A new commercial metal recovery technology utilising on-site biological H2S production.

Details are given of a new plant for the recovery of Cu from low grade leach solutions at the Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee, Arizona. The plant employs BioteQ's BioSulphide process, which uses a high rate anaerobic biotechnology for the on-site production of H2S from elemental sulphur. The biogenic sulphide reagent produced is used to precipitate copper into a high-grade copper sulphide concentrate from the pregnant leach solution draining from a low-grade stockpile. The operation is one of three commercial plants using the technology for metal recovery (Cu, Ni and Co) and/or to produce high quality water for environmental discharge, and another is under construction. The environmental and economic benefits are discussed using data from the existing operations.
Details are given of a new plant for the recovery of Cu from low grade leach solutions at the Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee, Arizona. The plant employs BioteQ's BioSulphide process, which uses a high rate anaerobic biotechnology for the on-site production of H2S from elemental sulphur. The biogenic sulphide reagent produced is used to precipitate copper into a high-grade copper sulphide concentrate from the pregnant leach solution draining from a low-grade stockpile. The operation is one of three commercial plants using the technology for metal recovery (Cu, Ni and Co) and/or to produce high quality water for environmental discharge, and another is under construction. The environmental and economic benefits are discussed using data from the existing operations.