HyperLeach Process Shows Promise for Leach-based Recovery of Base Metals

摘要

U.K.-based Alexander Mining pic reported in late 2012 that it received notification its MetaLeach Ltd. subsidiary was granted a patent for a "Method of Oxidative Leaching of Sulfide Ores and/or Concentrates" in Australia. The patent describes a method, termed HyperLeach, for leaching one or more target metals from a sulphide ore and/or concentrate, by: Exposing the ore and/or concentrate to an aqueous solution of chlorine-based oxidizing species in which the hypo-chlorous acid comprises at least 10 mol% of the chlorine-based oxidizing species; Allowing and/or facilitating the oxidation of the target metals by the hypochlorous acid, thereby decreasing the pH such that the predominant chlorine-based oxidizing species becomes chlorine; Allowing and/or facilitating the oxidation of the target metals by the chlorine; Allowing and/or facilitating the dissolution of the target metals by the solution species formed during the oxidation by hypochlorous acid and/or chlorine; and Passing the pregnant solution produced thereby to a means for metal recovery.