METAL EXTRACTION PROCESS FROM METAL SULPHIDE MATERIAL WITH TRANSITION ELEMENT CONTAINING SPECIES AND AN ACID, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR

摘要

A process for extracting one or more metals from a metal containing material, as herein defined, including the steps of: (a) treating said metal containing material with an aqueous, acidic solution containing an acid and one or more Transition Element containing species; (b) introducing an oxidising agent into said solution in order to oxidise the Transition Element ion in said Transition Element containing species to a higher oxidation state; and (c) oxidising said metal containing material with the oxidised Transition Element containing species to effect release of said one or more metals from said metal containing material. Also described is an apparatus for use in a process for extracting metal from a metal containing material. The apparatus includes an agitating means, a conduit for introducing an oxidising agent, and an operating means for operating the agitating means.