Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated inorganic weak acids, or derivatives, residues and waste thereof, in order to increase the recovery of copper and/or the concentration of copper in processes for the leaching or bioleaching of copper minerals

Abstract

The invention concerns the use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same, or of solid and liquid wastes from plants producing oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds and their derivatives to increase copper recovery from mineral and/or to increase the copper concentration of the pregnant leach solution in the copper leaching process or the copper bioleaching process. This invention also concerns a copper leaching procedure that comprises the addition of a necessary amount of an oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid, or a compound or a mineral that generates the same to the leaching process, and the simultaneous addition of sulfuric acid to the leaching heap, where the necessary amount of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid will depend on the characteristics of the mineral. This invention also describes a copper bioleaching procedure that comprises the addition of a necessary amount of an oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid, or a compound or a mineral that generates the same into the bioleaching process, and the simultaneous addition of sulfuric acid to the bioleaching heap or dump site, where the necessary amount of acid added will depend on the characteristics of the mineral.

1 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same COMPRISING an increase in copper recovery from mineral and/or to increase the copper concentration of the pregnant leach solution in the copper leaching process. 
     
     
         2 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING a weak acid that can be, among others, boric acid or phosphoric acid. 
     
     
         3 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING a weak acid that is preferably boric acid, also called orthoboric acid. 
     
     
         4 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING a weak acid that is preferably phosphoric acid, also called orthophosphoric acid. 
     
     
         5 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING a mineral that contains boron or phosphorus. 
     
     
         6 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING a mineral that contains boron. 
     
     
         7 . Use of oxygenated and polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING a mineral that contains phosphorus. 
     
     
         8 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING a boron ore that can be selected, without limitation, from ulexite, colemanite, kernite, pandermite, bakerite, datolite, elbaite, admontite, aksaite, ameghinite, ammonioborite, aristarainite, avogadrite, axinite, bandylite, barberiite, behierite, berborite, biringuccite, boracite, boralsilite, borax, borazon, borcarite, bormuscovite, cahnite, calciborite, carboborite, chambersite, charlesite, congolite, danburite, datolite, diomignite, dravite, dumortierite, eremeevite, ericaite, ezcurrite, fabianite, ferruccite, flolovite, fluoborite, foitite, frolovite, garrelsite, gaudefroyite, ginorite, gowerite, halurgite, hambergite, heidornite, henmilite, hexahydroborite, hydroboracite, hydrochlorborite, hilgardite, holtite, howlite, hulsite, hungchaoite, inderborite, inderite, inyoite, jeremejevite, jimboite, kalborsite, karlite, katoite, kornerupine, kotoite, kurnakovite, lardarellite, ludwigite, lueneburgite, luidwigite, manandonite, mcallisterite, metaborite, meyerhofferite, moydite, nasinite, nifontovite, nobleite, nordenskjoeldine, olenite, oyelite, painite, pentahydroborate, pinnoite, povondraite, preobrazhenskite, priceite, pringleite, probertite, reedmergnerite, rhodozite, rivadavite, roweite, sabinite, sakhite, santite, sassolite, sborgite, schorl, seamanite, searlesite, serendibite, sibirskite, sinhalite, solongoite, spurrite, stillwellite, strontioborite, studenitsite, sturmanite, suanite, sulfoborite, sussexite, szaibelyite, teepleite, tertschite, tincalconite, tunellite, tusionite, tyretskite, uralborite, veatchite, boric vesuvianite, vistepite, volkovskite, vonsenite, warwickite, wawayandaite, wighmanite, wiluite, and wiserite, among others. 
     
     
         9 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING a phosphorus mineral that can be selected, without limitation, from aheylite, aldermanite, alforsite, alluaudite, althausite, amblygonite, anapaite, apatite, arctite, ardealite, arupite, augelite, autunite, babefphite, barbosalite, baricite, barringerite, bassetite, bauxite, bearthite, belovite, benauite, beraunite, berlinite, bermanite, bertossaite, beryllonite, beusite, biphosphamite, bobierrite, boggildite, bonshtedtite, brabantite, bradleyite, brazilianite, brianite, britholite, brushite, buchwaldite, cacoxenite, canaphite, cassidyite, chalcosiderite, cheralite, churchite, chlorapatite, coffinite, collinsite, coeruleolactite, corkite, cornetite, crandallite, crawfordite, curetonite, cyrilovite, diadochite, dittmarite, dorfmanite, dufrenite, dumontite, earlshannonite, ehrleite, eosphorite, fairfieldite, farringtonite, florencite, fluellite, fluorapatite, fluorellestadite, foggite, fornacite, francoanellite, fransoletite, frondelite, furongite, gainesite, galileiite, gatehouseite, gatumbaite, giniite, girvasite, glucine, gorceixite, gordonite, goyazite, graftonite, grattarolaite, grayite, hentschelite, herderite, heterosite, hinsdalite, holtedahlite, hopeite, hotsonite, hureaulite, hurlbutite, hydroxylapatite, hydroxylherderite, hydroxyl-piromorphite, isokite, jagowerite, kaluginite, kidwellite, kingite, kingsmountite, kintoreite, kleemanite, kolbeckite, koninckite, kosnarite, kovdorskite, kribergite, kryzhanovskite, kuksite, lacroixite, landesite, laubmanite, laueite, lazulite, lehnerite, lermontovite, leucophosphite, libethenite, likasite, lipscombite, liroconite, lithiophilite, lithiophosphatite, lithiophosphate, lomonosovite, ludlamite, luneburgite, magniotriplite, mahlmoodite, mangangordonite, maricite, matulaite, metaankoleite, metaswitzerite, metatorbenite, metavariscite, metavauxite, mimetite, mitridatite, monazite, monetite, montebrasite, montgomerite, moraesite, moreauite, morinite, mundite, nabaphite, nafedovite, nalipoite, nasicon, nastrophite, natrophilite, natrophosphato, nefedovite, newberyite, niahite, ningyoite, nissonite, olympite, overite, oxyapatite, parafransoletite, parahopeite, paravauxite, parsonite, paulkellerite, petersite, phosphammite, phosphoellenbergerite, phosphoferrite, phosphofibrite, phosphophyllite, phosphorroslerite, phosphosiderite, phosphovanadylite, phosphuranylite, phosinaite, phuralumite, phurcalite, pyromorphite, pyrophosphite, plumbogummite, pretulite, pseudolaueite, pseudomalachite, purpurite, reichenbachite, robertsite, rockbridgeite, rodolicoite, sabugalite, saleeite, sampleite, satterlyite, scholzite, schreibersite, scorzalite, seamanite, segelerite, senegalite, sengalite, sidorenkite, sieleckiite, sigloite, silicocarnotite, spencerite, stercorite, stewartite, strengite, strunzite, struvite, svanbergite, switzerite, taranakite, tarbuttite, tavorite, threadgoldite, tinsleyite, tinticite, triangulite, triphylite, triplite, triploidite, trolleite, turquoise, uralolite, ushkovite, vanmeerscheite, variscite, varulite, vashegyite, vayrynenite, veszelyite, viitaniemiite, vitusita, vivianite, vochtenite, voggite, vuonnemite, vyacheslavite, wagnerite, wardite, wavellite, whitmoreite, wolfeite, woodhouseite, wooldridgeite, ximengite, zairite, zapatalite, and zodacite, among others. 
     
     
         10 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING a compound that can be, among others, a boron compound. 
     
     
         11 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING a compound that can be, among others, a phosphorus compound. 
     
     
         12 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 10  COMPRISING a compound that is a boron compound, selected preferably, without limitation, from borax, borates, and boranes, among others. 
     
     
         13 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 11  COMPRISING a compound that is a phosphorus compound, selected preferably, without limitation, from phosphonates, phosphoranes, phosphide, sodium hypophosphite, phosphine oxide, phosphorus pentafluoride, phosphorus trichloride, hexafluorophosphoric acid, and phosphorus (III) and (V) acid, among others. 
     
     
         14 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING an increase in copper recovery from said mineral. 
     
     
         15 . A copper leaching procedure COMPRISING:
 addition of a necessary amount of an oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid, or a compound or a mineral that generates the same to said leaching process.   Simultaneously adding sulfuric acid to the leaching heap.   where said necessary amount of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid will depend on the characteristics of said mineral.   
     
     
         16 . A copper leaching procedure of  claim 14  COMPRISING the addition of an oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid, preferably, to said leaching heap. 
     
     
         17 . A copper leaching procedure of  claim 15  COMPRISING said weak acid, preferably, boric or phosphoric acid. 
     
     
         18 . A copper leaching procedure of  claim 14  COMPRISING said mineral added to said leaching process. 
     
     
         19 . A copper leaching procedure of  claim 17  COMPRISING said mineral, preferably, a boron or phosphorus mineral. 
     
     
         20 . A copper leaching procedure of  claim 17  COMPRISING said compound, preferably, a boron or phosphorus compound. 
     
     
         21 . A copper leaching procedure of  claim 17  COMPRISING said compound, preferably selected from borax, borates, and boranes, among others. 
     
     
         22 . A copper leaching procedure of  claim 17  COMPRISING said compound, preferably selected from borax. 
     
     
         23 . A copper leaching procedure of  claim 17  COMPRISING said compound, preferably selected from phosphates, phosphonates, phosphoranes, phosphites, phosphides, sodium hypophosphite, phosphine oxide, phosphorus pentafluoride, phosphorus trichloride, hexafluorophosphoric acid, and phosphorus (III) and (V) acid, among others. 
     
     
         24 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same COMPRISING an increase in copper recovery from mineral and/or to increase copper concentration of the solution in the copper bioleaching process. 
     
     
         25 . Use of weak acids or oxygenated or polyoxygenated minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 21  COMPRISING a weak acid that can be, among others, boric acid or phosphoric acid. 
     
     
         26 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 24  COMPRISING a weak acid that is preferably boric acid, also called orthoboric acid. 
     
     
         27 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 24  COMPRISING a weak acid that is preferably phosphoric acid, also called orthophosphoric acid. 
     
     
         28 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 24  COMPRISING a mineral that contains boron or phosphorus. 
     
     
         29 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 24  COMPRISING a mineral that contains boron. 
     
     
         30 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 24  COMPRISING a mineral that contains phosphorus. 
     
     
         31 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 24  COMPRISING a boron mineral that can be selected, without limitation, from ulexite, colemanite, kernite, pandermite, bakerite, datolite, elbaite, admontite, aksaite, ameghinite, ammonioborite, aristarainite, avogadrite, axinite, bandylite, barberiite, behierite, berborite, biringuccite, boracite, boralsilite, borax, borazon, borcarite, bormuscovite, cahnite, calciborite, carboborite, chambersite, charlesite, congolite, danburite, datolite, diomignite, dravite, dumortierite, eremeevite, ericaite, ezcurrite, fabianite, ferruccite, flolovite, fluoborite, foitite, frolovite, garrelsite, gaudefroyite, ginorite, gowerite, halurgite, hambergite, heidornite, henmilite, hexahydroborite, hydroboracite, hydrochlorborite, hilgardite, holtite, howlite, hulsite, hungchaoite, inderborite, inderite, inyoite, jeremejevite, jimboite, kalborsite, karlite, katoite, kornerupine, kotoite, kurnakovite, lardarellite, ludwigite, lueneburgite, luidwigite, manandonite, mcallisterite, metaborite, meyerhofferite, moydite, nasinite, nifontovite, nobleite, nordenskjoeldine, olenite, oyelite, painite, pentahydroborate, pinnoite, povondraite, preobrazhenskite, priceite, pringleite, probertite, reedmergnerite, rhodozite, rivadavite, roweite, sabinite, sakhite, santite, sassolite, sborgite, schorl, seamanite, searlesite, serendibite, sibirskite, sinhalite, solongoite, spurrite, stillwellite, strontioborite, studenitsite, sturmanite, suanite, sulfoborite, sussexite, szaibelyite, teepleite, tertschite, tincalconite, tunellite, tusionite, tyretskite, uralborite, veatchite, boric vesuvianite, vistepite, volkovskite, vonsenite, warwickite, wawayandaite, wighmanite, wiluite, and wiserite, among others. 
     
     
         32 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 24  COMPRISING a phosphorus mineral that can be selected, without limitation, from aheylite, aldermanite, alforsite, alluaudite, althausite, amblygonite, anapaite, apatite, arctite, ardealite, arupite, augelite, autunite, babefphite, barbosalite, baricite, barringerite, bassetite, bauxite, bearthite, belovite, benauite, beraunite, berlinite, bermanite, bertossaite, beryllonite, beusite, biphosphamite, bobierrite, boggildite, bonshtedtite, brabantite, bradleyite, brazilianite, brianite, britholite, brushite, buchwaldite, cacoxenite, canaphite, cassidyite, chalcosiderite, cheralite, churchite, chlorapatite, coffinite, collinsite, coeruleolactite, corkite, cornetite, crandallite, crawfordite, curetonite, cyrilovite, diadochite, dittmarite, dorfmanite, dufrenite, dumontite, earlshannonite, ehrleite, eosphorite, fairfieldite, farringtonite, florencite, fluellite, fluorapatite, fluorellestadite, foggite, fornacite, francoanellite, fransoletite, frondelite, furongite, gainesite, galileiite, gatehouseite, gatumbaite, giniite, girvasite, glucine, gorceixite, gordonite, goyazite, graftonite, grattarolaite, grayite, hentschelite, herderite, heterosite, hinsdalite, holtedahlite, hopeite, hotsonite, hureaulite, hurlbutite, hydroxylapatite, hydroxylherderite, hydroxyl-piromorphite, isokite, jagowerite, kaluginite, kidwellite, kingite, kingsmountite, kintoreite, kleemanite, kolbeckite, koninckite, kosnarite, kovdorskite, kribergite, kryzhanovskite, kuksite, lacroixite, landesite, laubmanite, laueite, lazulite, lehnerite, lermontovite, leucophosphite, libethenite, likasite, lipscombite, liroconite, lithiophilite, lithiophosphatite, lithiophosphate, lomonosovite, ludlamite, luneburgite, magniotriplite, mahlmoodite, mangangordonite, maricite, matulaite, metaankoleite, metaswitzerite, metatorbenite, metavariscite, metavauxite, mimetite, mitridatite, monazite, monetite, montebrasite, montgomerite, moraesite, moreauite, morinite, mundite, nabaphite, nafedovite, nalipoite, nasicon, nastrophite, natrophilite, natrophosphato, nefedovite, newberyite, niahite, ningyoite, nissonite, olympite, overite, oxyapatite, parafransoletite, parahopeite, paravauxite, parsonite, paulkellerite, petersite, phosphammite, phosphoellenbergerite, phosphoferrite, phosphofibrite, phosphophyllite, phosphorroslerite, phosphosiderite, phosphovanadylite, phosphuranylite, phosinaite, phuralumite, phurcalite, pyromorphite, pyrophosphite, plumbogummite, pretulite, pseudolaueite, pseudomalachite, purpurite, reichenbachite, robertsite, rockbridgeite, rodolicoite, sabugalite, saleeite, sampleite, satterlyite, scholzite, schreibersite, scorzalite, seamanite, segelerite, senegalite, sengalite, sidorenkite, sieleckiite, sigloite, silicocarnotite, spencerite, stercorite, stewartite, strengite, strunzite, struvite, svanbergite, switzerite, taranakite, tarbuttite, tavorite, threadgoldite, tinsleyite, tinticite, triangulite, triphylite, triplite, triploidite, trolleite, turquoise, uralolite, ushkovite, vanmeerscheite, variscite, varulite, vashegyite, vayrynenite, veszelyite, viitaniemiite, vitusita, vivianite, vochtenite, voggite, vuonnemite, vyacheslavite, wagnerite, wardite, wavellite, whitmoreite, wolfeite, woodhouseite, wooldridgeite, ximengite, zairite, zapatalite, and zodacite, among others. 
     
     
         33 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 24  COMPRISING a compound that can be, among others, a boron compound. 
     
     
         34 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 24  COMPRISING a compound that can be, among others, a phosphorus compound. 
     
     
         35 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 33  COMPRISING a compound that is a boron compound, selected preferably, without limitation, from borax, borates, and boranes, among others. 
     
     
         36 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 34  COMPRISING a compound that is a phosphorus compound, selected preferably, without limitation, from phosphonates, phosphoranes, phosphide, sodium hypophosphite, phosphine oxide, phosphorus pentafluoride, phosphorus trichloride, hexafluorophosphoric acid, and phosphorus (III) and (V) acid, among others. 
     
     
         37 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper bioleaching of  claim 24  COMPRISING an increase in copper recovery from said mineral. 
     
     
         38 . A copper bioleaching procedure COMPRISING:
 addition of a necessary amount of an oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid, or a compound or a mineral that generates the same to said bioleaching process.   Simultaneously adding sulfuric acid to said bioleaching heap or dump site.   The necessary amount of weak acid added will depend on the characteristics of the mineral to be bioleached.   
     
     
         39 . A copper bioleaching procedure of  claim 24  COMPRISING the addition of an oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid, preferably, to said bioleaching process. 
     
     
         40 . A copper bioleaching procedure of  claim 25  COMPRISING said weak acid, preferably, boric or phosphoric acid. 
     
     
         41 . A copper leaching procedure of  claim 24  COMPRISING said mineral added to said bioleaching process. 
     
     
         42 . A copper bioleaching procedure of  claim 27  COMPRISING said mineral, preferably, a boron or phosphorus mineral. 
     
     
         43 . A copper bioleaching procedure of  claim 27  COMPRISING said compound, preferably, a boron or phosphorus compound. 
     
     
         44 . A copper bioleaching procedure of  claim 27  COMPRISING said compound, preferably selected from borax, borates, and boranes, among others. 
     
     
         45 . A copper bioleaching procedure of  claim 27  COMPRISING said compound, preferably selected from borax. 
     
     
         46 . A copper bioleaching procedure of  claim 27  COMPRISING said compound, preferably selected from phosphates, phosphonates, phosphoranes, phosphites, phosphides, sodium hypophosphite, phosphine oxide, phosphorus pentafluoride, phosphorus trichloride, hexafluorophosphoric acid, and phosphorus (III) and (V) acid, among others. 
     
     
         47 . Use of solid and liquid wastes from plants producing oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids and their derivatives COMPRISING an increase in copper recovery from mineral and/or to increase the copper concentration of the pregnant leach solution in said copper leaching process or copper bioleaching process. 
     
     
         48 . Use of solid and liquid wastes from plants producing oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids and their derivatives COMPRISING an increase in copper recovery from mineral and/or to increase the copper concentration of the pregnant leach solution in said copper leaching process. 
     
     
         49 . Use of solid and liquid wastes from plants producing boric acid, borax, and phosphoric acids and their derivatives COMPRISING an increase in copper recovery from mineral and/or to increase the copper concentration of the pregnant leach solution in said copper bioleaching process. 
     
     
         50 . Use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same in the copper leaching or bioleaching of  claim 1  COMPRISING an acid having a dissociation constant that varies between 1.80×10 −16  and 55.50, except for carbonic acid.