Cationic block polymer agglomeration agents for mineral bearing ores

摘要

A process for the percolation leaching of minerals from a mineral-beating ore comprises agglomerating the mineral-bearing ore with an agglomerating agent of a cationic block copolymer having a polymeric segment and a block containing an ammonium cation optionally with a block derived from an acrylamide monomer, forming the ore/agglomerating agent mixture into a heap, and leaching the heap by percolation with a leaching solution for subsequent recovery of the minerals at an acidic pH.