Method of utilizing exit gas from treating ores for engine power

Claim 1

IN PRODUCING UTILIZABLE POWER FROM EXIT GAS MIXTURES CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF WATER VAPOR IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 35% BY VOLUME AND A MIXTURE OF OXYGEN AND NITROGEN, CONTAINING ENTRAINED TRACES OF ACIDIC DROPLETS AND SOLID PARTICLES, DISCHARGED FROM A HIGH PRESSURE OXIDATION LEACH SYSTEM WHEREIN AN AQUEOUS SLURRY IS PREPARED FROM AN ORE CAPABLE OF EXOTHERMIC OXIDATION AND SAID SLURRY IS SUBJECTED TO AN OXYGEN-BEARING GAS UNDER SUPERATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE OF AT LEAT 500 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH GAUGE AND AT A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 300* F. WHEREBY A FINITE QUANTITY OF OXYGEN-BEARING GAS COMPRESSED TO AT LEAST SAID SUPERATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IS CONSUMED; THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISE: INTRODUCING SAID EXIT GAS MIXTURES INTO A VESSEL AT A TEMPERATURE IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 300* F. AND UNDER A SUPERATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IN EXCESS OF 500 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, REMOVING ENTRAINED TRACES OF ACIDIC DROPLETS AND SOLID PARTICLES FROM SAID GASES, EXPANDING SAID GASES IN AN EXPANSION ENGINE TO GENERATE POWER IN EXCESS OF THAT REQUIRED TO COMPRESS SAID FINITE QUANTITY OF OXYGEN-BEARIING GAS TO SAID PRESSURE, AND COMPRESSING SAID OXYGEN-BEARING GAS.