Methods and systems for recovering rhenium from a copper leach

Abstract

Various embodiments provide new methods of rhenium recovery. The methods can include subjecting a metal-bearing solution to an activated carbon bed, and adsorbing rhenium onto the activated carbon. The methods can also include heating a basic aqueous elution solution and eluting the rhenium from the activated carbon with the heated elution solution.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for recovering rhenium, the method comprising:
 feeding a metal-bearing leach solution comprising rhenium and copper over activated carbon; and   eluting said rhenium from said activated carbon with a basic aqueous solution.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising collecting a rhenium depleted copper containing leach solution from the activated carbon. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising recovering copper from the collected rhenium depleted copper containing leach solution. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the basic aqueous solution is at a temperature of greater than about 105° C. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising leaching a metal-bearing material to yield said metal-bearing leach solution. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said basic aqueous solution comprises a hydroxide salt. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein said hydroxide salt is at least one of sodium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein said hydroxide salt is present in said basic aqueous solution in an amount from about 0.2% to about 5%. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein said hydroxide salt is sodium hydroxide in an amount from about 0.5% to about 2.5%. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said leach solution comprises less than 1 mg/L rhenium. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said rhenium eluted from said activated carbon is greater than about 95% of rhenium in said metal-bearing leach solution. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the basic aqueous solution is at a temperature of greater than about 105° C. and less than about 115° C. 
     
     
         33 . A method for recovering rhenium, the method comprising:
 feeding a metal-bearing leach solution comprising rhenium over activated carbon; and   eluting said rhenium from said activated carbon with a basic aqueous solution,   wherein the basic aqueous solution is at a temperature of greater than about 105° C.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the metal-bearing leach solution further comprises copper. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising collecting a rhenium depleted copper containing leach solution from the activated carbon. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising recovering copper from the collected rhenium depleted copper containing leach solution. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 33 , further comprising leaching a metal-bearing material to yield said metal-bearing leach solution. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein said basic aqueous solution comprises a hydroxide salt. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein said hydroxide salt is at least one of sodium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein said hydroxide salt is present in said basic aqueous solution in an amount from about 0.2% to about 5%.