Hydrometallurgy

Challenges

Hydrometallurgy has evolved, both as an alternative to and a complementary method for the pyrometallurgical recovery of metals. It eases the recovery of value metals from ores containing impurities that can produce high-melting-point slags. It also makes it economically viable to recover metals on a smaller scale and from sulfide ores without producing acid. Hydrometallurgy provides for a more direct metal-recovery route, reducing working capital and enabling new methods that can recover metals now in scarce supply.

Through research and development, hydrometallurgical processing has made steady progress. Now, it makes better use of resources like water, energy, and available land, greatly improving both capital and operating costs and reducing atmospheric emissions.

Capabilities

Process design

You reap the benefit of our wealth of experience in designing and developing existing and novel technologies. This means we need less time to become familiar with your operation and situation. And, that we have a ready-made knowledge base to draw on for the innovative and optimal project-enhancing solutions you want.

Test work planning and analysis

Test work programs ensure the design bases for projects are sound. These must be carefully planned so that the right information is collected, both to define the processes and to operationalize the scaling-up equipment— from the pilot phase through to commercial operation.

We use proven and rigorous methodologies to analyze what is required in advance, reducing the risk of information gaps. With our experience in designing and commercializing so many other new and innovative processes, you can be confident that data interpretation and system optimization is done just the way it should be.

Project implementation

Successful projects require a rigorous step-by-step, phase-by-phase approach to implementation. A disciplined and proven methodology makes sure work is done in the right order, improving efficiency and minimizing risk.

Operations performance

You need a partner who can assemble a team of experts with process and operating experience in the right, specific areas. Our hydromet group has just that ability. They can help you analyze and resolve most any operating problems.

We've undertaken numerous debottlenecking and problem-resolution studies. The methodologies we've developed for analyzing plant data, process modeling, and industry benchmarking are tried and proven.

Custom design of unit operations

Different tools and equipment need design solutions created specifically for them. We've worked with a wide range of hydrometallurgical equipment including heap-leaching designs, autoclave and flash vessels, solvent-extraction-mixer settlers, and electrowinning cell components.