Metals recovery from mining heap leach ore

Abstract

There is provided a metals recovery system including at least one tank having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion has an inlet and said bottom portion has an outlet, a process fluid delivery device in fluid communication with the tank for delivering a supply of process fluid to the tank, an ore delivery device for delivering a supply of ore into the tank through the inlet in the top portion of the tank, an agitator located within the tank for disrupting a downward flow path of the ore through the tank and an ejection device in communication with the bottom of the tank for transporting process fluid and ore from the tank to a location apart from the tank. Also provided is a method of recovering metal from ore by supplying a constant head pressure of process fluid to at least one tank, distributing ore into the tank, disrupting the flow of ore through the tank and discharging the ore and process fluid from the tank an into a processing apparatus.

1 . A metals recovery system comprising:
 at least one tank having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein said top portion has an inlet and said bottom portion has an outlet;   process fluid delivery means in fluid communication with said tank for delivering a supply of process fluid to said tank;   ore delivery means for delivering a supply of ore into said tank through said inlet in said top portion of said tank;   agitation means located within said tank for disrupting a downward flow path of the ore through said tank; and   liquid ejection means in communication with said outlet in said bottom portion of said tank for transporting process fluid and ore from said tank to a location apart from said tank.   
     
     
         2 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said agitation means comprises at least one impact screen extending across said tank. 
     
     
         3 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said agitation means includes at least two impact screens extending across said tank and spaced vertically apart from each other within the tank. 
     
     
         4 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein said impact screens include a mesh orientation, wherein the mesh orientation of each impact screen is offset from the mesh orientation of previous impact screens. 
     
     
         5 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 3 , further including at least one air nozzle located within said tank for injecting air into said tank and creating turbulence in the process fluid in said tank. 
     
     
         6 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said agitation means comprises at least one air nozzle located within said tank for injecting air into said tank and creating turbulence in the process fluid in said tank. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said process fluid delivery means comprises a first conduit for transporting process fluid to said tank, wherein said process fluid delivery means further includes a second conduit in communication with said first conduit, said second conduit including at least one fluid nozzle extending from said second conduit into said tank for supplying process fluid into said tank. 
     
     
         9 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said fluid nozzles enter said tank at an angle, wherein the process fluid entering said tank from said fluid nozzles creates a whirlpool flow within said tank. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising an overflow portion surrounding said tank and further including a recycle conduit extending between said overflow portion and said process fluid delivery means for recycling overflowing process fluid. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said ejection means comprises:
 a first conduit in communication with said outlet in said bottom of said tank;   a second conduit; and   an air injector located between said first conduit and said second conduit and providing communication between said first conduit and said second conduit.   
     
     
         14 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said first conduit is in communication with said process fluid delivery means. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of recovering additional metals from ore that has previously undergone heap leaching, the method comprising:
 providing a supply of ore that has previously undergone heap leaching, said heap leaching having removed a first portion of metals from the ore, with a second portion of metals remaining associated with the ore;   delivering with a delivery device the supply of ore to a tank having an upper portion and a lower portion, the ore entering the tank via the upper portion;   delivering a processing fluid to the tank;   distributing the supply of ore in the processing fluid so that the processing fluid washes the ore and causes the removal of a third portion of metals, from the second portion of metals remaining associated with the ore in the tank, the third portion of metals mixing with the processing fluid to create a pregnant solution;   disrupting the flow of ore through the tank to increase the residence time of the ore in the tank so that the processing fluid can further remove metals from the ore and generate pregnant solution; and   discharging the ore and pregnant solution from the lower portion of the tank;   separating the ore from the pregnant solution;   transporting the pregnant solution to a separating device; and   separating at least the third portion of metals from the pregnant solution with the separating device, whereby the separated third portion of metals increases the total metals recovered from the supply of ore that previously underwent heap leaching.   
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said discharging step including disrupting the ore and process fluid while passing the ore and process fluid through a conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said disrupting step includes creating turbulence using the method selected from the group of adding air to the process fluid while in the tank, adding process fluid to the process fluid in the tank to create turbulence, and providing at least one impact screen extending across the tank. 
     
     
         19 . A metals recovery system comprising:
 at least one tank having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein said top portion has an inlet and said bottom portion has an outlet;   a process fluid delivery system in fluid communication with said tank for delivering a supply of process fluid to said tank;   an ore delivery system for delivering a supply of ore into said tank through said inlet in said top portion of said tank;   an agitator located within said tank for disrupting a downward flow path of the ore through said tank; and   liquid ejection system in communication with said outlet in said bottom portion of said tank for transporting process fluid and ore from said tank to a location apart from said tank.   
     
     
         20 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein said agitator comprises at least one impact screen extending across said tank. 
     
     
         21 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein said agitator includes at least two impact screens extending across said tank and spaced vertically apart from each other within the tank. 
     
     
         22 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said impact screens include a mesh orientation, wherein the mesh orientation of each impact screen is offset from the mesh orientation of previous impact screens. 
     
     
         23 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 22 , further including at least one air nozzle located within said tank for injecting air into said tank and creating turbulence in the process fluid in said tank. 
     
     
         24 . The metals recovery system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said agitator comprises at least one air nozzle located within said tank for injecting air into said tank and creating turbulence in the process fluid in said tank