Page 1 the traditional method for recovering platinum group metals pt, pa, ir, os, rh, ru and au is not economically viable in the case of lowgrade deposits, but researchers from the western australian school of. Gold is usually found alone or alloyed with mercury or silver, but can also be found in ores such as calaverite, sylvanite, nagyagite, petzite and krennerite. Extracting iron and copper reactions of metals aqa. The grade of ore refers to the concentration of the desired material it contains. Sep 19, 2014 how is platinum extracted from its ore. Rhodiums industrial extraction is complex, because rhodium is usually alloyed with other metals which are in the platinum group of metals. Platinum, too, is a perfect setting for diamonds and other precious gems. A major development in the worlds platinum industry took place in the early nineteen twenties when large deposits of platinum bearing ore were discovered in. The primary production of platinum group metals pgms introduction the six platinum group metals pgms occur together in nature alongside nickel and copper. In south africa, the pgm ore is mined in the western and eastern limb of the bushveld igneous complex. Platinum, palladium and gold leaching from magnetite ore. How is platinum extracted from its ore linkedin slideshare. Extraction of gold from platinum group metal ores sciencedirect. Tailings are the materials left over after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction of an ore.
Copper is found in natural ore deposits around the world. For those who seek to have a piece of this special metal, look no further than your ccs. It is a rare element and occurs along with deposits of platinum, nickel, copper, silver and gold and is therefore obtained as a byproduct of mining these metals i. This enables a progressive method of mining which includes the drilling of the reef and blasting it to advance the face. The first step in the mining process is getting the platinum ore out of the ground and into a refinery or processing plant. It is always found as a compound such as, in limestone, chalk and marble. North america hosts three enormous pgm ore deposits. Extraction and refining of the platinum metals a complex cycle of smelting, electrolytic and chemical operations. Platinum ores article about platinum ores by the free. Complete removal of catalytic converter from vehicle. Commercial lithium production and mining of lithium. Platinum ores such as sperrylite and cooperite may be mined when they are found in quantities that make extraction economically feasible. In order to extract the platinum from within a catalytic converter, the converter must be removed completely from the vehicle.
Platinum ores such as sperrylite and cooperite may be mined when they are found in quantities that make extraction. Metal extraction and the reactivity series iron and. Ore is extracted from the earth through mining and refined, often via smelting, to extract the valuable element or elements. Platinum is mined very few places around the world.
The average grade of platinum group elements pges in ores mined for their pge concentrations range from 5 to 15 ppm. The platinum orebody is a thin, tabular reef covering a vast area. Us4295881a process for extraction of platinum group. Cornstarch replaces cyanide in clean new gold extraction method. For platinum, the two chief minerals are sperrylite or platinum arsenide ptas2 and cooperate or platinum sulfide pts. This process is necessary because platinum, even in ore, needs to be removed from other substances. Gold is typically associated with platinum group metal pgm ores and is ultimately recovered in the precious metals refineries.
The mining of palladium is a very intricate process because of the fact that palladium is so spread out under the surface and in the mines and requires using mechanical. With mining regulations crippling some parts of the world, platinum mining remains strong in others. Jan 24, 2020 most lithium is commercially produced from either the extraction of lithiumcontaining salts from underground brine reservoirs or the mining of lithiumcontaining rock, such as spodumene. For platinum, the twochief minerals are sperrylite or platinum arsenide. Extracting platinum from these ores is arguably one of the most capital. Palladium mining, techniques, mines, occurence, pgm, metal. There are several steps in the mining process of platinum, the first one being extraction of the platinum ore and bringing it above ground, there are two ways of doing this the first and older way is to blast the ore free with explosives. Platinum is a silverwhite precious metal that is rarer than gold. Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol pt and atomic number 78. The properties and applications of platinum the balance. Extraction of platinum, palladium and gold by cyanidation of. Also we know the process to extract rhodium is a complex process and a lot of attention work is put into it, to make sure it is done right, so a valuable resources isnt wasted.
A process for treating chromitebearing ores to obtain useful mineral values, especially platinum group metal, therefrom wherein the ore is separated into magnetic and nonmagnetic fractions. In south africa, the pgm ore is mined in the western and eastern limb of the bushveld igneous complex 8. Extraction and refining of the platinum metals johnson. In case the extraction should not be satisfactory, it is then easier to find what the cause is. Extracting platinum metals chemical engineering page 1. These reefs typically have fairly low contents of sulphides. How can i extract platinum group metals from cu based rock. Extraction and refining of the platinum metals johnson matthey. An alternative hydrometallurgical process for which this is not an issue is proposed that involves reductive roasting of the ore followed by leaching with. In most rocks, platinum group minerals range in size from less than a micron to a few hundred microns in diameter, so the presence of pges must be confirmed by laboratory analysis.
Existing processes for the recovery of platinum group metals pgm from ug2 ores place stringent requirements with regard to chromite content upon feed material to the plant. Platinum, palladium and gold leaching from magnetite ore, with concentrated chloride solutions and ozone article in hydrometallurgy 166 june 2016 with 253 reads how we measure reads. For platinum, the twochief minerals are sperrylite or platinum arsenide ptas2 and cooperate or platinum sulfide pts. How is platinum mined life123 articles and answers about life. A lowpressure process to leach metals from laterite ores. Pt, pd, au, ag are the elements in my cu based ore. Proceedings of the world congress on engineering 3. Pgm extraction and refinement is also a capital and laborintensive process. Apr 03, 2002 when it comes to the supply of platinum, russia is a wildcard. Underground cabins in the underground desert also have a chance to contain a placed extractinator. Extraction of silver after a chloridizing roasting the ore should be examined to ascertain the amount of chloride of silver contained in it, according to 21. Hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a lowgrade ore concentrate.
Extraction and refining of the platinum metals a complex cycle of smelting, electrolytic. This brings the platinum particles, with the air particles, up to. The extraction of silver by the solving processes simple. Hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a. Cornstarch replaces cyanide in clean new gold extraction.
Firstly, the other metals which are in the ore and quickly taken out. Extracting platinum from ore is both capital and laborintensive. Most gold ore now comes from either open pit or underground mines. The separation chemistry of the platinum group metals is among the most complex and challenging of metal separations. A major development in the worlds platinum industry took place in the early nineteen twenties when large deposits of platinum bearing ore were discovered in the transvaal in south africa.
The silver ores are found along with gold ores in some parts of india. Tailings are distinct from overburden, which is the waste rock or other material that overlies an ore or mineral body and is displaced during mining without being processed. The primary production of platinum group metals pgms introduction the six platinum group metals pgms occur together in. Platinum group metals form a complex range of 30 to 40 minerals, each with a different resistance to leaching, making it difficult to find a unique solution for all deposits, explains eksteen.
Most catalytic converters simply bolt on to a vehicles exhaust system with a series of. Platinum is rarely found on its own, but in combination with other base and precious metals. As platinum is so incredibly rare it can take about as much as 10 tonnes of ore to find one ounce of platinum. The ores sometimes contain as little as 5100 of an ounce of gold per ton of rock. Extraction of the pure metal from ores is a complex process, and includes milling the ore, a froth. It can be found rarely in gold chests, ice chests, or other chests in the underground, and wooden crates. Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains desirable minerals, typically metals, that can be extracted from it. Isolation of elements in chemistry class 12 aims to teach the students about various processes of extraction of metals from ores. Extraction and refining extraction, concentration and refining of pgms require. An ore is a naturally occurring mineral from which a pure metal can be extracted.
Silver also occurs both in combined state as well as in free state. Extraction of platinum, palladium and gold by cyanidation. Just like many other metals, platinoids are produced in three stages. Imagine that i have a copper based ore which also consists platinum group metals. Overall, we know rhodium is a byproduct of nickel platinum and gets extracted from other metal ores. Merensky and platreef have similar chemical and mineral composition 6, 10. The ore is first roasted with salt in the usual way, whereby the formation of base metal chlorides cannot be avoided entirely. The process of extracting pure calcium from an ore is through electrolysis, which is the same process performed by its founder, sir humphrey davy when he first discovered calcium as an element. It is incredibly difficult to find in large pure quantities, so it needs to be extracted from the ore in a very specific way. The only commercially viable pgm deposit within the united states is found in the stillwater complex in southern montana. Pdf commercial processes for the extraction of platinum. The dispersed form of platinum group metals in platinum ores found as infinitesimally small impurities enclosed in the crystal lattice of ore and rockforming minerals is of lesser importance.
The extractive metallurgy of south africas platinum ores. Mineable deposits of pgms are very rare, with annual production amounting to around 400 tonnes, several orders of magnitude lower than many common metals. For platinum, the twochief minerals are sperrylite or platinum arsenide ptas2 and cooperate or platinum. Platinum is an extremely rare metal, occurring at a concentration of only 0. I want to extract platinum metal from this ore,which then i can use it to explore platinum chemistry.
The jm reef ore body in montana contains mostly copper and nickel, with low platinum content as a byproduct. In south africa, the pgm ore is mined in the western and eastern limb of the bushv eld. There are several methods for how to recover platinum from catalytic converters, and other metals, too. The platinum bullion value is high because of its scarcity and its use in industrial applications. The effects of cyanidation conditions ph, time, particle size of the ore, additives to the leach, and oxidative pretreatments at ambient temperatures on the extraction of platinum, palladium and gold from samples from the coronation hill deposit, australia, were studied. In 1801, englishman william wollaston discovered a method for effectively extracting the metal from ore, which is very similar to the process used today.
The first step in this process is to crush platinum containing ore and immerse it in the reagent containing water. Us4685963a process for the extraction of platinum group. After roasting, the ore is first subjected to leaching with water, in order to extract the base metal chlorides, and then with hyposulphite of lime, to extract the silver. Page 1 the traditional method for recovering platinumgroup metals pt, pa, ir, os. Gold and platinum are among the worlds most valuable substances. We found that if we could recover economic levels of platinum metal using heap leaching, then we were able to recover it from solution. Leaching and recovery of platinum group metals from ug2. The platinum ore is not pure, so it is first crushed. According to the international platinum group metals association ipa, it can take as long as six months from initial mining activities to produce the final metal.
How is platinum extracted from a catalytic converter. Thus, it does not have a specific ore that it is extracted from. Scientists accidentally discover a new way to isolate gold that is much. Us4295881a process for extraction of platinum group metals. Within the bushveld igneous complex, the merensky reef, the platreef and upper group 2 ug2 reef are exploited for platinum production 1, 4, 9. Pgm ore is mined typically underground but sometimes in opencast pits. This produces many tiny particles that can be treated. Primary deposits of platinum ores are platiniferous complex sulfide and platinum chromite ores in a variety of forms with massive and disseminated structure.
Gravel deposits in alberta, canada, provide a placer source for platinum in certain rivers, where it coincides with gold and other minerals. A brief description of procedures for isolating the platinum group metals is set forth below, followed by descriptions of assaying and scraprefining techniques. The first step in the mining process is getting the platinum ore out of the. The kell process has been developed for the extraction of platinum group metals pgmsand base. This chapter summarizes the extraction and refining of gold from pgmbearing concentrates and secondary materials. The extraction technology for platinum group metals pgms has changed dramatically in the last 80 years, and the changes are likely to continue for years to come. The highgrade ore is produced by the jmreef formation of the stillwater complex. If pure platinum is found in placer deposits or other ores, it is isolated from them by various methods of subtracting impurities. It can take up to 6 months and 7 to 12 tons of ore to produce one troy ounce 31. Platinum is often found chemically uncombined as native platinum and as alloy with the other platinum group metals and iron mostly. Platinum flakes can be recovered through gravel washings, shaking tables and other methods.
This page explains the production route taken from extraction of ore containing rock to a final product that is the highestpurity commercial metal in existence and used in a wide variety of applications essential to modern living. Xrf helps meet the platinum group metals mining challenge. How to refine and melt platinum tutorial part 1 youtube. This led to the formation in 1931 of rustenburg platinum mines limited to work these deposits, and this company remains to this day the only platinum producer in south africa and the only major producer in. Sep 19, 2014 an ore is a naturally occurring mineral from which a pure metal can be extracted.
Once it has been mined, the platinum is extracted from the ore in the same way. Jun 19, 2014 platinum is rarely found on its own, but in combination with other base and precious metals. Large scale mechanised mining methods we use include. The primary production of platinum group metals pgms. Processes extraction, mining, smelting, refining, leaching. Underground mining is used to extract ore from below the surface of the earth safely, economically and with as little waste as possible.
Air particles then bubble through an aeration tank and adhere to the platinum particles. Platinum should platinum still be mined platinum refining and issues platinum mining and extraction methods platinum description and uses improved separation and refining procedures have become available for all of the precious metals. From the outset johnson matthey has been associated with rustenburg, first in developing methods for the extraction of the platinum metals from these ores, and thereafter as smelters and refiners of the output from the mines. How to identify platinum in ore deposits sciencing. In other situations, platinum is obtained as a byproduct when ores of other metals, such as copper and nickel, are refined. It is used extract silver ore, gold ore, platinum ore, coal and iron ore. Extraction of the pure metal from ores is a complex process, and includes milling the ore, a.
Sciencemadness discussion board extraction of platinum metal here is the picture of among the ores he gave me. Lithium production from clay sources is expected to become commercially viable, though perhaps not until 2022. An ore is a rock that contains enough of a metal or a metal compound to make extracting the metal worthwhile. Platinum is an incredibly rare metal that is mined and extracted in a variety of different ways depending on the technological sophistication of the miners attempting to extract it. The mine is a production building unlocked at experience level 24. The entry from the surface to an underground mine may be through a horizontal or vertical tunnel, known as an adit, shaft or decline. Extraction of silver by cyanide process and its uses. Commercial processes for the extraction of platinum group metals pgms 123 a mineral phase reconstruction process was proposed to recover pgms from spent autoexhaust catalyst 72. Extracting platinum from these ores is arguably one of the most capital and labour intensive operations in the world. The extractinator is an item which converts silt, slush and desert fossils into more valuable items such as ores, coins, and gems. A process for separating platinum group metals pgms from various feedstock materials, is disclosed, wherein a plasma arc flame is employed to produce a superheated puddle on the surface of a slag layer to accelerate the association of platinum group metals with a collector material and formation of a recoverable layer of platinum group metals and collector material. Argentite ag 2 s, copper silver glance, horn silver, ruby silver. The kell process has been developed for the extraction of platinum group metals pgmsand base metals.