XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 1277
at Kennecott is the hydrometallurgical plant where ion
exchange could follow existing leaching equipment.
SUMMARY
There has been considerable development in new processes
and technologies for the recovery and production of critical
minerals at Rio Tinto. Broadening our traditional perspec-
tives on economic resource reserves, as well as the develop-
ment and processes required to turn those resources into
supply, highlights new opportunity to create step-change
advancements that can accelerate getting new critical min-
eral resources into the domestic supply chain. Through
full-value mining design, we are changing the traditional
perspective of waste or by-product streams to a new per-
spective that they may be key national resources. Through
partnerships between government, universities, national
laboratories, and industrial partners, we are forming eco-
systems to reduce production risk and unlock new, socially
responsible, and economically viable gateways to critical
minerals. We are creating ways to deliver the critical miner-
als the nation needs.
REFERENCES
Arroyo, F., Font, O., Chimenos, J.M., Fernández-Pereira,
C., Querol, X., and Coca, P. 2014. IGCC fly ash valo-
risation. Optimisation of Ge and Ga recovery for an
industrial application. Fuel Processing Technology, 124,
222–227.
Bosi, M. and Attolini, G. 2010. Germanium: Epitaxy
and its applications. Progress in Crystal Growth and
Characterization of Materials, 56(3–4), 146–174.
Canizares, M., Gladkovas, M., and Mezei, A. 2009. New
chloride based process for the recovery of bismuth
from polymetallic concentrates-NICO Deposit, NWT,
Canada. Mineral Processing Plant Design Conference,
Tucson, AZ, USA.
Drzazga, M., Prajsnar, R., Chmielarz, A., Benke, G.
Leszczyńska-Sejda, K., Ciszewski, M., Bilewska, K.,
and Krawiec, G. 2018. Germanium and Indium
Recovery from Zinc Metallurgy by-Products—Dross
Leaching in Sulphuric and Oxalic Acids. Metals, 8.
Fink, D.A. and Culver-Hopper, J. 1991. Germanium
Requirements for National Defense. Institute for
Defense Analyses, Alexandra, VA.
Frenzel, M., Hirsch, T., and Gutzmer, J. 2016. Gallium,
germanium, indium, and other trace and minor ele-
ments in sphalerite as a function of deposit type—A
meta-analysis. Ore Geology Reviews, 76, 52–78.
Gao, W., Xu, B., Yang, J., Yang, Y., Li, Q., Zhang, B., Liu,
G., Ma, Y., and Jiang, T. 2022. Recovery of valuable
metals from copper smelting open-circuit dust and
its arsenic safe disposal. Resources, Conservation and
Recycling, 179.
González, A., Font, O., Moreno, N., Querol, X., Arancibia,
N., and Navia, R. 2017. Copper Flash Smelting Flue
Dust as a Source of Germanium. Waste and Biomass
Valorization, 8, 2121–2129.
Huang, Y., Wang, M., Liu, B., Su, S., Sun, H., Yang, S.,
and Han, G. 2024. The extraction and separation of
scarce critical metals: A review of gallium, indium
and germanium extraction and separation from solid
wastes. Separations, 11(4), 91.
Liu, F., Liu, Z., Li, Y., Wilson, B. P., and Lundström, M.
2017. Recovery and separation of gallium (III) and
germanium (IV) from zinc refinery residues: Part I:
Leaching and iron (III) removal. Hydrometallurgy, 169,
564–570.
Musumeci, S. and Barba, V.L. 2023. Gallium Nitride
Power Devices in Power Electronics Applications: State
of Art and Perspectives. Energies.
Nguyen, T.H. and Lee, M.S. 2021. A review on germa-
nium resources and its extraction by hydrometallurgical
method. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy
Review, 42(6), 406–426.
Potysz, A. and Kierczak, J. 2019. “Prospective (bio) leach-
ing of historical copper slags as an alternative to their
disposal.” Minerals, 9.9, 542.
Reuters. 2023. Germanium, Gallium: What are they used
for? Here are some facts about these high-tech strategic
materials. The Economic Times.
Shen, Y., Zhang, H., Cao, H., Wu, L., and Zheng, G. 2019.
Efficient extraction of bismuth from hydrochloric acid
solution by copper powder. Hydrometallurgy, 189.
Statista Research Department. 2024. Price of Germanium
Metal in the U.S. from 2014 to 2023. Retrieved
April 25, 2024 from https://www.statista.com
/statistics/1061511/us-germanium-price/.
U.S. Geological Survey. 2022. Mineral commodity sum-
maries 2022: Bismuth. Retrieved April 26, 2024 from
https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2022/mcs2022
-bismuth.pdf.
U.S. Geological Survey. 2023. Mineral commodity sum-
maries 2023: Bismuth. Retrieved April 26, 2024 from
https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2023/mcs2023
-bismuth.pdf.
at Kennecott is the hydrometallurgical plant where ion
exchange could follow existing leaching equipment.
SUMMARY
There has been considerable development in new processes
and technologies for the recovery and production of critical
minerals at Rio Tinto. Broadening our traditional perspec-
tives on economic resource reserves, as well as the develop-
ment and processes required to turn those resources into
supply, highlights new opportunity to create step-change
advancements that can accelerate getting new critical min-
eral resources into the domestic supply chain. Through
full-value mining design, we are changing the traditional
perspective of waste or by-product streams to a new per-
spective that they may be key national resources. Through
partnerships between government, universities, national
laboratories, and industrial partners, we are forming eco-
systems to reduce production risk and unlock new, socially
responsible, and economically viable gateways to critical
minerals. We are creating ways to deliver the critical miner-
als the nation needs.
REFERENCES
Arroyo, F., Font, O., Chimenos, J.M., Fernández-Pereira,
C., Querol, X., and Coca, P. 2014. IGCC fly ash valo-
risation. Optimisation of Ge and Ga recovery for an
industrial application. Fuel Processing Technology, 124,
222–227.
Bosi, M. and Attolini, G. 2010. Germanium: Epitaxy
and its applications. Progress in Crystal Growth and
Characterization of Materials, 56(3–4), 146–174.
Canizares, M., Gladkovas, M., and Mezei, A. 2009. New
chloride based process for the recovery of bismuth
from polymetallic concentrates-NICO Deposit, NWT,
Canada. Mineral Processing Plant Design Conference,
Tucson, AZ, USA.
Drzazga, M., Prajsnar, R., Chmielarz, A., Benke, G.
Leszczyńska-Sejda, K., Ciszewski, M., Bilewska, K.,
and Krawiec, G. 2018. Germanium and Indium
Recovery from Zinc Metallurgy by-Products—Dross
Leaching in Sulphuric and Oxalic Acids. Metals, 8.
Fink, D.A. and Culver-Hopper, J. 1991. Germanium
Requirements for National Defense. Institute for
Defense Analyses, Alexandra, VA.
Frenzel, M., Hirsch, T., and Gutzmer, J. 2016. Gallium,
germanium, indium, and other trace and minor ele-
ments in sphalerite as a function of deposit type—A
meta-analysis. Ore Geology Reviews, 76, 52–78.
Gao, W., Xu, B., Yang, J., Yang, Y., Li, Q., Zhang, B., Liu,
G., Ma, Y., and Jiang, T. 2022. Recovery of valuable
metals from copper smelting open-circuit dust and
its arsenic safe disposal. Resources, Conservation and
Recycling, 179.
González, A., Font, O., Moreno, N., Querol, X., Arancibia,
N., and Navia, R. 2017. Copper Flash Smelting Flue
Dust as a Source of Germanium. Waste and Biomass
Valorization, 8, 2121–2129.
Huang, Y., Wang, M., Liu, B., Su, S., Sun, H., Yang, S.,
and Han, G. 2024. The extraction and separation of
scarce critical metals: A review of gallium, indium
and germanium extraction and separation from solid
wastes. Separations, 11(4), 91.
Liu, F., Liu, Z., Li, Y., Wilson, B. P., and Lundström, M.
2017. Recovery and separation of gallium (III) and
germanium (IV) from zinc refinery residues: Part I:
Leaching and iron (III) removal. Hydrometallurgy, 169,
564–570.
Musumeci, S. and Barba, V.L. 2023. Gallium Nitride
Power Devices in Power Electronics Applications: State
of Art and Perspectives. Energies.
Nguyen, T.H. and Lee, M.S. 2021. A review on germa-
nium resources and its extraction by hydrometallurgical
method. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy
Review, 42(6), 406–426.
Potysz, A. and Kierczak, J. 2019. “Prospective (bio) leach-
ing of historical copper slags as an alternative to their
disposal.” Minerals, 9.9, 542.
Reuters. 2023. Germanium, Gallium: What are they used
for? Here are some facts about these high-tech strategic
materials. The Economic Times.
Shen, Y., Zhang, H., Cao, H., Wu, L., and Zheng, G. 2019.
Efficient extraction of bismuth from hydrochloric acid
solution by copper powder. Hydrometallurgy, 189.
Statista Research Department. 2024. Price of Germanium
Metal in the U.S. from 2014 to 2023. Retrieved
April 25, 2024 from https://www.statista.com
/statistics/1061511/us-germanium-price/.
U.S. Geological Survey. 2022. Mineral commodity sum-
maries 2022: Bismuth. Retrieved April 26, 2024 from
https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2022/mcs2022
-bismuth.pdf.
U.S. Geological Survey. 2023. Mineral commodity sum-
maries 2023: Bismuth. Retrieved April 26, 2024 from
https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2023/mcs2023
-bismuth.pdf.