System and process for the continuous recovery of metals

Abstract

A system [ 100 ′] and process [ 100 ] for the continuous recovery of metals is disclosed. The system [ 100 ′] comprises a continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′], a holding tank [ 60 ], a continuous elution system [ 20 ′], a continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′], a carbon regeneration system [ 30 ′], and a continuous carbon loading/adsorption system [ 70 ′]. The systems and methods disclosed overcome the disadvantages associated with current systems and processes which utilize batch process steps and equipment designed for batch processes. The systems [ 10′, 20′, 30 ′] are each configured to receive a continuous inflow of a solution or slurry and deliver a continuous outflow of a solution or slurry, without interruptions which are common with conventional metal recovery systems [ 9000′].

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system [ 100 ′] for the continuous recovery of metals comprising at least one of the following:
 a continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′] configured for receiving a continuous, uninterrupted inflow of loaded carbonaceous particulate [ 57 ] and delivering a continuous, uninterrupted outflow of descaled loaded carbonaceous particulate [ 50 ]; 
 a continuous elution system [ 20 ′] configured for receiving a continuous, uninterrupted inflow of a strip solution [ 51 ] containing a descaled loaded carbonaceous particulate [ 50 ] and delivering a continuous, uninterrupted outflow of electrolyte solution [ 53 ]; and, 
 a continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′] configured for receiving a continuous, uninterrupted inflow of electrolyte solution [ 53 ], delivering a continuous uninterrupted outflow of a barren solution [ 54 ], and continuously and uninterruptedly forming a cathode sludge concentrate [ 53   f];    
 wherein each of the continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′], the continuous elution system [ 20 ′], and the continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′] are configured to operate simultaneously without interruptions common with conventional batch metal recovery processes. 
 
     
     
         2 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , further comprising a carbon regeneration system [ 30 ′] operatively connected to said continuous elution system [ 40 ′]. 
     
     
         3 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , further comprising a continuous carbon loading/activation system [ 70 ′] operatively connected to said continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′]. 
     
     
         4 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , further comprising a holding tank [ 60 ] operatively connected between said continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′] and said continuous elution system [ 20 ′]. 
     
     
         5 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , comprising all three of said continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′], said continuous elution system [ 20 ′], and said continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′]. 
     
     
         6 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more pumps [ 13 ,  23 ,  33 ]. 
     
     
         7 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , wherein said continuous elution system [ 20 ′] is operatively connected to the continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′]. 
     
     
         8 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 7 , wherein continuous elution system [ 20 ′] further comprises one or more screens or filters [ 324 ] configured to prevent carbonaceous particulate from passing to the continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′]. 
     
     
         9 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , wherein the continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′] further comprises a chamber [ 220 ] adapted for retaining a fluidization medium; an inlet [ 222 ] adapted for receiving a feed containing loaded carbonaceous particulate [ 57 ]; a fluidized bed distribution panel [ 220 ] or other means adapted for fluidizing the loaded carbonaceous particulate [ 220 ] in the presence of said fluidization medium; an outlet [ 228 ] adapted to pass loaded carbonaceous particulate and fluidization medium from the chamber; and a screen [ 226 ] adapted to filter loaded carbonaceous particulate from a fluidization medium;
 wherein the continuous elution system [ 20 ′] comprises a splash vessel [ 22 ], a continuous elution vessel [ 24 ], and a flash vessel [ 25 ], wherein the splash vessel [ 22 ] is operatively connected to the continuous elution vessel [ 24 ] in series, the continuous elution vessel [ 24 ] is operatively connected to the flash vessel [ 25 ] in series, and the splash vessel [ 22 ] is operatively connected to the flash vessel [ 25 ] in parallel; and, 
 wherein the continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′] comprises a continuous electrolytic metal recovery cell [ 42 ] having a cell body [ 406 ] configured to maintain electrolyte solution [ 53 ] at a high pressure and/or temperature; at least one anode [ 474 ]; at least one cathode [ 472 ]; an inlet [ 410 ] configured for receiving a continuous, uninterrupted influent stream of electrolyte solution [ 53 ]; a first outlet [ 420 ] configured for discharging a continuous, uninterrupted effluent stream of barren solution [ 54 ]; a second outlet [ 430 ] configured for removing cathode sludge concentrate [ 53   f ]; and a residence chamber [ 460 ] configured to continuously transfer electrolyte solution [ 53 ] from said inlet [ 410 ] to said first outlet [ 420 ] and increase residence time of said electrolyte solution between said at least one anode [ 474 ] and said at least one cathode [ 472 ], the residence chamber [ 460 ] comprising one or more channels [ 462 ] which are configured to provide a forced flow of electrolyte solution [ 53 ] therein which is strong enough to continuously dislodge and/or transport cathode sludge concentrate along said one or more channels [ 462 ] and eventually out of said residence chamber [ 460 ]. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , wherein said continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′] further comprises at least one of a dilute acid solution [ 57   c ], an aqueous rinse solution [ 57   d ], and a caustic rinse solution [ 57   e ]; wherein the continuous elution system [ 20 ′] further comprises a solution containing at least one of a carbonaceous particulate loaded with a precious metal, an electrolyte solution, spent carbonaceous particulate, a caustic, an aqueous component, and cyanide; and wherein the continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′] further comprises an electrolyte solution. 
     
     
         11 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , wherein the continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′], the continuous elution system [ 20 ′], and the continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′] are each configured to increase a pressure and/or temperature of a solution or slurry contained therein. 
     
     
         12 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , wherein a carbon regeneration system [ 30 ′] is operatively connected to said continuous elution system [ 20 ′], a continuous carbon loading/activation system [ 70 ′] is operatively connected to said continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′], and the carbon regeneration system [ 30 ′] is operatively connected to said carbon loading/activation system [ 70 ′]. 
     
     
         13 . The system [ 100 ′] according to  claim 1 , wherein said continuous acid wash system [ 10 ′] is operatively connected to the continuous elution system [ 20 ′]. 
     
     
         14 . A process [ 100 ] for the continuous recovery of a metal comprising:
 continuously feeding [ 1004 ] a continuous wash system [ 10 ′] with particulate [ 57 ] loaded with a metal;   continuously washing [ 1006 ,  1020 ,  1034 ] said loaded particulate [ 57 ] within the continuous wash system [ 10 ′] to descale the loaded particulate;   continuously removing [ 1046 ] descaled loaded particulate [ 50 ] from said continuous wash system;   continuously loading [ 1050 ] a continuous elution system [ 20 ′] with said descaled loaded particulate [ 50 ];   continuously removing [ 1064 ] electrolyte solution [ 53 ] from said continuous elution system [ 20 ′];   continuously feeding [ 1066 ,  1082 ,  1084 ] a continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′] with said electrolyte solution [ 53 ];   continuously removing [ 1070 ,  1096 ] barren solution [ 54 ] from said continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′]; and,   continuously delivering [ 1072 ] said spent electrolyte solution to said continuous elution system [ 20 ′];   wherein each of the continuous wash system [ 10 ′], the continuous elution system [ 20 ′], and the continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′] are operably connected and configured to allow the above steps to be performed simultaneously.   
     
     
         15 . The process [ 100 ] according to  claim 14 , further comprising forming said loaded particulate by continuously adsorbing metal onto said particulate in a continuous loading/adsorption system [ 70 ′] identical to said continuous wash system [ 10 ′]. 
     
     
         16 . The process [ 100 ] according to  claim 15 , wherein said particulate is one of a carbonaceous particulate, a polymeric adsorbent, or an ion-exchange resin. 
     
     
         17 . The process [ 100 ] according to  claim 14 , further comprising continuously removing cathode sludge concentrate [ 53   f ] from the continuous electrowinning system [ 40 ′].