Patent ID: 8607850

Claim:
A method for processing a mineral ore slurry comprising: passing an input stream of mineral ore slurry at ambient temperature and pressure through a pump to create a stream of mineral ore slurry at a processing pressure; passing the input stream of mineral ore slurry at the processing pressure in a first direction through a solid matrix heat exchanger to transfer heat to raise the temperature of the input stream of mineral ore slurry; adding additional heat to the input stream of mineral ore slurry exiting the solid matrix heat exchanger at the processing pressure sufficient to raise the temperature of the input stream of mineral ore slurry to a processing temperature, and reacting it as the process requires, to create a processed output stream of mineral ore slurry; flowing the processed output stream of mineral ore slurry in a second direction opposite the first direction through the countercurrent solid matrix heat exchanger to transfer heat from the processed output stream of mineral ore slurry to the input stream of mineral ore slurry at the processing pressure; and reducing the pressure of the output stream of mineral ore slurry to create an ambient-pressure output stream of mineral ore slurry.