Patent ID: 7041152

Claim:
A treatment process comprising the steps of: a) providing a feed stream comprising an elemental sulfur-bearing material and a dispersant wherein said dispersant comprises at least one of a surfactant, ground sand, mineral processing tailings, or combination thereof, and wherein said elemental sulfur-bearing material comprises an elemental sulfur-containing residue from a pressure leaching operation carried out at a temperature in the range of about 140° C. to about 180° C.; b) pressure leaching at least a portion of said feed stream at a temperature in the range of about 220° C. to about 275° C. in an oxygen-containing atmosphere in an agitated multiple-compartment pressure leaching vessel to form a product slurry comprising a sulfuric acid solution; c) separating at least a portion of said sulfuric acid solution from said product slurry to yield a residue; d) recovering at least one metal value from said residue.