Apparatus and method for separating particulate material from a liquid medium

摘要

The invention relates to an apparatus in the form of a multi-cell installation, and a method for the recovery of metal values from a liquid medium 16 in the form of a pulp or leach solution in which a continuous supply of a liquid medium 16 is continuously brought into reactive contact with a high concentration of a particulate material 17, and in which the particulate material is continuously separated from the liquid medium. The installation comprises a plurality of vessels 10, 12 for the liquid medium independently driven agitation means 34 for maintaining particulate material 17 in suspension; a screen 22 arranged at an angle to the horizontal and located above the liquid level; and an axial flow impeller 26 for causing an upward flow of the liquid medium 16 to the screen 22.