Global BioSciences obtains United States patent.Global BioSciences, Inc. (North Attleborough, MA) has patented methods and apparatus for recovering metals from metal-containing support materials such as mineral ores. In one embodiment, the metal may be separated from crushed support material or ore in a bioleaching lagoon by the action of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria under anaerobic anaerobic /an·aer·o·bic/ (an?ah-ro´bik) 1. lacking molecular oxygen. 2. growing, living, or occurring in the absence of molecular oxygen; pertaining to an anaerobe. conditions. The bioleached material is then pumped into a precipitation lagoon where hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria oxidize oxidize /ox·i·dize/ (ok´si-diz) to cause to combine with oxygen or to remove hydrogen. ox·i·dize v. 1. To combine with oxygen; change into an oxide. 2. the metals under aerobic conditions. In another embodiment, metals may be directly biooxidized from a heap of the metal-containing support material having a hydrocarbon/oxygen injection system embedded Inserted into. See embedded system. therein. A water sprinkler system may be used to wet the heap while the hydrocarbon/oxygen injection system stimulates the growth of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria. The resulting effluent effluent waste from an abattoir carried away in liquid form. Disposal is a major problem because of the need to avoid pollution of waterways. See aerobic effluent treatment, anaerobic effluent treatment. solution may be pumped or gravity fed to an aerobic precipitation lagoon where aerobic hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria are used to precipitate precipitate /pre·cip·i·tate/ (-sip´i-tat) 1. to cause settling in solid particles of substance in solution. 2. a deposit of solid particles settled out of a solution. 3. occurring with undue rapidity. or otherwise deposit the metals onto a deposition material. (US 6,875,356) |
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