United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 4,721,526

Elmore et al. 45 Date of Patent: Jan. 26, 1988

54, HEAP LEACHING WITH OXYGEN Skillings I, Skillings Minning Review, vol. 75, No. 26,
75 Inventors: Carl L. Elmore; Phillip Mitchell, both Jun. 28, 1986, pp. 3-10.
of Glens Falls, N.Y.; Robert J. Skillings II, Skillings Minning Review, May 25, 1985
Brison, Golden, Colo. pp. 4-7.
McClelland I, Dept. of the Interior Report 8612 "Im
73) Assignee: Kamyr, Inc., Glens Falls, N.Y. provements in Heap Leaching ... ', 1981.
(21) Appl. No.: 895,977 McClelland II, Dept. of the Interior Circular 8945,
"Agglomeration-Heap Leaching ... ', 1983.
(22 Filed: Aug. 13, 1986 Arthur et al, "Development of a Small Scale... ', pp.
XXIV-1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17, 19 and 21.
51 Int. Cl." .............................................. C22B 11/04 Potter I, "Some Factors in the Design of... ', 1980.
52 U.S.C. .................................... 75/118 R; 7.5/105; Potter II, "Extraction of Metallurgy 1981", "Some
423/29; 423/30, 423/31; 266/168 Developments in Gold... ', pp. 128-136.
58) Field of Search ........................... 266/168, 101 R; McQuiston et al, "Gold and Silver Cyanidation . . . ',
75/101 R, 105, 118 R, 2; 423/27, 29, 30, 31 pp. 3-9, 1981.
56) References Cited Chamberland I, "Minning Congress Journal', Apr.,
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 1981, Heap Leaching ..., pp. 47-52.
Chamberland II, "Gold and Silver Leaching . . . ',
2009,667 7/1935 Keyes.................................... 423/29 Department of Interior Information Circular 8852.
4,190,436 2/1980 Hughes ................................. 7.5/105 Kappes, "Leaching of Small Gold and Silver Deposits',
4,256,705 3/1981 Heinen et al. ......................... 423/27 Nov., 1978, pp. 1-18.
4,526,615 7/1985 Johnson ............................ 75/101 R Sawyer, "Process Design and Operation . . . ', pp.
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS C87-91.
Duncan et al, Engineering and Minning Journal, Jul.,
31262.34 4/1983 Fed. Rep. of Germany. 1977, pp. 65-72, "How Cortez Gold Mine ... '.
78/1184 7/1978 South Africa .
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Primary Examiner-Robert L. Stoll
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Nixon & Vanderhye
Davidson, R. J. et al, "The Intensive Cyanidation of 57 ABSTRACT
Gold-Plant Gravity Concentrates', J. of South African
Inst. of Min. and Metal., Jan., 1978, pp. 146-165. A method and system for the percolation leaching of
"On the Dissolution of Precious Metals... ', Tronev et gold and silver ores applies a cyanide leaching liquid to
al., Comptes Rendus (Doklady) de l'Academie des Sci a pile of gold and silver ore. Heap leaching, vat leach
ences (1937), vol. 16, No. 5, pp. 281-284. ing, or the like may specifically be practiced. The cya
"Chemistry of Cyanidation... ', Hedley et al., Ameri nide leaching liquid is applied to the pile by spraying,
can Cyanamid Company, Dec. 1968. flooding, or via a foam of oxygen gas and cyanide liquid
"The Chemistry of the Extraction of Gold ... ', Gold on top of the pile. Gold and silver are recovered from
Metallurgy in South Africa, Finkelstein, Chapter 10, p. the pregnant liquor. The leach rate is increased and/or
309 (1972). the recovery of gold and silver from the ore is increased
"Research on Pressure Leaching of Ores... ', Pietsch by supplying to the pile a gas containing oxygen at a
et al., Erzmetall, Jun. 1983, pp. 261-265. significantly higher percentage than in ambient air (e.g.
"The Treatment of Refractory Gold-Bearing . . . ', pure oxygen gas). The oxygen gas may be supplied to
Muir et al., Precious Metals: Mining Extraction and the leaching liquid, and/or into the pile itself (as with a
Processing, 1984, pp. 309-322. plurality of perforated pipes adjacent the bottom of the
"Solubilities of Inorganic and Metal-Organic Com pile).
pounds (Seidel)', Linke, 4th Ed., 1958, vol. 1, p. 250,
vol. 2, pp. 1228-1230. 19 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures
MAKE-UP
WATER

CYANDE
STORAGE

90
----
CARBON STRIPPING
COLUMNS GOLD
UNIT
88 y

PREGNANT
LOUOR
HOLDING
TANKS

84
U.S. Patent Jan. 26, 1988 Sheet 1 of 2 4,721.526

FIG 4

TO HOLDING TANKS
U.S. Patent Jan. 26, 1988 Sheet 2 of 2 4,721.526
MAKE-UP
WATER

CYAN IDE
STORAGE

CARBON STRIPPS 67
COLUMNS -
HE
88 us

PREGNANT
Ll QUOR
HOLDING
TANKS

IFIG 3 86
84
 1.
4,721,526
2
rate as in conventional pile leaching, resulting in a
HEAP LEACHING WITH OXYGEN higher concentration of gold in solution (and thereby
permitting a smaller recovery system).
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE It is the primary object of the present invention to
INVENTION enhance the effectiveness of pile leaching of gold and
Pile leaching of gold and silver ores has been increas silver ores. This and other objects of the invention will
ing in popularity since pile leaching techniques can be become clear from an inspection of the detailed descrip
practiced with low capital and operating costs, and may tion of the invention and from the appended claims.
be cost-effective for use with low grade ores. "Pile
leaching' as used in the present specification and claims 10 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
covers what are conventionally known as heap leaching FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of exemplary
processes, vat leaching processes, and like processes in apparatus for practicing a heap leaching method ac
which a pile of ore particles or the like have a cyanide cording to the present invention;
leaching liquid applied thereto, with recovery of preg 15 FIG. 2 is a perspective detail view of a portion of an
nant liquor from the bottom of the pile. The term "ore" exemplary oxygen introducing pipe utilizable in the
as used in the present specification and claims covers system of FIG. 1;
tailings, uncrushed ore, crushed ore, agglomerated FIG. 3 is a box diagram illustrating an exemplary
crushed ore, and the like. Pile leaching normally en system for the preactive of vat leaching according to
compasses the percolation leaching of relatively coarse the method of the present invention; and
gold-siver ore piled on a surface which allows collec 20
tion of the pregnant liquor obtained from the percola ingFIG. 4 is a partial, side, cross-sectional view illustrat
equipment utilized with one of the vats schemati
tion leaching.
According to the invention it has been found that the cally illustrated in FIG. 3.
leach rate can be increased, and/or the recovery can be DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
increased in the same total leach time, by utilizing oxy 25 DRAWINGS
gen in the leaching process. That is oxygen containing
gas, having a significantly higher precentage of oxygen An exemplary heap leaching system for practicing a
therein than is obtained utilizing ambient air, is supplied method of heap leaching of gold and silver ore accord
to the pile. This may be practiced by introducing oxy ing to the present invention is illustrated schematically
gen containing gas, such as "pure oxygen' (e.g. gas 30 by reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1. Ore 11 is heaped in
having about 99 percent oxygen) into bottom portions any suitable conventional manner on a sloping leach
of the pile utilizing a plurality of pipes having gas pas pad 12. The leach pad 12 may be of conventional de
sages therein. Additionally, or alternatively, the oxygen sign, having a substantially impervious surface 14 on
can be supplied to the pile by adding the oxygen to the which the ore 11 is heaped, such as a plastic heap laid
cyanide leaching liquid that is applied to the pile to 35 over a prepared surface, a reusable pad, a locally
leach the gold and/or silver from the ore into the preg obtained clay lined pad, etc. The impervious surface 14
nant liquor. An ejector may be utilized to add the oxy of the pad 12 is sloping, such as illustrated in FIG. 1,
gen gas to the liquid prior to applying it to the pile, as by having a higher portion and a lower portion, and preg
spraying it on top of the pile (particularly where heap nant liquid is withdrawn from the lower portion, as
leaching is utilized), flooding the top of the pile (partic utilizing the conventional pregnant solution trough 16.
ularly where vat leaching is practiced), or applying it as The pregnant liquid passes via conduit 20 to a conven
a foam (the oxygen gas and cyanide leaching liquid tional gold recovery station 22, which may comprise a
foaming) on top of the pile. conventional carbon-adsorption system, a conventional
While the invention is applicable to a wide variety of zinc
"ores', as that term is used in the present specification 45 tion precipitation system, or the like. The barren solu
(cyanide leaching liquid) from the gold recovery
and claims, it is particularly advantageous for use in station
leaching gold from those ores which typically consume ore pile2211passes in line 24 ultimately to be applied to the
via line 26 in conventional sprayheads 28, or
oxygen and therefore tend to deplete the oxygen from the like. Desirably a portion of the pregnant liquor is
leached solutions in conventional systems. Where ag
glomeration of the ore particles is desirable, that may be 50 recycled from line 20 to line 24 via line 30.
According to the present invention, the leach rate
practiced utilizing any desirable conventional tech and/or the recovery of gold or silver in the same total
nique, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,705.
The gold and/or silver may be recovered from the leach time, is achieved by supplying oxygen to the ore
pregnant liquor utilizing a number of conventional tech in the pile 11. Oxygen gas is supplied which has a signif
niques. For instance the pregnant liquor may be with 55 icantly greater percentage of oxygen therein than does
drawn from adjcent the bottom of a heap and then ambient air; desirably, "pure oxygen' is utilized, that is
treated by a carbon-adsorption system or a zinc precipi oxygen gas having a purity approaching about 99 per
tation system, or it may be withdrawn from the bottom cent or so, however gases having lower percentages of
of a rock filter of a vat leaching apparatus, and similarly oxygen, but higher than in ambient air, also will be
treated by carbon-adsorption or zinc precipitation. effective. The oxygen gas is supplied from a tank of
By practicing the present invention, it is possible to oxygen, 34, via line 36. The oxygen gas can be supplied
significantly increase the leach rate, or to increase re to the ore in pile 11 by one of, or both of, two ways.
covery in the same total leach time, or a combination of According to a first procedure, the oxygen gas from
both. Because of the increased leach rate that may be source 34 is applied to the cyanide leaching liquid in line
obtained by utilizing oxygen in the practice of the in 65 24 utilizing a conventional ejector 32, the oxygen gas
vention, the flow of solution to a pile could be increased being supplied to the suction 38 of the ejector 32. Pref.
to maintain the same gold concentration in solution, or, erably enough oxygen gas is supplied to essentially
alternatively, the flow could be maintained at the same saturate the leaching liquid with oxygen gas.
 4,721,526
3 4.
Alternatively, or additionally, the oxygen gas is ap From there the liquor is passed to a recovery station, as
plied to the pile 11 utilizing line 40, connected to line 36, to the carbon columns 88 having stripping unit 90 asso
header 41, and pipes 42. The pipes 42 are disposed adja ciated therewith, from which the gold (and/or silver) is
cent the bottom of the pile 11, and extend substantially recovered.
the length thereof. The pipes 42 have gas passages, such 5 While exemplary apparatus has been utilized in order
as illustrated by the openings 44 in FIG. 2, therein. The to describe the process according to the invention, it
passages 44 are designed with respect to the size of will be understood that other types of apparatus also
particles expected to be provided in the pile 11, so that may be utilized. The method, in its broadest concepts,
the particles of ore do not readily clog the passages 44. envisions the percolation leaching of gold and silver ore
Any suitable construction of passages can be provided O by practicing the following steps: (a) Piling leachable
in order to effect the desired results, such as by provid gold and silver ore (as defined above) into a pile. (b)
ing the entire pipes 42 of gas porous sintered material or Applying a cyanide leaching liquid to the pile to leach
the like, providing the passages in the side or bottoms of gold and silver from the ore into a pregnant liquor. (c)
the pipe, etc. A second plurality of pipes, perpendicular Supplying gas to the pile, the gas containing oxygen in
to pipes 42, may also be provided adjacent the bottom 15 an amount greater than in ambient air, to increase the
of the pile and connected to tank 34. leach rate or recovery, of gold and silver. And, (d)
Optionally, according to the invention, a cover 46 recovering gold and silver from the pregnant liquor, as
may be provided on top of the pile 11. The cover 46 by withdrawing the pregnant liquor from the bottom of
would be formed of gas impermeable plastic, or the like, the pile and subjecting it to carbon-adsorption or zinc
which would prevent or minimize diffusion of oxygen 20 precipitation techniques, or the like. While the inven
out of the pile 11. An oxygen atmosphere could be tion is applicable to all types of "ores', as defined
maintained beneath the cover 46, and/or the leaching above, it is particularly applicable to the recovery of
liquid could be applied by spraying it on top of the gold from those ores which tend to consume oxygen.
cover 46 (if the cover were water permeable while still It will thus be seen that according to the present
preventing or minimizing diffusion of oxygen there 25 invention an effective method for the percolation leach
through). ing of gold and silver from ore piles has been provided.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the practice of an exemplary While the invention has been herein shown and de
method according to the invention in a process conven scribed in what is presently conceived to be the most
tionally referred to as vat leaching. An exemplary sys practical and preferred embodiment thereof, it will be
ten for practicing this process is illustrated generally by 30 apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many
reference numeral 50 in FIG.3 and preferably includes modifications may be made thereof within the scope of
a plurality of vats 52, 53, 54, and 55. A typical vat, such the invention, which scope is to be accorded the broad
as the vat 55, has an end wall 56, and sidewalls 57, 58. At est interpretation of the appended claims so as to en
least a portion of the bottom of the vat slopes down compass all equivalent methods, procedures, and sys
wardly from the open end between the walls 57, 58, 35 tes.
toward the wall 56. The bottom of the vat 55 typically What is claimed is:
would contain rocks 60 providing a rock bed or filter, a 1. A method for increasing the total amount of gold
layer of burlap 61, a wood support 62 or the like, and a or silver recoverable in pile leaching gold or silver ore
filter 63 below the support 62 and burlap 61. The ore is comprising the steps of:
provided in a pile 59 above the rocks 60. Pregnant li 40 (a) piling leachable gold or silver ore into a pile;
quor is withdrawn from the bottom of the rocks 60 via (b) applying a cyanide leaching liquid to the pile
the filter 63 into lines 63, pump 64 pumping the preg adjacent the top thereof to leach gold or silver
nant liquid from the vat 55. A sump 65 is provided from the ore into a pregnant liquor;
adjacent the filter 63. (c) supplying gas to the pile, the gas containing an
According to the present invention, oxygen is sup 45 amount of oxygen greater than in ambient air, said
plied to the pile 59 from oxygen source 66, as via line 67 gas being supplied adjacent the bottom of the pile
which is connected up to individual headers 68 within such that at least part of the gas flows countercur
each vat (e.g. vat 55), with a plurality of pipes 70 ex rently to the cyanide leaching liquid and remains in
tending from each header 68. The pipes 70 have gas gaseous form thereby to increase the total leached
passages therein, as described above with respect to 50 yield or amount of gold or silver recovered at the
pipes 42. The pipes 70 may be provided adjacent the completion of the leaching process in comparison
bottom of the pile 59, to introduce oxygen gas into the with the total leached yield or amount of gold or
pile 59 so that it flows generally upwardly therein. silver recovered using air as the supplied gas; and
Alternatively, or additionally, oxygen gas is supplied (d) recovering gold or silver from the pregnant li
to the pile 59 by adding it to the cyanide leaching liquid 55 quor.
from storage tank 72, which passes in line 74. An ejector 2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the method
76 in line 74 has oxygen supplied to the suction 78 is heap leaching, and wherein step (a) is practiced by
thereof, the outlet 80 from the ejector 76 applying the piling ore particles on a sloping pad having a high end
leaching liquid to each of the vats 52-55. In this particu portion at an elevation enabling flow of pregnant liquor
lar embodiment, the cyanide leaching liquid is typically 60 to a low end portion of said pad, and wherein step (d) is
applied to the piles 59 by flooding; for example see the practiced by withdrawing pregnant liquor from the low
liquid 82 above the ore 59 in FIG. 4. Alternatively, the end portion of the pad.
oxygen gas and cyanide liquid could be caused to foam, 3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein step (b) is
and the material 82 above the ore pile 59 could be a practiced by spraying the cyanide leaching liquid onto
foam. 65 the top of the heap.
The pregnant liquor from each of the lines 63' associ 4. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein step (c) is
ated with the vats 52-55 passes into lines 84, which practiced by adding oxygen gas to the cyanide leaching
ultimately pass to pregnant liquor holding tanks 86. liquid before applying the leaching liquid to the pile.
 5
4,721,526
6
5. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein step (c) is step (d) is practiced by withdrawing the pregnant liquor
practiced by saturating the cyanide leaching liquid with from the botton of the vat, below the rock bed.
oxygen gas. 13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein step (b)
6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein step (c) is is practiced by flooding.
further practiced by introducing pure oxygen gas, into 14. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein step (c)
the bottom of the pile. is practiced by adding oxygen gas to the cyanide leach
7. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein step (c) is ing liquid before applying the leaching liquid to the pile.
practiced by adding the gas to the liquid utilizing an 15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein step (c)
ejector. is further practiced by introducing pure oxygen gas into
8. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein step (c) is 10 the pile itself.
practiced by introducing pure oxygen gas, directly into 16. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein step (c)
the bottom of the pile. is practiced by introducing gas containing pure oxygen
9. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein step (c) is gas directly into the pile itself.
further practiced by providing a plurality of pipes adja 17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein step (c)
cent the bottom of the pile, the pipes having gas pas 15 is further practiced by providing a plurality of pipes
sages therein, and introducing the oxygen gas into the adjacent the bottom of the pile, the pipes having gas
pile through the gas passages in the pipe. passages therein, and introducing the oxygen gas into
10. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein step (b) is the pile through the gas passages in the pipe.
practiced by spraying the liquid onto a water permeable 18. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein steps (b)
cover covering the heap. 20 and (c) are practiced by applying oxygen gas and cya
11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the ore nide leaching liquid as a foam to the top of the pile.
consumes oxygen, and wherein steps (a) through (d) are 19. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (c) is
practiced to recover gold. practiced by covering the pile to minimize the loss of
12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the oxygen from the pile, and pure oxygen gas is introduced
method comprises vat leaching, and wherein step (a) is 25 below the covering, into the pile.
practiced by piling the ore on a rock bed, and wherein sk k is k sk

30

35

45

50

55

65