James Michael Olson
Engineers at Newcombe St, Arvada, CO
License number
Colorado 20883
Issued Date
Jul 27, 1983
Renew Date
Jul 31, 1995
Expiration Date
Jul 31, 1995
Type
Professional Engineer
Address
Address
8440 Newcombe St, Arvada, CO 80005
Professional information
Recovery Of Molybdenum From Molybdenum Bearing Sulfide Materials By Bioleaching In The Presence Of Iron
US Patent:
8268037, Sep 18, 2012
Filed:
Jul 19, 2007
Appl. No.:
12/375955
Inventors:
Wolfgang Kummer - Goslar, DE
Wilfried Gutknecht - Goslar, DE
James Gregory Olson - Arvada CO, US
Thomas R. Clark - Lakewood CO, US
Wilfried Gutknecht - Goslar, DE
James Gregory Olson - Arvada CO, US
Thomas R. Clark - Lakewood CO, US
Assignee:
H.C. Starck GmbH
International Classification:
C22B 3/18, C22B 3/06
US Classification:
75712, 75743
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method of recovering molybdenum from a molybdenum bearing sulfide material. The material is contacted with a leaching solution in the presence of iron compounds and mesophilic or thermophilic iron oxidizing microorganisms and subsequently, a leaching process is performed by controlling the molar ratio of dissolved ferric iron to dissolved molybdenum. Preferably, a high amount and molar excess of dissolved iron is used. The presence of high concentrations of ferric iron in bioleach solutions allows iron-oxidizing microorganisms to grow and oxidize iron and bioleach molybdenite at dissolved Mo concentrations as high as 4. 4 g/L. Organic metabolites were not required for protecting cells from Mo toxicity. Maximum dissolution rates depend on reactor configuration, with agglomerated material simulating heap leaching of almost 1% Mo/day, but up to 10. 2% Mo/day in suspension/stirred reactor configurations, with rate highly dependent on temperature within the range of 25° C.