US3901776A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for the recovery of copper from its sulfide ores
Assignee: Cyprus Mines Corp
•
Filing: 1974-11-14
•
Granted: 1975-08-26
•
Expires: 1994-11-14
Abstract
Abstract An improvement in the process for recovering copper from its sulfide ores or concentrates thereof which comprises treating the ore with cupric chloride and/or ferric chloride to form a copper chloride electrolyte and a residue, electrolytically recovering copper from the electrolyte and further treating the residue with ferric chloride to solubilize substantially all of the copper remaining therein for conversion to copper chloride electrolyte, with ferrous chloride from the electrolyte being regenerated to ferric chloride for leaching the residue, the improvement which comprises conducting the electrolysis without the conversion of any cuprous copper to cupric copper, using a separator between the anolyte and catholyte compartments of the electrolytic cell to prevent passage of ions of copper and iron between the catholyte and anolyte, continuously further treating the residue with regenerated ferric chloride of a concentration to insure there is no cuprous copper in the resulting solution and regenerating ferric chloride from ferrous chloride in the solution free of cuprous chloride by passing the solution through the anolyte compartment of the electrolytic cell as copper is continuously being recovered at the cathode of the cell.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul R Kruesi
- 👤 Duane N Goens
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:17
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B15/00; C22B15/0063; C22B15/0065; C22B15/0067; C22B15/0069; C25; C25C; C25C1/00; C25C1/12; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
286 words
A process for the recovery of copper from copper sulfiDe ores and their concentrates comprising: a. leaching the ore or concentrate feed with a material comprising cupric chloride in a first leaching stage with separation of the solids from the resulting solution and sending the solids to a second leaching stage; b. reducing substantially all of the copper chloride content of the solution from said first leaching stage to cuprous chloride; c. recovering copper from the solution of step (b) by subjecting the solution to electrolysis in the cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell having an anode and a cathode and a separator therebetween to keep ions of copper and iron from travelling from the cathode to the anode, with the ferrous chloride ions in the cathode unaffected by the electrolysis; d. leaching the solids from said first leaching stage with materials comprising ferric chloride and cupric chloride with separation of the solids and spent leach solution and sending the latter to said first leaching stage and the solids to a third leaching stage; e. oxidizing the ferrous chloride in the spent catholyte from said electrolysis to ferric chloride and sending the ferric chloride to said third leaching stage to leach the solids from said second leaching stage followed by separation of the resulting solids and spent leach solution, and f. introducing the spent leach solution of step (e) containing ferrous, ferric and cupric chlorides into the anode compartment of said cell to oxidize said ferrous chloride to ferric chloride with the cupric chloride being unaffected by the electrolysis, and transferring said electrolytically oxidized solution to said second leaching stage; whereby the electrolytic cell is operated without the conversion of any cuprous ions to cupric ions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
286 words
A process for the recovery of copper from copper sulfiDe ores and their concentrates comprising: a. leaching the ore or concentrate feed with a material comprising cupric chloride in a first leaching stage with separation of the solids from the resulting solution and sending the solids to a second leaching stage; b. reducing substantially all of the copper chloride content of the solution from said first leaching stage to cuprous chloride; c. recovering copper from the solution of step (b) by subjecting the solution to electrolysis in the cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell having an anode and a cathode and a separator therebetween to keep ions of copper and iron from travelling from the cathode to the anode, with the ferrous chloride ions in the cathode unaffected by the electrolysis; d. leaching the solids from said first leaching stage with materials comprising ferric chloride and cupric chloride with separation of the solids and spent leach solution and sending the latter to said first leaching stage and the solids to a third leaching stage; e. oxidizing the ferrous chloride in the spent catholyte from said electrolysis to ferric chloride and sending the ferric chloride to said third leaching stage to leach the solids from said second leaching stage followed by separation of the resulting solids and spent leach solution, and f. introducing the spent leach solution of step (e) containing ferrous, ferric and cupric chlorides into the anode compartment of said cell to oxidize said ferrous chloride to ferric chloride with the cupric chloride being unaffected by the electrolysis, and transferring said electrolytically oxidized solution to said second leaching stage; whereby the electrolytic cell is operated without the conversion of any cuprous ions to cupric ions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 in which the solution from said second leach is returned to leach (1).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 1 performed as a continuous process.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 performed in multiple steps and stages.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 in which in step (b) the reduction is performed with metallic copper.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 in which the leaching materials in step (a) include ferric chloride.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 in which in step (f) up to about 85% of the ferrous chloride is oxidized to ferric chloride.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
134 words
IN THE PROCESS FOR RECOVERING COPPER SULFIDE ORES OR THEIR CONCENTRATES IN WHICH THE ORE OR CONCENTRATE IS LEACHED WITH CUPRIC CHLORIDE AND/OR FERRIC CHLORIDE, THE RESULTING SOLUTION AND RESIDUE SEPARATED, SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE COPPER CHLORIDE IN THE SOLUTION REDUCED TO CUPROUS CHLORIDE, THE RESULTING CUPROUS CHLORIDE SOLUTION ELECTROLYZED TO RECOVER COPPER, AND THE FERROUS CHLORIDE IN THE SPENT ELECTROLYTE OXIDIZED TO FERRIC CHLORIDE WHICH IS RECYCLED FOR LEACHING AT LEAST PART OF THE CHALCOPYRITE RESIDUE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: CONDUCTING SAID ELECTROLYSIS IN AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL HAVING AN ANODE AND A CATHODE DIVIDED BY A SEPARATOR TO KEEP IONS OF COPPER AND IRON FROM TRAVELLING FROM THE CATHODE TO THE ANODE, TO RECOVER SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE COPPER IN SOLUTION AT THE CATHODE WITHOUT THE FORMATION OF CUPRIC COPPER IN THE CELL.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
134 words
IN THE PROCESS FOR RECOVERING COPPER SULFIDE ORES OR THEIR CONCENTRATES IN WHICH THE ORE OR CONCENTRATE IS LEACHED WITH CUPRIC CHLORIDE AND/OR FERRIC CHLORIDE, THE RESULTING SOLUTION AND RESIDUE SEPARATED, SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE COPPER CHLORIDE IN THE SOLUTION REDUCED TO CUPROUS CHLORIDE, THE RESULTING CUPROUS CHLORIDE SOLUTION ELECTROLYZED TO RECOVER COPPER, AND THE FERROUS CHLORIDE IN THE SPENT ELECTROLYTE OXIDIZED TO FERRIC CHLORIDE WHICH IS RECYCLED FOR LEACHING AT LEAST PART OF THE CHALCOPYRITE RESIDUE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: CONDUCTING SAID ELECTROLYSIS IN AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL HAVING AN ANODE AND A CATHODE DIVIDED BY A SEPARATOR TO KEEP IONS OF COPPER AND IRON FROM TRAVELLING FROM THE CATHODE TO THE ANODE, TO RECOVER SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE COPPER IN SOLUTION AT THE CATHODE WITHOUT THE FORMATION OF CUPRIC COPPER IN THE CELL.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
84 words
The improved process of claim 8 including solubilizing at least a part of the copper in said residue with said recycled ferric chloride to produce cupric chloride and ferrous chloride in solution, introducing said latter solution into the anode compartment of said electrolytic cell to oxidize the ferrous chloride therein to ferric chloride as metallic copper is being simultaneously recovered at the cathode and using the ferric chloride regenerated by the electrolytic oxidation of ferrous chloride in the anode to leach additional chalcopyrite residue.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The improved process of claim 9 in which up to about 85% of the ferrous chloride in solution is converted to ferric chloride in the anode compartment.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3767543A
Cited
US3761369A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-25 | 1979-02-24 | 1979-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-25 | 1983-02-24 | 1983-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-25 | 1987-02-24 | 1987-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |