Patent ID: 6972107
Filing Date: 2005-12-06
Classification: C22B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A system for recovering copper from a copper-containing material comprising: a reactor, wherein said reactor is suitable for reacting at least a portion of a copper-containing feed stream with at least a portion of a copper-containing lean electrolyte stream in an acidic environment to yield a pressure leaching feed stream comprising a solid copper-bearing precipitate and acid; a pressure leaching vessel, wherein said pressure leaching vessel is suitable for leaching at least a portion of said pressure leaching feed stream in an oxidizing environment at an elevated temperature and pressure to yield a product slurry comprising a copper-containing solution and a residue; means for conditioning said product slurry without the use of solvent extraction techniques to yield a copper-containing solution suitable for electrowinning and a residue, wherein said conditioning means comprises means for blending at least a portion of said copper-containing solution with at least a portion of one or more copper-containing streams to achieve a desired copper concentration in said copper-containing solution suitable for electrowinning; an electrowinning circuit, wherein said electrowinning circuit is suitable for electrowinning copper from said copper-containing solution to yield cathode copper and a copper-containing lean electrolyte stream; and means for recycling at least a portion of said copper-containing lean electrolyte stream from said electrowinning circuit to said conditioning means.