RHEOLOGICAL METHOD FOR THE HYDROMETALLURGICAL RECOVERY OF BASE METALS FROM ORES

摘要

A rheological method for the hydrometallurgical recovery of base metals such as nickel from ores comprises the steps of combining a sulphide ore or concentrate (10) with a laterite or other oxide ore (12) and milling them together in a milling circuit (14) to form a combined slurry with improved rheological characteristics. The milled combined ore from the milling circuit (14) is subjected to a screening step in the screening circuit (18). Undersize ore is fed from the screening circuit (18) to a slurry tank (19), and the combined slurry is then pumped to a pressure acid leach circuit.