COMPOSITION AND METHOD FOR AGGLOMERATING ORE

• Main Authors: WALKER, DANIEL D., JR, OLIPHANT, JOSEPH
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 08.07.2003
• Edition: 5
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; METALLURGY; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS; PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS

The binder composition for agglomerating ore fines of the invention is a mixture of (1) a reactive calcareous component, (2) a reactive siliceous and aluminous component, and (3) a sulfate compound. Preferably, the binder composition is comprised of 10 to 80 % by weight lime as the calcareous component, 5 to 50 % by weight fly ash as the siliceous-aluminous component and to 80 % by weight sulfate compound such as gypsum. Most preferably, the siliceous-aluminous component is a low carbon content fly having less than about 0.5 % by weight carbon content. The preferred lime component of the binder composition is either a high calcium line with greater than about 90 % by weight CaO content ora dolomitic lime. In the process for recovery of metals from ores having ore fines of the metals, the ore fines are first agglomerated by adding thereto a binder composition, the binder composition comprising about 10 to 80 % by weight lime; 10 to 80 % by weight sulfate compound and 5 to 50 % by weight siliceous-aluminous material. A leach bed is formed of the agglomerated ore and the bed is leached with a leaching agent to there- by form a leach liquor. The metal values are recovered from the leach liquor.