Development and Use of Ionic Liquids in Metal Recovery from Ores, Concentrates and Mattes. Ionic liquids, which are liquid over a wide temperature range and can dissolve a wide range of solutes to high concentrations, promise new and yet unexplored approaches in processing ores. We aim to prepare ionic liquids and apply these to increase the intensity of copper and gold sulfide processing, and to explore more efficient separation of platinum group metals from mattes. New oxidative leaching techn ....Development and Use of Ionic Liquids in Metal Recovery from Ores, Concentrates and Mattes. Ionic liquids, which are liquid over a wide temperature range and can dissolve a wide range of solutes to high concentrations, promise new and yet unexplored approaches in processing ores. We aim to prepare ionic liquids and apply these to increase the intensity of copper and gold sulfide processing, and to explore more efficient separation of platinum group metals from mattes. New oxidative leaching techniques will be developed to diminish ore passivation and enhance recovery; high current electrowinning of copper in ionic liquids will be probed. Evolving technology should yield economic and environmental benefits for a nationally important industry.Read moreRead less
Biological Leaching of Low Grade Nickel Laterite Ores. Harnessing the capability of fungi to dissolve large quantities of nickel and cobalt from laterite ores will create a step change in the technology for processing nickel laterites and other oxide minerals. Using microorganisms and their metabolic products promises to be effective, energy saving, easily controlled and environmentally safe. The mechanistic investigation proposed in this study will generate fundamental innovations and technolo ....Biological Leaching of Low Grade Nickel Laterite Ores. Harnessing the capability of fungi to dissolve large quantities of nickel and cobalt from laterite ores will create a step change in the technology for processing nickel laterites and other oxide minerals. Using microorganisms and their metabolic products promises to be effective, energy saving, easily controlled and environmentally safe. The mechanistic investigation proposed in this study will generate fundamental innovations and technological advancement in bio-leaching of laterite ores. Such technologies can secure the sustainability of nickel production and provide unique ecological reform to the mineral extraction industry.Read moreRead less