Patent ID: 6833020
Filing Date: 2004-12-21
Classification: C22B,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of recovering copper from a copper bearing sulphide mineral slurry which includes the steps of:(a) subjecting the slurry in a reactor to a bioleaching process at a temperature in excess of 40Â° C.; (b) supplying a feed gas which contains in excess of 21% oxygen by volume, to said slurry; (c) controlling dissolved oxygen concentration in said slurry at a level of from 0.2Ã—10âˆ’3 kg/m3 to 10Ã—10âˆ’3 kg/m3 by controlling at least one of the following: an oxygen content of said feed gas; a feed gas supply rate; a rate of feed of said slurry to said reactor; and (d) recovering copper from a bioleach residue of the bioleaching process.