A METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF BISMUTH-CONTAINING SULPHIDE ORES OR CONCENTRATES OF SUCH ORE

摘要

The present invention relates to a method of pretreating sulphide ores or sulphide ore concentrates having high bismuth contents that have a disturbing influence on further processing of the ores or concentrates, such as to enable the ores or concentrates to be further processed for the recovery of their valuable metal contents or at least to facilitate such processing. The invention is characterized by leaching the ore or the concentrate with sulfuric acid over a predetermined time period while supplying heat at a pH below 2, and thereafter separating from the leachate a leaching residue in the form of a product which is leaner in bismuth and more enriched with regard to its valuable metal content than the input material.