US3896208A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
HCl Treatment of copper sulfide minerals
Assignee: Ethyl Corp
•
Filing: 1973-03-29
•
Granted: 1975-07-22
•
Expires: 1993-03-29
Abstract
Abstract A hydrometallurigical process featuring treating sulfide metal concentrate with hydrochloric acid or hydrogen chloride gas and an oxygen-bearing gas (air or oxygen) in an aqueous medium to recover metal from said sulfide metal concentrate is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Dubeck
- 👤 Leon Lech
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 15:10
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B23/00; C22B23/04; C22B15/00; C22B15/0063; C22B15/0065; C22B15/0067; C22B15/0069; C22B23/0407; C22B23/0415; C22B23/0423; C22B3/00; C22B3/04; C22B3/06; C22B3/10; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
12 words
A PROCESS FOR RECOVERING COPPER FROM SULFIDE COPPER MINERAL CONCENTRATE WHICH COMPRISES
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
12 words
A PROCESS FOR RECOVERING COPPER FROM SULFIDE COPPER MINERAL CONCENTRATE WHICH COMPRISES
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
TREATING SAID CONCENTRATE WITH (A) AN ACID MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID, HYDROGEN CHLORIDE GAS AND MIXTURES THEREOF, AND (B) AN OXYGEN-BEARING HAS, SAID TREATMENT BEING CARRIED OUT, IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM WTH SAID CONCENTRATE IN SLURRY FORM AT ABOUT ATMOSPHERE PRESSURE AT TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 75 C. TO ABOUT 105*C. TO SOLUBLIZE TO SOLBBLI FROM SAID CONCENTRATE,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
TREATING SAID CONCENTRATE WITH (A) AN ACID MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID, HYDROGEN CHLORIDE GAS AND MIXTURES THEREOF, AND (B) AN OXYGEN-BEARING HAS, SAID TREATMENT BEING CARRIED OUT, IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM WTH SAID CONCENTRATE IN SLURRY FORM AT ABOUT ATMOSPHERE PRESSURE AT TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 75 C. TO ABOUT 105*C. TO SOLUBLIZE TO SOLBBLI FROM SAID CONCENTRATE,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
SEPARATING INSOUBLE MATERIAL FROM THE AQUEOUS SYSTEM OBTAINED IN STEP(1), WHEREBY (A) A SOLUTION IS OBTAINED COPPER AS COPPER CHLORIDE, AND (B) SAID INSOLUBLE MATERIAL CONTAINS SULFUR AS FREE SULFUR.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
SEPARATING INSOUBLE MATERIAL FROM THE AQUEOUS SYSTEM OBTAINED IN STEP(1), WHEREBY (A) A SOLUTION IS OBTAINED COPPER AS COPPER CHLORIDE, AND (B) SAID INSOLUBLE MATERIAL CONTAINS SULFUR AS FREE SULFUR.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
separating insoluble material from the aqueous system obtained in step (1), whereby (a) a solution is obtained containing copper as copper chloride, and (b) said insoluble material contains sulfur as free sulfur.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
separating insoluble material from the aqueous system obtained in step (1), whereby (a) a solution is obtained containing copper as copper chloride, and (b) said insoluble material contains sulfur as free sulfur.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said concentrate contains chalcopyrite.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
carrying said treatment out at temperatures of from about 75*C. to about 105*C. at about atmospheric pressure is solubilize at least about 70% of the copper from said chalcopyrite concentrate,
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
carrying said treatment out at temperatures of from about 75*C. to about 105*C. at about atmospheric pressure is solubilize at least about 70% of the copper from said chalcopyrite concentrate,
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
then separating insoluble material from said step (2) aqueous system whereby (a) a resultant solution is obtained containing soluble copper as copper chloride, and (b) undissolved material contains sulfur as free sulfur.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
then separating insoluble material from said step (2) aqueous system whereby (a) a resultant solution is obtained containing soluble copper as copper chloride, and (b) undissolved material contains sulfur as free sulfur.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 1 wherein step (1) is carried out by (i) preparing a slurry of said concentrate in water and said acid material and (ii) treating said slurry with oxygen-bearing gas.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said oxygen-bearing gas is oxygen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said mineral concentrate contains (1) as principal minerals, chalcopyrite, cubanite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, and pyrite, and (2) minor amount of cobalt mineral.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 5 wherein said solution additionally contains nickel and cobalt as nickel chloride and cobalt chloride.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said step (1) is carried out by (i) preparing a water slurry of said concentrate and (ii) treating said slurry with said acid material and said oxygen-bearing gas.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 7 wherein said acid material is added incrementally during the treatment along with said oxygen-bearing gas.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 7 wherein said slurry contains from about 2% to about 50% by weight of said concentrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said concentrate has a particle size of up to about 100 mesh.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 10 wherein said acid material is hydrochloric acid and wherein the molar ratio of sulfide copper mineral:hydrochloric acid is from about 1:1 to about 1:6.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 11 wherein said sulfide copper mineral is chalcopyrite and wherein said oxygen-bearing gas is oxygen.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 11 wherein said ratio is from about 1:3 to about 1:5 and said temperature is about 105*C.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 11 wherein said ratio is from about 1:2 to about 1:3 and said temperature is about 105*C.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
11 words
A process for selectively extracting copper from chalcopyrite concentrate which comprises
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
11 words
A process for selectively extracting copper from chalcopyrite concentrate which comprises
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said concentrate has a particle size of up to about 100 mesh.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said acid material is hydrochloric acid.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said oxygen-bearing gas is oxygen.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 15 wherein at least about 90% of the copper from said chalcopyrite is extracted in step (2).
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 19 wherein said Cu:HCl ratio is from about 1:1.8 to about 1:2.2.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 20 wherein said chalcopyrite concentrate also contains a silver bearing mineral and said resultant solution contains silver as a soluble salt.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said acid material is hydrochloric acid.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-21 | 1979-01-20 | 1979-07-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-21 | 1983-01-20 | 1983-07-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-21 | 1987-01-20 | 1987-07-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |