Heap-Leach Extraction and Hydrometallurgy

Heap-leach extraction is a process used to extract metals from crushed ore by piling it into large heaps and spraying it with an alkaline-cyanide solution. This technique is an essential part of hydrometallurgy, which is the method of separating metals from their ores through the use of aqueous solutions.

The alkaline-cyanide solution used in heap-leach extraction helps to convert the metal present in the crushed ore into soluble ions. These ions can then be extracted and further processed to obtain pure metals. In the case of silver-containing compounds, alkali metal cyanides can easily convert them into soluble ions like [Ag(CN)₂]⁻️.

Before the heap-leach process, the crushed ore undergoes a preliminary treatment to concentrate the metal-bearing components. This step ensures that the extraction process is more efficient and can yield higher purity metals.

Overall, heap-leach extraction and hydrometallurgy play crucial roles in the process of obtaining metals from ores in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.