Patent ID: 8585991
Filing Date: 2013-11-19
Classification: C22B

Abstract:
1. A method for recovering a metal from an ore comprising rare, precious, base metals or a combination thereof, the method comprising: contacting the ore with an acid, a chloride salt and a soluble oxidant under a selected condition to form an ore waste and an acid-soluble oxidant leach solution comprising the metal; modulating an acid concentration in the acid-soluble oxidant leach solution, including acid recovery from the acid-soluble oxidant leach solution to form a recovered acid and an acid-depleted leach solution comprising a residual acid; recycling the recovered acid to the contacting step; neutralizing the residual acid in the acid-depleted leach solution by contacting the acid-depleted leach solution with a neutralizing agent comprising calcium carbonate; and separating the acid-soluble oxidant leach solution from the ore waste.