United States Patent
US Patent 5616168: Hydrometallurgical processing of impurity streams…
US 5616168 · granted 1997-04-01
| Patent Number | 5616168 |
|---|---|
| Title | Hydrometallurgical processing of impurity streams generated during the pyrometallurgy of copper |
| Filed | 1995-03-24 |
| Granted | 1997-04-01 |
| Inventor(s) | Philip J. Gabb, J. Philip Evans |
| Assignee | Kennecott Utah Copper LLC |
| CPC Classification | C22B15/00, C22B7/00, C22B15/0063 |
| Number of Claims | 2 |
Abstract
Impurity streams generated during the metallurgy of copper are hydrometallurgically processed at ambient pressure for recovery of primary values in an energy-efficient manner and with the capture and conversion of metallic impurities to states that are acceptable for disposal into the environment. Hallmark features of the various embodiments of this invention include the water leach of flue dust, a controlled acid leach stage in which metal species are solubilized, the extraction of copper as a sulfide, and the ability to operate the various process stages at essentially ambient pressure.
Claims Summary
1. A hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of primary metal values and the capture and conversion of metal impurities to states that are acceptable for disposal to the environment from impurity streams generated during the pyrometallurgy of copper, the process comprising the steps of:A. Acid leaching solids containing copper and at least one metal species selected from the group consisting of precious metals, bismuth, arsenic, iron and cadmium to produce an acid leach slurry of a first liquid component containing soluble metal species and a solid component depleted of the metal species;