically illustrated in Fig.
3.
WO 2011/150984 PCT/EP2010/064678
According to this preferred embodiment, the step of séparation uses gravity séparation enhanced by ultrasounds. The disintegrated ore, preferably together with the remaîning content of the crucible used for shock heating, is put into a preferably cône shaped container 7 made of a permeable material, for example a microporous nylon membrane, The filled cône shaped container 7 is placed into an ultrasonic bath 6, preferably with its tip orîented towards the ground, for an ultrasonic induced gravity séparation of the noble metals. Under the effect of the ultrasonic waves, the content of the container 7 is slightly agitated, and the noble metals and other by products tend to sink to the tip of the container 7, while the remains of the disintegrated ore particles are pushed towards the top.
Other séparation technologies, preferably mechanical technologies, are however possible within the trame of the invention. In a variant embodiment, for example, séparation of noble metals and other byproducts from the remains of the disintegrated ore particles is made through centrifugation of the crucible’s content. Séparation can also be performed with the help of electrostatic, magnetic and/or chemically-based techniques.
After the completion of the disintegration of the ore particles, the remaîning liquid from the electrolytic bath 1 and from the ultrasonic bath 6 and also the sludge, i.e. the rem ai ns of the disintegrated ore particles, are preferably tested for the presence of noble metals that are for example collected, i.e. separated, using similar or other séparation techniques.
The method of the invention for the recovery of noble metals and other byproducts by disintegration of ore using nontoxic multi-step processing allows for a very high recovery rate (95 - 99.9%) and does not use any toxic substances like cyanide or mercury, thereby being environmentally friendly.

Claims (11)

  1. Claims
    1. Method for the recovery of noble metals comprising the steps of:
    subjecting ore particles to an electrolytic bath (1) enhanced by an ultrasonic bath (2), said electrolytic bath (1 ) comprising heavy and/or semi-heavy water, shock heating said ore particles for disintegrating said ore particles, separating noble metals from the remains of said disintegrated ore particles.
  2. 2. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein said step of separating comprises gravity séparation enhanced by ultrasounds.
  3. 3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising the preliminary step of crushing ore for producing said ore particles.
  4. 4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising the preliminary step of centrifuging said ore particles.
  5. 5. Method according to one of the preceding claim, wherein the step of subjecting ore particles to an electrolytic bath (1) enhanced by an ultrasonic bath (2) comprises immersîng said ore particles in said electrolytic bath (1), wherein said electrolytic bath (1 ) is placed inside said ultrasonic bath (2).
  6. 6. Method according to one of the preceding claim, wherein the step of subjecting ore particles to an electrolytic bath (1) enhanced by an ultrasonic bath (2) comprises placing said ore particles in ore containers (30), wherein said ore containers (30) are placed around électrodes (3) of said electrolytic bath (1).
  7. 7. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein said ore containers (30) are cone-shaped.
  8. 8. Method according to one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the external walls of said
    WO 2011/150984 PC T/EP2010/064678 containers (30) are made of a microporous nylon membrane.
  9. 9. Method according to one of the preceding ciaim, wherein the step of subjecting ore particles to an electrolytic bath (1 ) enhanced by an ultrasonic bath (2) comprises alternating the polarity of DC voltage applied to électrodes (3) of said
    5 electrolytic bath (1).
  10. 10. Method according to one of the preceding claim, wherein said step of shock heating is a step of microwave shock heating.
  11. 11. Method according to one of the preceding claim, wherein said step of shock heating comprises placing said ore particles in a crucible (5) in a microwave oven (4)
    10 and applying microwave radiation inside said microwave oven (4).
OA1201200504 2010-06-01 2010-10-01 Method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore. OA16266A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP10164665.1 2010-06-01

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
OA16266A true OA16266A (en) 2015-04-24

Family

ID=

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
Guimaraes et al. Direct recovery of copper from printed circuit boards (PCBs) powder concentrate by a simultaneous electroleaching–electrodeposition process
Barragan et al. Copper and antimony recovery from electronic waste by hydrometallurgical and electrochemical techniques
JP6363577B2 (en) Method for leaching lithium ion battery scrap and method for recovering metal from lithium ion battery scrap
CA2627803A1 (en) Method and apparatus for recovering valuable substance from lithium secondary battery
AU2010239156A1 (en) Extraction of gold from cathode associated gold concentrates
JP6289411B2 (en) Method for removing iron from iron-containing solution and method for recovering valuable metals
Yu et al. Ultrasound-assisted cyanide extraction of gold from gold concentrate at low temperature
JP6011809B2 (en) Method for producing gold powder with high bulk density
WO2019016610A3 (en) Methods, materials and techniques for precious metal recovery
EP2576850B1 (en) Method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore
JP2019512606A (en) Method of processing used cathode ray tube
Kuznetsova et al. The improvement of rhenium recovery technology from W-Re alloys
OA16266A (en) Method for recovering noble metals and other byproducts from ore.
US20220315438A1 (en) Beryllium solution production method, beryllium production method, beryllium hydroxide production method, beryllium oxide production method, solution production device, beryllium production system, and beryllium
Chanturiya Scientific substantiation and development of innovative processes for the extraction of zirconium and rare earth elements in the deep and comprehensive treatment of eudialyte concentrate
JPWO2021039876A5 (en)
RU2011137377A (en) METHOD FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE DISPOSAL OF WASTE CHEMICAL CURRENT SOURCES
Hao et al. Rapid preparation of Uranium and Thorium alpha sources by electroplating technique
RU2467802C1 (en) Method of processing complex gold-bearing ores, concentrates and secondary raw stock
US567503A (en) pelatan
ITRM20130301A1 (en) METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF ALUMINUM SCORES.
ES2662956B1 (en) PROCEDURE FOR THE RECOVERY OF METAL TANK OF ELECTROLYTIC CONDENSERS
WO2015037630A1 (en) Technique and treatment method for converting one element to another element and technique and method for detoxifying radioactive substances such as radioactive cesiums-137 and -134 by using both energy produced by high-frequency vibration stirring and energy produced by rupture of nano/microbubbles generated by electrolysis of water with vibrating blades of stirrer as both electrodes
Nadirov et al. ELECTROCHEMICAL RECOVERY OF GOLD FROM CONCENTRATE BY USING SULFUR-GRAPHITE ELECTRODE AS THE LEACHING AGENT SOURCE.
RU2542182C1 (en) Method of nickel recovery at electrochemical processing of heat-resisting nickel alloys