Systems and methods for metal recovery

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a process roasting a metal bearing material under oxidizing conditions to produce an oxidized metal bearing material, roasting the oxidized metal bearing material under reducing conditions to produce a roasted metal bearing material, and leaching the roasted metal bearing material in a basic medium to yield a pregnant leach solution.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A process comprising:
 roasting a metal bearing material comprising a copper carbonate under oxidizing conditions;   roasting the metal bearing material under reducing conditions;   leaching the metal bearing material in a basic medium to yield a pregnant slurry; and   forwarding the pregnant slurry to a CCD circuit to yield a pregnant leach solution.   
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the basic medium comprises at least one of ammonia, ammonium carbonate and ammonium sulfate. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the oxidizing conditions comprise an oxygen gas containing atmosphere. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the reducing conditions comprise a hydrogen gas containing atmosphere. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 2 , further comprising subjecting the pregnant leach solution to a solution extraction process to yield a loaded aqueous stream. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein an extraction stage of the solution extraction yields a cobalt-bearing raffinate. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7 , further comprising precipitating cobalt from the cobalt-bearing raffinate. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the precipitating yields cobalt sulfide. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the cobalt sulfide is subjected to leaching. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 6 , subjecting the loaded aqueous stream to electrowinning. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the copper carbonate comprises at least one of azurite and malachite. 
     
     
         13 . A process comprising:
 oxidizing a metal bearing material comprising a copper carbonate to produce an oxidized metal bearing material;   reducing the oxidized metal bearing material to produce a roasted metal bearing material;   cooling the roasted metal bearing material via a calcine cooling process; and   leaching the roasted metal bearing material in a basic medium to yield a pregnant leach solution.   
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the oxidizing is performed at a temperature of about 500° C. or greater. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the basic medium comprises at least one of ammonia, ammonium, ammonium carbonate and ammonium sulfate. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the oxidizing is performed using an oxidizing agent, and wherein the reducing is performed using a reducing agent. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one of preparing the metal bearing material and quenching the roasted metal bearing material. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising subjecting the pregnant leach solution to a solution extraction process to yield at least one of a loaded aqueous stream and a cobalt-bearing raffinate. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , further comprising precipitating cobalt from the cobalt-bearing raffinate. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the precipitating yields cobalt sulfide. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , subjecting the loaded aqueous stream to electrowinning.