Volatilizing and recovery of precious metals using air/gas injection

Abstract

A process to liberate volatile precious metals, and other minerals using air injection (FIG. 1 ). Volatile precious metals contained in aqueous or chemical solution(s), or slurries, including feed material(s) can be successfully extracted at a low cost using air/gas injection. It can be run continuously through the extraction apparatus at a large volume (FIG. 1 ). Air/gas is injected into the aqueous or chemical solution or slurry ( 229 ) and agitated by the impeller ( 232 ) or by natural or mechanical means to break down the air to small bubbles and disburse them throughout the aqueous or chemical solution, or slurries ( 229 ). The bubbles ascend and rise to the top of the tank or container ( 238 ) where the pregnant gasses are drawn off into the gas scrubbing tower ( 256 ). Or as in the feed material process, referring now to (FIG. 2 ), air is circulating up or through the feed material of a predetermined size and moisture content, in a enclosed tank or container ( 307 ). The air is collected at the top of the tank or container and drawn off to the gas scrubbing tower ( 256 ), as in (FIG. 1 ). The scrubbing with a combination of sodium chemical or other solutions from make-up-tank solutions ( 246 ), strips the air of the volatile minerals ( 258 ). The sodium or other suitable chemicals reduces the volatile minerals to a semi stable ion. Reffering now to (FIG. 1 ). Fine grained ores or feed materials that can't be stripped of its volatile minerals as in (FIG. 2 ), may be processed in the following manner. The fine grained or compact feed material may be ground to flour consistency with an aqueous solution or slurry. The slurry is thinned to the consistency of a thin gravy, where is subjected to air injection as in (FIG. 1 ) process.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A means for extracting and recovery of minerals comprising: using air/gases as a catalyst, volatilizing minerals from aqueous or chemical solution(s), slurries or from selected feed material(s).  
     
     
         2 . The means for extracting and recovering volatile minerals of  claim 1  wherein, said air/gases are injected into and disbursed by natural or mechanical means through the aqueous or chemical solution(s), or slurries, the air/gases being brought in contact with volatile minerals.  
     
     
         3 . The means for extracting and recovering volatile minerals of  claim 1  wherein, as the small bubbles rise through the solutions or slurries, they act as the catalyst, liberating volatile minerals that are volatilized by the air/gas injection, causing the rising air/gases to become laden with volatile minerals.  
     
     
         4 . The means for extracting and recovering volatile minerals of  claim 1  wherein the mineral laden air/gases are captured and drawn off where the volatile precious metals and other minerals are separated from the air/gases and the volatile minerals are converted into stable ion's in a sodium based or other suitable chemical solutions.  
     
     
         5 . The means for extracting and recovering volatile minerals of  claim 1  wherein, the feed material of a predetermined size are fed into a tank or container where the feed material is exposed to circulating air/gases, wherein said feed material is stripped of volatile minerals.  
     
     
         6 . The means of extracting and recovering volatile minerals of  claim 1  wherein, feed materials crushed and ground to a fine consistency in a aqueous solution forming a slurry and thinned to a thin gravy like consistency, this thin slurry may then be then processed using the air/gases injection process as in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         7 . The means of extracting and recovering precious metals of  claim 1  wherein, the injection process may be used on the end of a conventional recovery or processing or sewage, or other treatment plants, running waste solutions through the air/gas injection process before it goes into settling or containment ponds, or using the air/gas injection process after letting the solids sink to the bottom of the settling or containment ponds.  
     
     
         8 . A means of controlling the volatility of minerals wherein, using air/gas temperature to control the volatility of volatile minerals in the aqueous or chemical solutions, slurry or feed material.  
     
     
         9 . The means of controlling the volatility of minerals in  claim 8  wherein, the air/gases may be heated to increase the volatility of volatile minerals in aqueous or chemical solutions, slurry or feed material.  
     
     
         10 . The means of controlling the volatility of minerals in  claim 8  wherein, heated air/gases can increase the size of the feed material being stripped of volatile minerals.  
     
     
         11 . The means of controlling the volatility of minerals in  claim 8  wherein, can shorten the retention time of the feed material being stripped of volatile minerals.  
     
     
         12 . The means of controlling the volatility of minerals in  claim 8  wherein, pre heating the air/gases increases the volume or the gallons per minute of aqueous or chemical solutions, or slurry being stripped of its volatile minerals.  
     
     
         13 . The means of controlling the volatility of minerals in  claim 8  wherein, chilling or cooling the air being injected into aqueous or chemical solutions or slurry and feed material slows the volatility, making selective mineral separation possible.  
     
     
         14 . A means for controlling the volatility of minerals wherein, the aqueous or chemical solutions or slurry and the feed material may be heated or chilled to temperatures that are conducive to control the extraction of volatile minerals.  
     
     
         15 . The means of controlling the volatility of minerals in  claim 14  wherein, feed material may be heated or chilled to a predetermined temperature to increase or decrease the volatility of hard to volatilize minerals, before the air/gases are circulated into the feed material.  
     
     
         16 . The means of controlling the volatility of minerals in  claim 14  wherein, the volatility of aqueous or chemical solutions or slurries may be preheated in open air to pre volatilize highly volatile minerals of little value before using the air/gas injection process.  
       Whereby, the process will be environmentally beneficial, an energy saver and open up opportunities for small business and expand our limited natural resources.