Patent ID: 9039806
Filing Date: 2015-05-26
Classification: C22B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A process for improving the recovery of a precious metal from a host material comprising a base metal and the precious metal, comprising the steps of: subjecting the host material to an oxidative pressure leach process, in the presence of a leach solution bearing a halide ion constituent which is reactive with the precious metal and the base metal, at a temperature sufficient to cause at least a portion of the base metal and only a portion of the precious metal to be extracted into a leachate solution to provide leached solids; separating the leached solids from the leachate solution to provide separated leached solids; recovering precious metal and base metal from the leachate solution; and recycling, after separating the leached solids from the leachate solution, at least 50% of the separated leached solids comprising at least a portion of the precious metal to the oxidative pressure leach process step, so as to increase the portion of precious metal recovered from the leachate solution, wherein the precious metal comprises at least one of gold, platinum or palladium, and wherein the base metal comprises at least one of nickel, copper, zinc or cobalt.