WO2014107394A1 - Procédés pour la biolixiviation de minerais - Google Patents

Procédés pour la biolixiviation de minerais Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014107394A1
WO2014107394A1 PCT/US2013/077815 US2013077815W WO2014107394A1 WO 2014107394 A1 WO2014107394 A1 WO 2014107394A1 US 2013077815 W US2013077815 W US 2013077815W WO 2014107394 A1 WO2014107394 A1 WO 2014107394A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cupredoxins
leaching
bioleach
metal
rusticyanin
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2013/077815
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
David J. Chaiko
Sara ROCKS (Sally)
Original Assignee
Flsmidth A/S
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 Flsmidth A/S filed Critical Flsmidth A/S
Publication of WO2014107394A1 publication Critical patent/WO2014107394A1/fr

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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
    • C22B3/00—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes
    • C22B3/18—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes with the aid of microorganisms or enzymes, e.g. bacteria or algae
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P10/00—Technologies related to metal processing
    • Y02P10/20—Recycling

Definitions

  • This invention relates to methods and systems for leaching metals from metal sulfide ores and concentrates, and more particularly to methods and systems for the improved recovery of base and precious metals during leaching of metal values from ores and concentrates.
  • the present invention is utilized in the process known as bioleaching.
  • Bioleaching is the extraction of metals from their ores through the use of living organisms. Bioleaching is known practice in mineral processing, especially in the area of copper leaching. Bacteria are bioleach agents that are naturally present or independently added to the heap leaching system. Bacteria oxidize iron, produce sulfuric acid, and thus enhance the kinetics of copper leaching. While other microbes. Including bacteria, are naturally present in the heap, adding cultures of specifically chosen microbes to the heap has been touted as an improvement over prior art leaching methods. However, bioleaching is too slow kinetically to be completely accepted by the industry. This is because there are inherent inefficiencies associated with bacterial-assisted leaching. The bacteria first and foremost utilize reactions to aid their own growth and metabolism.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional heap leaching operation
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a conventional agitated tank leaching operation.
  • bioleaching process in which industrial enzymes that are cupredoxins such as amicyanin, plastocyanin, pseudoazurin, plantacyanin, azurin, auracyanin, rusticyanin, stellacyanin, and mavicyanin are utilized as a bioleach agent in a leaching operation such as a heap leaching process or an agitated tank leaching process.
  • industrial enzymes that are cupredoxins such as amicyanin, plastocyanin, pseudoazurin, plantacyanin, azurin, auracyanin, rusticyanin, stellacyanin, and mavicyanin are utilized as a bioleach agent in a leaching operation such as a heap leaching process or an agitated tank leaching process.
  • a specified industrial enzyme is utilized as a bioleach agent in a bioleaching process.
  • the industrial enzyme can either completely or partially replace bacteria that are typically utilized as the bioleach agents in a bioleaching process.
  • the term "industrial enzyme(s)" as used herein refers to specified oxidizing enzymes that are produced by industrial processes such as submerged fermentation or solid state fermentation. The thus-produced enzymes are subsequently subject to isolation and optional purification.
  • the enzymes for use in the present invention will typically be in the form of an aqueous dispersion or alternatively a lyophilized powder.
  • cupredoxins such as amicyanin, plastocyanin, pseudoazurin, plantacyanin, azurin, auracyanin, rusticyanin, stellacyanin, and mavicyanin.
  • the most preferred cupredoxin for use in the present invention is rusticyanin.
  • the invention can be utilized to promote metal recovery, such as copper and gold recovery, from metal producing ores such as conventional sulfide ores, refractory gold ores, and sulfidic/carbonaceous double refractory gold ores.
  • chalcopyrite the primary copper-containing mineral found in the majority of the copper sulfide ores, is suitable for processing per the present invention.
  • suitable copper-containing ore minerals include chalcocite (Cu 2 S), bornite (Cu 5 FeS 4 ), covellite (CuS), digenite (Cu 2 S), enargite (Cu 3 AsS 4 ), tennantite (Cu 12 As 4 S 13 ), and tetrahedrite
  • Suitable low grade gold ores may include, for example, Calaverite, Sylanite, Nagyagite, Petzite , Krennerite, and other alluvial or oxide-type deposits.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional heap leach circuit 1 suitable for use in the present invention.
  • the circuit incorporates a feed stream 2 of ore, which is crushed via a cone-crusher 3 forming a crushed ore 4.
  • the particles are moved via first conveying means 5 to an
  • agglomerator 13 A polymeric binder may be added to the agglomerator via inlet 15. The agglomerator 13 lumps the various particle size distributions within the crushed ore 4 into larger agglomerated balls 19 which are typically coin-sized. The agglomerated balls 19 are moved (via secondary conveying means 17) as agglomerated feed 14 to a heap leach pad 16 having an impermeable pad liner 9 thereunder.
  • bioleach solution 7 containing an appropriate biological leaching agent such as Acidithiobacillus microorganisms
  • delivery system 6 comprising drip/spray irrigation nozzles 12.
  • leach solution 7 trickles through top 8a, middle 8b, and bottom 8c layers of the heap leach pad 16, it passes between the spaces and interstices created by the larger stacked agglomerated balls 19.
  • target metals dissolve into the leach solution 7 thereby forming a pregnant leach solution 10, which may be recycled to the nozzles 12 or removed for further downstream processing.
  • pregnant metal bearing leach solution 10 from the heap 16 is moved to a conventional solvent extraction process.
  • the heap may be engineered to improve production efficiency and speed metal recovery by providing a means to introduce the leaching agent(s) throughout the heap at intermediate levels during its construction.
  • the bacterial bioleach agents operate at low pH conditions, and produce sulfuric acid.
  • the ore in the heap is in contact with extremely acidic water of high ferric iron concentration during the percolation period.
  • the pH of the percolating solution will generally range from about 0.3 to 4, and often within the range of from about 1.2 to about 2.6. This percolation period can be extensive, lasting even for months until the desired degree of breakdown of the sulfides is achieved.
  • the specified industrial enzymes may be added as a bioleach agent, typically in an aqueous solution or an acidic solution such as dilute sulfuric acid, via inlet 15 or another inlet to agglomerator 13.
  • the industrial enzymes will typically have a concentration in the solution of about 1 ppm to about 1000 ppm.
  • the industrial enzymes may completely replace bacteria as the bioleach agent in bioleach solution 7 that is added to the heap.
  • the disadvantages of using a living organism as the bioleach agent are no longer a consideration.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional agitated tank leaching operation 21 used in a bioleach process.
  • Slurried feed ore 22 is finely ground in a fine grinding mill 23, such as a stirred media detritor, or attrition mill.
  • the slurried fine ore 24 that exits the mill 23 is very fine - generally much finer than the particle size that could be expected from a cone crusher 3 in the heap leach process of FIG 1.
  • the feed ore to be added as a slurry can be flotation concentrate.
  • Lixiviant sulfuric acid solution for copper
  • a typical weight solids is 10%.
  • the slurried fine ore 24 is mixed with a bioleach solution delivered via inlet 27 and aerated with oxygen gas or air 26 in a stirred reactor/agitated leach vessel 28.
  • Pregnant metal bearing slurry 30 leaves the stirred reactor 28 and may be separated and further processed in a conventional downstream SX/EW circuit or other conventional recovery process.
  • bacteria was the bioleach agent in the bioleach solution.
  • the bacteria typically utilized in the prior art bioleach solution are replaced by the specified industrial enzymes.
  • the enzyme concentrations in the bioleach solution preferably range between 1-1000 ppm.
  • the leaching conditions in the tank involve a pH between 0-3, a high ionic strength, and temperatures up to 80 deg C, although for effectiveness at higher temperatures precautions may be taken to stabilize the enzymes, such as through chemical stabilization on a polymer surface.
  • the industrial enzymes will be added in an amount so that the enzymes will produce an equivalent or greater biological activity than the replaced bacteria.
  • the enzymes can be in the same delivery system as the bacteria, or they may be added to the tank in a separate stream, such as with water, dilute sulfuric acid, and/or raffinates.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Microbiology (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Biotechnology (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
  • Preparation Of Compounds By Using Micro-Organisms (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé de lixiviation de minerais de sulfure de métal pour former un matériau contenant des métaux. Des minerais de sulfure, tels que des minerais de cuivre ou d'or, sont mis en contact avec une solution de lixiviation contenant des enzymes industrielles comprenant des cuprédoxines telles que l'amicyanine, la plastocyanine, la pseudoazurine, la plantacyanine, l'azurine, l'auracyanine, la rusticyanine, la stellacyanine, et la mavicyanine et des combinaisons de celles-ci en tant qu'agent de biolixiviation. La suspension concentrée ou solution enrichie récupérée contient des métaux de valeur qui sont récupérés dans une étape en aval consécutive.
PCT/US2013/077815 2012-12-27 2013-12-26 Procédés pour la biolixiviation de minerais WO2014107394A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201261746377P 2012-12-27 2012-12-27
US61/746,377 2012-12-27

Publications (1)

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WO2014107394A1 true WO2014107394A1 (fr) 2014-07-10

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Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5873927A (en) * 1997-05-16 1999-02-23 Echo Bay Mines, Limited Integrated, tank/heap biooxidation process
US5989513A (en) * 1995-07-28 1999-11-23 Gas Research Institute Biologically assisted process for treating sour gas at high pH
US6207443B1 (en) * 1998-03-02 2001-03-27 Placer Dome, Inc. Method for initiating heap bioleaching of sulfidic ores
US6576819B1 (en) * 1999-02-18 2003-06-10 Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Methods for modulating the levels of organic sulfur compounds in plants by transforming with (P)APS reductase DNA
US20050267015A1 (en) * 2004-05-04 2005-12-01 Batarseh Kareem I Method of treatment and composition for inhibiting the production of toxic free radical and reactive oxygen species using metalloproteins found in bacteria
US20090035864A1 (en) * 2007-07-19 2009-02-05 Biosigma S.A. Plasmids for transforming bacteria of the acidithiobacillus spp. genus, and transformation method
US20090061503A1 (en) * 2005-03-21 2009-03-05 Bioheap Limited Heap leaching of sulphide ores

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5989513A (en) * 1995-07-28 1999-11-23 Gas Research Institute Biologically assisted process for treating sour gas at high pH
US5873927A (en) * 1997-05-16 1999-02-23 Echo Bay Mines, Limited Integrated, tank/heap biooxidation process
US6207443B1 (en) * 1998-03-02 2001-03-27 Placer Dome, Inc. Method for initiating heap bioleaching of sulfidic ores
US6576819B1 (en) * 1999-02-18 2003-06-10 Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Methods for modulating the levels of organic sulfur compounds in plants by transforming with (P)APS reductase DNA
US20050267015A1 (en) * 2004-05-04 2005-12-01 Batarseh Kareem I Method of treatment and composition for inhibiting the production of toxic free radical and reactive oxygen species using metalloproteins found in bacteria
US20090061503A1 (en) * 2005-03-21 2009-03-05 Bioheap Limited Heap leaching of sulphide ores
US20090035864A1 (en) * 2007-07-19 2009-02-05 Biosigma S.A. Plasmids for transforming bacteria of the acidithiobacillus spp. genus, and transformation method

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
BATARSEH ET AL.: "Modeling the role of bacteria in leaching of low-grade ores.", AJCHEJ, vol. 40, no. 10, October 1994 (1994-10-01), pages 1741 - 1756, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:10.1002/aic.690401014> [retrieved on 20140328] *
TAM ET AL.: "Repeated removal of copper by alginate beads and the enhancement by microalgae.", BIOTECHNOLOGY TECHNIQUES, vol. 12, no. 3, March 1998 (1998-03-01), pages 187 - 190, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:10.1023/A:1008861122108> [retrieved on 20140328] *

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