Patent ID: 8277539
Filing Date: 2012-10-02
Classification: C22B,C25C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of recovering copper from a copper sulfide concentrate comprising a copper sulfide, wherein the copper sulfide includes one of a copper arsenic sulfosalt and a copper antimony sulfosalt, comprising the steps of: (a) adding the concentrate and a pyrite to an acidic sulfate leach solution, the concentrate and the pyrite being in particulate form, wherein a pyrite:copper sulfide weight ratio of the pyrite and the copper sulfide added to the leach solution is at least 1:1; (b) leaching the copper from the concentrate in the leach solution, in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas, under conditions whereby the pyrite is substantially unoxidized, to produce a solution containing copper ions; and (c) recovering the leached copper from the solution.