Patent ID: 7214256

Claim:
A circuit configuration for a metal solvent extraction plant comprising: A) an extraction section for extracting metal ions from an aqueous leach solution containing the metal ions with an organic extraction solution containing at least one metal extraction reagent, wherein the extraction section consists of three countercurrent extraction stages in which the metal-containing aqueous leach solution to be extracted enters at an extraction stage 1, progresses to an extraction stage 2 and then to an extraction stage 3 where it exits as metal-depleted aqueous raffinate and the organic extraction solution enters extraction stage 3 progresses to extraction stage 2 and then to extraction stage 1 where it exits as a fully loaded organic solution; and B) a stripping section consisting of one stripping stage for stripping the metal ions from the fully loaded organic solution from extraction stage 1, thereby providing a stripped organic extraction solution which is recycled to extraction stage 3 and an aqueous solution containing the metal ions which have been stripped from the loaded organic solution.