WO2025097163A1

WO2025097163A1 - Selective removal of impurities from ore using combinations of ph-adjusted biobroths and biosolvents

Info

Publication number: WO2025097163A1
Application number: PCT/US2024/054460
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tom LANKIEWICZ; Michaeline ALBRIGHT; Kathleen RADLOFF; Dayal Saran; Coy ZIMMERMANN; Bianca Cruz; Kent SORENSON; Dan STIGERS
Original assignee: Allonnia LLC
Current assignee: Allonnia LLC
Priority date: 2023-11-03
Filing date: 2024-11-04
Publication date: 2025-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 2026-05-03
Also published as: WO2025097163A9

Abstract

A method for selectively removing gangue or impurities from an ore material includes forming an extraction composition, contacting the ore material with the extraction composition at a selected temperature for a selected time for solubilizing the gangue or impurities to result in a treated ore material and an extracted solution, and separating the treated ore material from the extracted solution containing the solubilized gangue or impurities. A mixture disclosed herein includes an extraction composition and an ore material. An extraction composition disclosed herein may include one or more selected from the group consisting of a biosolvent, a biobroth, an organic acid, an inorganic acid, and an ionic liquid. The extraction composition is configured selectively solubilize an impurity component, a metal of value, or combinations thereof from the ore material.

Description

SELECTIVE REMOVAL OF IMPURITIES FROM ORE USING COMBINATIONS OF PH-ADJUSTED BIOBROTHS AND BIOSOLVENTS

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/547,324 filed on November 3, 2023 and to U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 63/701,293 and 63/701,301 filed on September 30, 2024. The entire contents of each of these applications are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

[0002] In the mining industry, there has been a general decline in ore grades over time. Decreasing ore quality requires more efficient operation or additional capital expenditure to meet production targets. This also presents an additional issue as further development of electrification technologies, such as battery economy and urbanization fuels, drives demand for relatively higher-grade ores of nickel, lithium, copper, rare earth metals, among others. Accordingly, there exists a need for methods for more sustainable mining practices to ensure production of high-grade ore.

SUMMARY

[0003] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0004] In one aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method for selectively removing gangue or impurities from an ore material. The method includes forming an extraction composition comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids, organic acids, and ionic liquids at selected concentrations and selected pH; incubating the slurry at a selected temperature of at least about 20 °C for a selected time, thereby solubilizing the one or more impurity components in the extraction composition to form an extracted solution; contacting the ore material with the extraction composition at a selected temperature for a selected time for solubilizing the gangue or impurities to result in a treated ore material and an extracted solution; and separating the treated ore material from the extracted solution containing the solubilized gangue or impurities.

[0005] In another aspect, embodiments herein relate to a mixture including an extraction composition and an ore material. The extraction composition includes one or more selected from the group consisting of a biosolvent, a biobroth, an organic acid, an inorganic acid, and an ionic liquid. The extraction composition is configured to selectively solubilize an impurity component, a metal of value, or combinations thereof from the ore material.

[0006] In another aspect, embodiments herein relate to a method for solubilizing one or more impurity components from tailings, an ore substrate, an ore concentrate, gangue, or combinations thereof to support carbon sequestration. The method includes forming an extraction composition comprising one or more selected from inorganic acids, organic acids, and ionic liquids at selected concentrations and pH; contacting the tailings, the ore substrate, the gangue, or both the tailings and the ore substrate with the extraction composition at a selected temperature for a selected time for solubilizing the cations to produce an extracted solution and treated tailings, a treated ore substrate, a treated ore concentrate, a treated gangue, or combinations thereof; and separating the treated tailings, the treated ore substrate, the treated ore concentrate, or combinations thereof from the extracted solution.

[0007] In another aspect, embodiments herein relate to a method for selectively removing one or more impurity components from an iron ore material. The method includes contacting the iron ore material with an extraction composition comprising one or more organic acids, the extraction composition having a selected pH, resulting in a slurry; and separating the extracted solution comprising the one or more impurity components from the incubated slurry to form a treated iron ore material having an improved ore grade and/or improved ability for processing.

[0008] Other aspects and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is a method of extracting an impurity component metal from an ore material in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a simplified block flow diagram of an extraction process that recycles an extraction composition in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a graph showing the percent removal of aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), and iron (Fe) of iron ore samples following incubation with mixtures of organic acids and conjugate bases compared to a control incubated with Milli-Q water.

[0012] FIG. 4 is a graph showing the percent removal of aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), and iron (Fe) when two solvents, (1) 1 M formate, and (2) a 1 M mixture of 40% citrate, 40% oxalate, 20% gluconate, each made at two different pHs, were incubated with iron ore as compared to a Milli-Q water control.

[0013] FIG. 5 is a graph showing the percent removal of impurities including AI2O3, SiO2, CaO, and MgO from ore and tailings incubated with various inorganic and organic acids.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a graph showing a prophetic example of solubilization of aluminum, silica, and lithium following incubation of a 1 : 10 spodumene to kaolinite synthetic mixture in two different organic acids compared to water control treatments.

[0015] FIG. 7A is a graph showing amounts of Al, copper (Cu), Fe, magnesium (Mg), molybdenum (Mo), and silicon-containing compounds (Si) dissolved as a function of different aqueous solutions in 2 hours.

[0016] FIG. 7B is a graph showing amounts of Al, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mo, and Si dissolved as a function of different aqueous solutions in 6 hours.

[0017] FIG. 7C is a graph showing amounts of Al, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mo, and Si dissolved as a function of different aqueous solutions in 24 hours.

[0018] FIG. 8 is a graph showing percentage of Al, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mo, and Si dissolved as a function of aqueous solutions after 24 hours. [0019] FIG. 9 is a graph showing the absorption of cations to an ion exchange resin over time.

[0020] FIG. 10 is a graph showing the percentage of dissolved elements in an extracted solution formed from a fresh (i.e., “original”) extraction composition and copper concentrate as compared to an extracted solution formed from a regenerated extraction composition and a copper concentrate.

[0021] FIG. 11A is a graph showing percentages of Ni, Fe, Mg, and sulfur (S) dissolved in sulfuric acid over time.

[0022] FIG. 1 IB is a graph showing percentages of Ni, Fe, Mg, and S dissolved in citric acid over time.

[0023] FIG. 12 is a graph showing the percent dissolved element (Ni, cobalt (Co), Mg (e.g., as magnesium oxide (MgO)), and Fe) as a function of organic acid.

[0024] FIG. 13 is a graph showing percentage of Ni, Fe, and Mg dissolved as a function of aqueous solution including different organic acids.

[0025] FIG. 14 is a graph showing percentage of Ni, Fe, Co, and Mg (e.g., as MgO) dissolved as a function of acid (sulfuric and citric) and at different pH values.

[0026] FIG. 15 is a graph showing the percentage of Ni, Fe, and Mg dissolved in a citric acid solution at different temperatures.

[0027] FIGs. 16A-16D are graphs showing percentage removal of Fe, Mg, Ni, and S over time in solutions including different concentrations of citric acid.

[0028] FIG. 17 is a graph showing the concentration of organic acids in Biosolvents 3-5 obtained from an Aspergillus spp. culture.

[0029] FIG. 18 is a graph showing the percent dissolved component (Ni, Co, Mg, and Fe) as a function of acidic solvent.

[0030] FIG. 19 is a graph showing the percent dissolved component (Ni, Co, Mg, and Fe) as a function of acidic solvent. [0031] FIG. 20 is a graph showing the percent dissolved component (Ni, Co, Mg, and Fe) as a function of acidic solvent.

[0032] FIG. 21 is a graph showing the percent dissolved component (Ni, Co, Mg, and Fe) as a function of acidic solvent.

[0033] FIG. 22 is a graph showing the percentage removal of Fe, Mg, Ni, and S in an extraction composition in a first extraction process and after recycling.

[0034] FIG. 23 is a graph showing the parts per million (ppm) concentration of removal of Fe, Mg, and Ni in an extracted solution, in an organic solution after biphasic solvent extraction of the extracted solution, and the extracted solution (aqueous phase) after biphasic solvent treatment.

[0035] FIG. 24 is a graph showing the percent metal recovery versus equilibrium pH for removal of Fe, Mg, and Ni from an extracted solution.

[0036] FIG. 25 is a graph showing the percentage removal of Fe, Mg and Ni from Ni concentrates from two different sites using citric acid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] It is generally known that organic acids and their conjugate bases can selectively solubilize elements from minerals and ores. Individual organic acids, such as oxalic acid and citric acid and their respective anions as conjugate bases, as well as microbes producing certain acids have been tested and demonstrated to solubilize elements present in minerals and ores, but have not achieved solubilization sufficient enough to warrant further commercial development.

[0038] In this disclosure, specific combinations of inorganic acids, organic acids and conjugate bases (including amino acids and peptides), and ionic liquids, which can each be produced biologically and/or synthetically, and in some cases with silicase or other enzymes, at adjusted pH are described as examples for removing one or more impurities from an ore material. For example, this invention relates to specific combinations of inorganic acids and organic acids and conjugate bases (including amino acids and peptides) and ionic liquids at adjusted pH to selectively (a) remove impurities from an ore material, such as an ore, to improve ore grade, (b) remove impurities from an ore material, such as an ore, to improve processing, and (c) extract metals of value from gangue. As described herein, these combinations may also be referred to as an “extraction composition.” These combinations described herein advantageously and selectively solubilize impurities to a greater extent than previous work and open the possibility of using these technological improvements in mining industry processes.

[0039] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure is advantageous compared to prior existing technology for showing that certain specific combinations of one or multiple organic acids and their conjugate bases unexpectedly improve selective solubilization of impurities from ores. In some cases, addition of inorganic acids and/or silicase or other enzymes, which can be present in a biobroth or as an additive to a synthetic mixture, further improve the removal of gangue material and impurities from an ore material. For example, for Fe ore, certain combinations of organic acids and conjugate bases remove impurities including aluminum (Al), Si-containing compounds, and P to a greater extent than Fe, thus increasing the grade of Fe ore. In another example, an extraction composition including one or more organic acids may selectively remove Mg, and to a lesser extent remove Fe, from a Ni-containing ore material. In yet another example, an extraction composition in accordance with one or more embodiments may selectively remove Mg, Al, molybdenum (Mo), Fe, Si, and F from a Cu-containing ore material. In addition, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to increasing the pH of these organic acid and conjugate base combinations toward neutral to a certain point improves the selective solubilization of impurities and leads to an increased grade of ore material, such as Fe ore.

[0040] As used herein, the term “ore material” refers to an ore substrate, an ore concentrate, ore, ore tailings, gangue, waste rock, among other ore-based materials, or any combination thereof. For example, an ore concentrate may be derived from ore tailings. Non-limiting examples of ore material include, but are not limited to, nickel-containing ore material such as nickel laterite, nickel sulfides, aluminosilicates, bauxite, Cu-containing ore material, ultramafic tailings, among others. [0041] As used herein, the term “metals of value” or “non-metallic atoms of value” may be any metal or atom extracted from the ore materials, respectively, that may be further isolated and repurposed for various methods. Non-limiting examples of metals of value include Fe, lithium (Li), Cu, Co, Ni, Al, Mg, rare earth metals, among others. Non-limiting examples of non-metallic atoms of value include, but are not limited to Si (e.g., a Si atom, silica, etc.), F, carbon (C), oxygen (O), S, P, nitrogen (N), among others.

[0042] As used herein, the term “organic acid” may include an individual organic acid and/or mixtures of organic acids that are produced by microbes (e.g., in a biobroth), or organic acids from other biological sources (e.g., plant produced), or organic acids that are synthetically made. The “organic acid” as used throughout this disclosure can include a mixture of an organic acid and the respective conjugate base.

[0043] As used herein, the term “biobroth” refers to a solution produced and obtained from a natural and/or engineered organic acid-producing microbe, such as via a fermentation process, a natural and/or engineered organic acid-producing plant, or combinations thereof. The natural and/or engineered microbe may include, but is not limited to, a microorganism of a genus selected from the group consisting of Aspergillus, Acetobacter, Bacillus, Propionibacterium, Corynebacterium, Rhizopus, Clostridium, Fusobacterium, Pseudomonas, Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces, Enterobacter, Escherichia (e.g., Escherichia coli), and combinations thereof. The biobroth of one or more embodiments may be obtained from an Aspergillus spp. culture, such as a supernatant, a cell lysate, or combinations thereof. The organic acid-producing microbe, organic acid-producing plant, or both may produce an organic acid or a mixture of organic acids. The organic acidproducing microbe may produce one or more organic acids and one or more components, such as primary metabolites, secondary metabolites, antibodies, salts, ions, organelles, cellular components, extracellular components, biomolecules (e.g., polysaccharides, proteins, enzymes, amino acids, nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates, among others), or any combination thereof. The terms “engineered microbe” and “engineered plant” may refer to a microbe or plant, respectively, that has been altered, such as with genetic engineering, for example, to modulate acid or other biobroth component production. [0044] The terms “fermentation broth” and “biobroth” may refer to a complex mixture of components derived from an organism, such as a broth obtained from a culture of a microbe, such as a fungus, a plant, or combinations thereof. The complex mixture can include inorganic and/or organic acids and their respective conjugate bases, ionic liquids, amino acids, cellular components derived from a microbe, extracellular components derived from a microbe, or any combination thereof. For example, the biobroth can include one or more enzymes, such as silicase.

[0045] As used herein, the term “inorganic acid” may be an acid that is derived from an inorganic compound. The inorganic acid of one or more embodiments may include a protic acid.

[0046] As used herein, the term “biosolvent” refers to a solution including inorganic and/or organic acids and their respective conjugate bases, one or more biobroths, ionic liquids, or any combination thereof. The biosolvent of one or more embodiments may be either derived biologically or synthetically and may or may not include silicase and/or other enzymes. In one or more embodiments, the biosolvent is a biobroth or a mixture of biobroths.

[0047] As used herein, the term “gangue” refers to the impurity material that surrounds or is closely mixed with a wanted mineral in an ore deposit. Although termed “impurities” it is understood that value can be obtained from certain elements in the gangue, and that such elements are impurities with respect to the wanted material in the ore deposit.

[0048] As used herein, the phrase “total mass loss” refers to the difference between a mass of a material after a certain treatment from a mass of a material before a certain treatment. For example, “total mass loss” may refer to a change in mass in an ore material before and after exposure to an extraction process in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0049] As used herein, the phrase “total volume loss” refers to the difference between a volume of a material after a certain treatment from a volume of a material before a certain treatment. For example, “total volume loss” may refer to a change in volume in an extraction composition (e.g., before an extraction process as compared to an extracted solution that has been separated from solid material obtained after an extraction process) in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0050] As used herein, the terms “load” or “leach” refers to the process of transferring one or more components from a first material to a second material. For example, the process of “loading” or “leaching” may include transferring one or more components from an ore material to an extraction composition in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0051] As used herein, the terms “strip” or “separate” refers to the removal of a first component (e.g., an impurity component, a biobroth, a biosolvent, an organic acid, etc.) from a second component (e.g., a mixture, solution, ore material, etc.).

[0052] As used herein, the terms “recycle” or “regenerate” refers to the recovery of a material (e.g., a component of an extraction composition, an extraction composition, or both such that the material may be reused in subsequent processes.

[0053] As disclosed herein, one or more embodiments may relate to combinations of inorganic acids and organic acids and conjugate bases, and optionally one or more additives, at adjusted pH to selectively (a) remove impurities from ore to improve ore grade, (b) remove impurities from ore to improve processing, and (c) extract metals of value from gangue. These combinations selectively solubilize impurities to a greater extent than previous work and open the possibility of using these technological improvements in mining industry processes.

[0054] EXTRACTION COMPOSITION AND MIXTURE

[0055] In one aspect, embodiments herein relate to an extraction composition. In another aspect, embodiments herein relate to an extraction mixture including an extraction composition and an ore material. The extraction mixture may be a slurry including the extraction composition and the ore material. In one or more embodiments, the extraction composition includes one or more biobroths, one or more biosolvents, or any combination thereof. In one or more embodiments, the extraction composition is a biosolvent or a biobroth. In one or more embodiments, the extraction composition is a mixture that includes at least two components selected from inorganic acids, organic acid, and ionic liquids at selected concentrations and selected pH. As used herein, the term “extraction composition” may refer to solution including one or more components selected from the group consisting of biosolvents, biobroths, inorganic acids, organic acids, and ionic liquids at selected concentrations and selected pH.

[0056] The extraction composition may be configured to selectively extract one or more components from an ore material. In one or more embodiments, the extraction composition is configured to remove one or more impurity components, which may include gangue, one or more metals, and/or non-metallic atoms of value, from an ore material. In a non-limiting example, the extraction composition may be configured to extract one or more of a Mg component, an Al component, an Fe component, a Si component, a Mo component, a Cu component, a F component, a P component or any combination thereof from an ore material, such as an iron ore material, a copper ore material, or a Ni ore material. In some embodiments, the extraction composition is configured to selectively extract one component with another component being solubilized to a lesser extent. For example, the extraction composition may be configured to selectively extract an Mg component with an Fe component being solubilized to a lesser extent from an ore material, such as a Ni- containing ore material or a Cu-containing ore material.

[0057] The extraction composition may include an aqueous solution. The aqueous solution includes water. The water may include, but is not limited to, Milli-Q water, distilled water, deionized water, tap water, fresh water from surface or subsurface sources, formation water, natural and synthetic brines, brackish water, natural and synthetic sea water, potable water, non-potable water, process water, other waters, and combinations thereof, that are suitable for use for treating a an ore material. As used herein, “Milli-Q water” is water purified using a Millipore Milli-Q laboratory water system. In one or more embodiments, the basic Milli-Q water meets ASTM Type I standards, having greater than 18.0 MegaOhms*centimeter (Mfbcm) resistivity at 25EC due to ions, less than 10 parts per billion (ppb) organics, less than 0.03 endotoxin per milliliter (EU/mL) of pyrogens, less than 1 particulate per mL (pariculate/mL), less than 10 ppb silica, and less than 1 bacterial colony forming unit per mL (cfu/mL). [0058] In one or more embodiments, the water used can naturally contain contaminants, such as salts, ions, minerals, organics, and combinations thereof, as long as the contaminants do not interfere with extraction of target metal atoms and/or impurity components from an ore material. In one or more embodiments, one or more additives may be added to the extraction composition to enhance the selectivity for one or more components, efficiency for removing the one or more components, or combinations thereof.

[0059] In one or more embodiments, the aqueous solution includes a first organic acid, an optional additional organic acid, and an optional inorganic acid. The extraction composition may include one or more organic acids, one or more inorganic acids, one or more ionic liquids or mixtures thereof. The extraction composition may include at least two selected from organic acids, inorganic acids, ionic liquids, or mixtures thereof. For example, the extraction composition may include a plurality of organic acids. The extraction composition may include three or more organic acids, four or more organic acids, five or more organic acids, six or more organic acids, eight or more organic acids, or ten or more organic acids.

[0060] The first organic acid may include one or more organic acids, two or more organic acids, or a plurality of organic acids. The first organic acid may include, but is not limited to, an acid selected from the group consisting of gluconic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, itaconic acid, hydroxypropionic acid, phthalic acid, tartaric acid, hexadecenoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, gallic acid, aspartic acid, succinic acid, oleic acid, tannic acid, palmitic acid, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, when the first organic acid includes two or more organic acids, a main organic acid component may be present as compared to a minor organic acid component.

[0061] In one or more embodiments, the first organic acid includes an acid selected from the group consisting of gluconic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, itaconic acid, hydroxypropionic acid, phthalic acid, tartaric acid, hexadecenoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, gallic acid, aspartic acid, succinic acid, oleic acid, tannic acid, palmitic acid, and combinations thereof. As a non-limiting example, the first organic acid may include oxalic acid as a main component and gluconic acid as a minor component. In one or more embodiments, the first organic acid includes gluconic acid as a main component and oxalic acid as a minor component. The first organic acid may include citric acid as a main component and malic acid as a minor component. The first organic acid may include malic acid as a main component and citric acid as a minor component. The first organic acid may be, but is not limited to, citric acid, malic acid, gluconic acid, or oxalic acid.

[0062] In some embodiments, the first organic acid, the optional additional organic acid(s), or both are synthetically produced, such as in a laboratory. In some embodiments, the first organic acid, the optional additional organic acid, or both are naturally occurring such that at least a portion of the aqueous solution may be a biobroth and/or may be obtained and/or isolated from a biobroth. In one or more embodiments, the biosolvent includes purified (e.g,. purified individual organic acids and/or purified mixtures of organic acids) or mixtures of unpurified organic acids. The biosolvent of one or more embodiments may be used with single or mixtures of inorganic acids.

[0063] In one or more embodiments, the first organic acid is present in the aqueous solution in a concentration in a range between a non-zero value, such as 0.01 M (Molar), to 4 M. For example, the concentration of the first organic acid may be in a range having a lower limit of any one of a non-zero value, 0.010 M, 0.015 M, 0.020 M, 0.025 M, 0.05 M, 0.075 M, 0.09 M, 0.10 M, 0.125 M, 0.150 M, 0.250 M, 0.5 M, 0.6 M, 0.8 M, 0.9 M, 1 M, 1.5 M, 2M, 2.5 M, 3M, 3.5 M, and 3.9 M and an upper limit of any one of 0.05 M, 0.075 M, 0.09 M, 0.10 M, 0.125 M, 0.150 M, 0.250 M, 0.5 M, 0.6 M, 0.7 M, 0.8 M, 0.9 M, 1.0 M, 1.1 M, 1.2 M, 1.5 M, 2 M, 2.5 M, 3 M, 3.5 M, 3.9 M, 3.95 M, and 4 M, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit. As a non-limiting example, the concentration of the first organic acid may be present in an extraction composition at a concentration in a range from a non-zero value to 1.5 M. The extraction composition may include one or more organic acids in a weight to volume percent (% (w/v)) in a range having a lower limit of any one of 0 % (w/v), 5 % (w/v), 10 % (w/v), 15 % (w/v), 20 % (w/v), 25 % (w/v), 30 % (w/v), 35 % (w/v), 40 % (w/v), 45 % (w/v), 50 % (w/v), 55 % (w/v), 60 % (w/v), 65 % (w/v), 70 % (w/v), and 75 % (w/v) and an upper limit of any one of 20 % (w/v), 25 % (w/v), 30 % (w/v), 35 % (w/v), 40 % (w/v), 45 % (w/v), 50 % (w/v), 55 % (w/v), 60 % (w/v), 65 % (w/v), 70 % (w/v), 75 % (w/v), 80 % (w/v), 85 % (w/v), 90% (w/v), 95 % (w/v), 98 % (w/v), 99 % (w/v), and 100 % (w/v), where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit.

[0064] In one or more embodiments, when a Fe ore material is present in an extraction mixture, the extraction composition may include formate (i.e., formic acid) having a pH of about 3.5 and a concentration of about 1 M. In some embodiments, the extraction composition includes gluconic acid having a concentration of about 250 mM to about 1 M. In some embodiments, the extraction composition includes oxalic acid having a concentration of about 250 mM to about 1 M. The extraction composition may include about 40% (weight/volume (w/v)) citrate (i.e., citric acid), about 40% (w/v) (i.e., oxalic acid), and about 20% (w/v) gluconate (i.e., gluconic acid).

[0065] The additional organic acid may include one or more organic acids, two or more organic acids, or a plurality of organic acids. In some embodiments, when the additional organic acid includes two or more organic acids, a main organic acid component may be present as compared to a minor organic acid component. The additional organic acid may include, but is not limited to, an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, itaconic acid, tartaric acid, hydroxypropionic acid, phthalic acid, tartaric acid, hexadecenoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, gallic acid, aspartic acid, succinic acid, oleic acid, tannic acid, palmitic acid, and combinations thereof.

[0066] In one or more embodiments, when the first organic acid is, or includes as a main component, oxalic acid, the additional organic acid comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of gluconic acid, oxalic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, citric acid hydroxypropionic acid, phthalic acid, tartaric acid, itaconic acid, hexadecenoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, gallic acid, aspartic acid, succinic acid, oleic acid, tannic acid, palmitic acid, and combinations thereof. In a non-limiting example, when the first organic acid is, or includes as the main component, gluconic acid, the additional organic acid may include, but is not limited to, an acid selected from the group consisting of malic acid, oxalic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, hydroxypropionic acid, phthalic acid, tartaric acid, itaconic acid, hexadecenoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, and combinations thereof. In one or more embodiments, when the first organic acid is, or includes as a main component, citric acid, the additional organic acid comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of gluconic acid, oxalic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, hydroxypropionic acid, phthalic acid, tartaric acid, itaconic acid, hexadecenoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, gallic acid, aspartic acid, succinic acid, oleic acid, tannic acid, palmitic acid, and combinations thereof. In one or more embodiments, when the first organic acid is, or includes as a main component, malic acid, the additional organic acid comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, gluconic acid, oxalic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, hydroxypropionic acid, phthalic acid, tartaric acid, itaconic acid, hexadecenoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, gallic acid, aspartic acid, succinic acid, oleic acid, tannic acid, palmitic acid, and combinations thereof.

[0067] In one or more embodiments, the additional organic acid is present in the aqueous solution in a concentration in a range between 0 M to 1.5 M. For example, the concentration of the first organic acid may be in a range having a lower limit of any one of 0 M, a nonzero value, 0.005 M, 0.010 M, 0.015 M, 0.020 M, 0.025 M, 0.05 M, 0.075 M, 0.09 M, 0.10 M, 0.125 M, 0.150 M, 0.250 M, 0.5 M, 0.6 M, 0.8 M, and 0.9 M and an upper limit of any one of 0.05 M, 0.075 M, 0.09 M, 0.10 M, 0.125 M, 0.150 M, 0.250 M, 0.5 M, 0.6 M, 0.7 M, 0.8 M, 0.9 M, 1.0 M, 1.1 M, and 1.5 M, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit.

[0068] In some embodiments, a ratio of the first organic acid to the additional organic acid is a concentration ratio in a range from 1 :0 to 1 : less than or equal to (<) 1. In one or more embodiments, the concentration ratio of the first organic acid to the additional organic acid is in a range having a lower limit of any one of 1:0, 1:0.05, 1:0.1, 1:0.2, 1:0.3, 1:0.4, 1:0.5, and 1:0.75, and an upper limit of any one of 1:0.1, 1:0.2, 1:0.3, 1:0.4, 1:0.5, 1: 0.6, 1:0.7, 1:0.75, 1:0.8, 1:0.85, 1:0.9, 1:0.95, 1:0.99, and 1: 1, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit. [0069] In one or more embodiments, the extraction composition includes an inorganic acid. The inorganic acid may include an acid selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, and combinations thereof. The inorganic acid may be included in the aqueous fluid in an amount in a range from 0 M or a non-zero concentration to 1.5 M. For example, the concentration of the inorganic acid may be in a range having a lower limit of any one of 0 M, 0.005 M, 0.010 M, 0.015 M, 0.020 M, 0.025 M, 0.05 M, 0.075 M, 0.09 M, 0.10 M, 0.125 M, 0.150 M, 0.250 M, 0.5 M, 0.6 M, 0.8 M, and 0.9 M and an upper limit of any one of 0.05 M, 0.075 M, 0.09 M, 0.10 M, 0.125 M, 0.150 M, 0.250 M, 0.5 M, 0.6 M, 0.7 M, 0.8 M, 0.9 M, 1.0 M, 1.1 M, and 1.5 M, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit.

[0070] The extraction composition of one or more embodiments has a pH in a range from 0.09 to 6.5. In some embodiments, the pH of the extraction composition is in a range having a lower limit of any one of 0.09, 0.10, 0.2, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.2, 1.5, 1.7, 1.9, 2.0, 2.2, 2.5, 2.7, 2.9, 3.0, 3.2, 3.5, 3.7, 4.0, 4.2, 4.5, 4.7, 5.0, 5.2, 5.5, and 5.8 and an upper limit of any one of 1, 1.2, 1.5, 1.7, 1.9, 2.0, 2.2, 2.5, 2.7, 2.9, 3.0, 3.2, 3.5, 3.7, 3.9, 4.0, 4.2, 4.5, 4.7, 5.0, 5.2, 5.5, 5.7, 6.0, 6.2, and 6.5, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit.

[0071]

[0072] METHOD FOR EXTRACTING ONE OR MORE COMPONENTS FROM A ORE MATERIAL

[0073] In another aspect, embodiments herein relate to a method for extracting a metal from an ore material, such as an ore concentrate, ore, gangue, ore tailings, waste rock, among other ore materials. A non-limiting method may be as shown in FIG. 1 (e.g., method 100). In some embodiments, method 100 may include block 102 such that an extraction composition and an ore material is provided as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in block 104, method 100 may include selectively solubilizing an impurity component including one or more minerals, one or more salts, one or more metals of value, one or more non-metallic atoms of value, or any combination thereof from an ore material into an extraction composition. [0074] The method may include preparing the extraction composition. The extraction composition may be prepared by obtaining a biobroth from a microbe, preparing a synthetic biosolvent via addition of one or more organic acids, inorganic acids, and/or ionic liquids to an aqueous solution to form the biosolvent, adding at least a portion of the biobroth to the biosolvent, or any combination thereof. In one or more embodiments, the extraction composition is prepared by obtaining the first organic acid and, optionally, the additional organic acid, the inorganic acid, an ionic liquid, or combinations thereof. One or more organic acids of the extraction composition may be obtained via synthetic laboratory procedures. The first organic acid, the additional organic acid, the inorganic acid, ionic liquid or combinations thereof may be microbially produced, plant produced, or both such that the first organic acid, the additional organic acid, the inorganic acid, or combinations thereof may be collected from a microbe, a plant, or both. In some embodiments, the first organic acid, the additional organic acid(s), the inorganic acid, or combinations thereof is collected from a plant extract, a microbial cell lysate, a microbial supernatant, or combinations thereof. One or more organic acids of the extraction composition may be purified, such as purified from a biobroth, purified from a laboratory synthesis, purified after recycling the extraction composition, or any combination thereof.

[0075] The method may include forming the mixture including an extraction composition and an ore material. The extraction composition and the ore material may be as previously described. In some embodiments, the method includes reducing the size of the ore material, (e.g., breaking an ore material into particles of a selected size) before contacting the ore material with the extraction composition. The method may include reducing an ore material to particles having an average size (e.g., an average diameter) in a range having a lower limit of any one of 1 nm (nanometers), 5 nm, 10 nm, 50 nm, 100 nm, 500 nm, 1 pm (micrometer), 10 pm, 50 pm, 100 pm, 500 pm, 1 mm (millimeter), 10 mm, 50 mm, 100 mm, 500 mm, 1 m, 5 m, 10 m, and 50 meters and an upper limit of any one of 100 nm, 500 nm, 1 pm, 10 pm, 50 pm, 100 pm, 500 pm, 1 mm, 10 mm, 50 mm, 100 mm, 500 mm, 1 m, 5 m, 10 m, 50 m, 75 m, and 100 m, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit. [0076] An extraction composition, an ore material, or both may be introduced (or added) to an extraction unit of an extraction zone, such as an agitated leaching tank of an extraction system. In some embodiments, the extraction zone is a laboratory extraction unit that is a container capable of being manually agitated or stirred for the extraction process. The extraction unit may be a container capable of being automatically agitated or stirred for the extraction process, such as with a control system in electrical connection with the extraction unit. In some embodiments, the method includes providing an extraction system capable of performing one or more leaching processes. The extraction system may include one or more flow lines, valves, pumps, storage tanks, an extraction zone including an extraction unit (e.g., one or more agitated leaching tanks), among one or more additional units known to those skilled in the art for mineral leaching. One or more components of the extraction system may be an add-on component capable of being incorporated to one or more industrial mining processes.

[0077] In some embodiments, the extraction zone includes a plurality of leaching tanks positioned in parallel or in series. In one or more embodiments, one or more leaching tanks of the plurality of leaching tanks are in fluid communication with a subsequent leaching tank of the plurality of leaching tanks. In some embodiments, plurality of leaching tanks are positioned in a cross- or counter-current design, in locked cycle leaching, or combinations thereof.

[0078] The ore material may be added to the extraction zone in an amount in a range from 5 to 55 wt% based on the total weight of the extraction mixture. The ore material may be added to the extraction unit in an amount in a range having a lower limit of any one of 5 wt%, 7.5 wt%, 8 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt %, 40 wt%, 45 wt%, 48 wt%, and 50 wt % and an upper limit of any one of 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt %, 40 wt%, 45 wt%, 48 wt%, 50 wt%, 51 wt%, 52 wt%, 53 wt%, 54 wt%, and 55 wt%, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit.

[0079] The extraction composition may be added to the extraction unit in an amount in a range from 45 to 95 wt% based on the total weight of the extraction mixture. The extraction composition may be added to the extraction unit in an amount in a range having a lower limit of any one of 45 wt%, 47.5 wt%, 48 wt%, 50 wt%, 55 wt%, 60 wt%, 65 wt%, 70 wt %, 70 wt%, 75 wt%, 78 wt%, and 80 wt % and an upper limit of any one of 55 wt%, 60 wt%, 65 wt%, 70 wt %, 75 wt %, 80 wt%, 85 wt%, 88 wt%, 90 wt%, 91 wt%, 92 wt%, 93 wt%, 94 wt%, and 95 wt%, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit.

[0080] The mixture of the extraction composition and the ore material may be agitated in the extraction zone. The mixture may be heated while agitating to promote the selective removal of one or more components from the ore material. Agitating the extraction mixture in the extraction zone may form an extracted solution (or a “liquid mixture”) including the organic acid, the impurity component, and, optionally, one or more additional components (e.g., a non-metallic component and/or a metal of value) extracted from the ore material. The mixture may be agitated in the extraction unit for a period of time in a range having a lower limit of any one of 0.25 hour (h), 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, 3, h, 4 h, 5 h, 6 h, 8 h, 10 h, 12 h, 14 h, 16 h, 18 h, and 20 h, and an upper limit of any one of 4 h, 5 h, 6 h, 7 h, 8 h, 10 h, 12 h, 14 h, 16 h, 18 h, 20 h, 22 h, 24 h, and 26 h, where any lower limit can be paired with mathematically compatible upper limit. For example, the mixture may be heated (e.g., in the extraction unit) at a temperature in a range from 20 °C, 25 °C, 27 °C, 28 °C, 29 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C, 40 °C, 45 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C, 95 °C, and 99 °C and an upper limit of any one of 35 °C, 40 °C, 45 °C, 50 °C, 55 °C, 60 °C, 65 °C, 70 °C, 75 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C, 95 °C, 99 °C, 100 °C, 105 °C, 110 °C, 115 °C, 120 °C, and 125 °C, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit. In a non-limiting example, the method may include adjusting a temperature of the extraction zone to a temperature in a range from 20 to 100 °C and performing the extraction zone for a period of time in a range from 1 to 24 hours.

[0081] During the agitating step, one or more components may be selectively transferred from the ore material to the extraction composition, thereby forming an extraction mixture including a treated ore material and an extracted solution. The extracted solution of one or more embodiments includes the extraction composition and one or more components removed from the ore material that may include one or more selected from a Mg component, an Fe component, a Si component, an Al component, a Mo component, a F component, among other components (e.g., a lesser amount of a Cu component). In some embodiments, the one or more components can include an Fe component, and/or a Cu component as relatively minor components compared to the Mg, Al, Mo, Si, and/or F components. In such embodiments, the method of extraction is selective for the Mg, Al, Mo, Si, and F components removal from the ore material. In some instances, while a quantity of Fe may also be solubilized by the extraction composition, advantageously, the extraction composition can selectively solubilize an impurity component, such as a Mg component, such that Fe is solubilized to a lesser extent, which may result in a maintained and/or greater Fe:impurity component ratio (e.g., an Fe:Mg ratio) in a treated ore material as compared to conventional extraction compositions. Reducing Fe loss and improving the Fe:impurity component ratio may advantageously improve heat transfer in subsequent smelting and improve metal ore grade and (e.g., Ni) recovery.

[0082] The one or more components may include an impurity in the form of a mineral, an oxide, a salt, or any combination thereof. An impurity component may include, but is not limited to, Mg, Fe, Al, Si, arsenic (As), P, F, among others. The Mg component may include one or more of an Mg mineral, elemental Mg, an Mg oxide, an Mg salt having an Mg cation, or any other form of Mg. The Al component may include one or more of an Al mineral, elemental Al, an Al oxide, an Al salt having an Al cation, or any other form of Al. The Mo component may include one or more of an Mo mineral, elemental Mo, an Mo oxide, an Mo salt having an Mo cation, or any other form of Mo. The Si component may include one or more of an Si mineral, elemental Si, an Si oxide, an Si salt, or any other form of Si. The Fe component may include one or more of an Fe mineral, elemental Fe, an Fe oxide, an Fe salt having an Fe cation, or any other form of Fe. The F component may include one or more of a fluoride ion, diatomic fluorine, or any other form of F. The P component may include one or more of a phosphorous ion, trivalent P, pentavalent P, elemental P, or any other form of P. The As component may include one or more of an As mineral, elemental As, an As oxide, an As salt having an As cation, or any other form of As.

[0083] The ore material may include a metal of value. The metal of value may be a metal that has been designated for enrichment for further downstream processing. In a non- limiting example, the metal of value may include a copper (Cu) component, Fe component, Co component, Al component, Li component, Ni component, or combinations thereof. A copper (Cu) component may include a Cu mineral, elemental Cu, a Cu oxide, a Cu salt having a Cu cation, or any other form of Cu. A copper (Cu) component may include a Cu mineral, elemental Cu, a Cu oxide, a Cu salt having a Cu cation, or any other form of Cu. A nickel (Ni) component may include a Ni mineral, elemental Ni, a Ni oxide, a Ni salt having a Ni cation, or any other form of Ni. A Co component may include one or more of a Co mineral, elemental Co, a Co oxide, a Co salt having a Co cation, or any other form of Co. The Fe component may include one or more of an Fe mineral, elemental Fe, an Fe oxide, an Fe salt having an Fe cation, or any other form of Fe. The Al component may include one or more of an Al mineral, elemental Al, an Al oxide, an Al salt having an Al cation, or any other form of Al. The Li component may include one or more of an Li mineral, elemental Li, a Li oxide, a Li salt having a Li cation, or any other form of Li.

[0084] The treated ore material may have a reduced concentration of one or more impurity components (e.g., one or more components described previously herein) as compared to the untreated ore material, such as a percent of the one or more impurity component concentration(s)in the untreated ore material. The method of one or more embodiments may reduce the one or more impurity components in a treated ore material as compared to an untreated ore material by a relative percent. The relative percent of an impurity component reduced in a treated ore material as compared to an untreated ore material may be in a range having a lower limit of any one of a non-zero value, 1 %, 2 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, 20 %, 25 %, 30 %, 35 %, 40 %, 45 %, 50 %, 55 %, 60 %, 65 %, 70 %, 75 %, 80 %, 85 %, and 90 %, and an upper limit of any one of 10 %, 20 %, 25 %, 30 %, 35 %, 40 %, 45 %, 50 %, 55 %, 60 %, 65 %, 70 %, 75 %, 80 %, 85 %, 90 %, 95 %, 98 %, 99 %, 99.5 %, 99.8 %, 99.9 %, and 100 % where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit.

[0085] In embodiments where an impurity is found in an ore material in a relatively low amount (e.g., about 0.001 wt% to about 5 wt%), such impurities may be referred to as penalty elements (or “penalty components”), which are considered non-applicable for further processing. These penalty elements may render an ore material unsuitable for further use. Some non-limiting examples of penalty elements include F, P, Si, As, Mg, Fe, among others. In embodiments in which penalty elements are present in a relatively low amounts in the ore material, the method may advantageously remove one or more impurity components in a relative percentage of 20 % or more, 30 % more more, 40 % or more, 50% or more, 60 % or more, 70 % or more from the ore material. In embodiments where the ore material is or includes gangue, the method may advantageously increase the value of the ore material via removal of the penalty element while maintaining a relatively large percentage of gangue (e.g., 95 %).

[0086] The method of one or more embodiments may reduce the one or more impurity components in an ore material to provide a total mass loss of the impurity component of about 1 wt% to about 100 wt%. The reduced one or more components content in an ore material may be reduced by an amount in a range having a lower limit of any one of 1 wt%,

2.5 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt%, 40 wt%, 45 wt%, 50 wt%, 55 wt%, 60 wt%, 65 wt%, 70 wt%, and 75 wt% and an upper limit of any one of 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt%, 40 wt%, 45 wt%, 50 wt%, 55 wt%, 60 wt%, 65 wt%, 70 wt%, 75 wt%, 80 wt%, 85 wt%, 90 wt%, 95 wt%, and 100 wt%, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit.

[0087] In one or more embodiments, the untreated ore material has one or more impurity component content in a range from a 0.001 wt% to 99.999 wt%. The treated ore material may have a concentration of one or more impurity components in a range having a lower limit of any one of 0.001 wt%, 0.01 wt%, 0.05 wt%, 0.1 wt%, 0.25 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1.0 wt%,

1.5 wt%, 2.0 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt%, 40 wt%, 45 wt%, 50 wt%, 55 wt%, and 60 wt% and an upper limit of any one of 2.0 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt%, 40 wt%, 45 wt%, 50 wt%, 55 wt%, 60 wt%, 65 wt%, 70 wt%, 75 wt%, 80 wt%, 85 wt%, 90 wt%, 92.5 wt%, 95 wt%, 97.5 wt%, 99 wt%, 99.5 wt%, 99.9 wt%, 99.99 wt%, and 99.999 wt%, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit.

[0088] In some embodiments, the treated ore material has a reduced one or more impurity component content as compared to the untreated ore material. In one or more embodiments, the treated ore material has a reduced impurity component content in a range from a 0 wt% to 99.99 wt%. The treated ore material may have a concentration of one or more impurities in a range having a lower limit of any one of 0 wt%, 0.01 wt%, 0.05 wt%, 0.1 wt%, 0.25 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1.0 wt%, 1.5 wt%, 2.0 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt%, 40 wt%, 45 wt%, 50 wt%, 55 wt%, and 60 wt% and an upper limit of any one of 2.0 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt%, 40 wt%, 45 wt%, 50 wt%, 55 wt%, 60 wt%, 65 wt%, 70 wt%, 75 wt%, 80 wt%, 85 wt%, 90 wt%, 92.5 wt%, 95 wt%, 96 wt%, 97 wt%, 98 wt%, 99 wt%, 99.95 wt%, and 99.99 wt%, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit. As a nonlimiting example, the reduced one or more impurity component concentration in the treated ore material may be in a range from 0 to 95 wt%. In one or more embodiments, the amount of impurity components in a treated ore material is less than 98 wt%, less than 95 wt%, less than 90 wt%, 85 wt%, less than 80 wt%, less than 75 wt%, less than 50 wt%, less than 25 wt%, or less than 10 wt%. In some embodiments, the ore material is upgraded by the selective removal of one or more of Mg, Al, F, S, P, Si, Mo, while retaining metals of value (e.g., Fe, Li, Al, Cu, Co, and/or Ni) in the solid ore material.

[0089] A method of one or more embodiments may include separating a treated ore material from the extraction mixture to collect the treated ore and the extracted solution. The treated ore material may be in the form of a solid such that the separation of the treated ore material from the extracted solution can be performed by a method for separating solids from liquids known to those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the separation includes decanting, filtration, nanofiltration, membrane filtration, gravity filtration, centrifugation, among others known to those skilled in the art. The separated treated ore material may be washed and dried. In some embodiments, the separated treated ore is transferred for further processing, including, but not limited to, smelting.

[0090] The separation of the one or more components described previously, and if present, one or more additional metallic components from the extracted solution may be performed such that the extraction composition is regenerated. The extracted solution may be fed to a processing unit to regenerate the extraction composition. In some embodiments, separating the one or more components from theextracted solution includes extracting the one or more components from the liquid mixture with one or more water treatment techniques. The extraction of the one or more components from the extracted solution may include performing one or more water treatment techniques selected from the group consisting of feeding the extracted solution through an ion exchange system, extracting the impurity component via solvent extraction, chromatography, filtration, membrane filtration, osmotic separation (e.g. via reverse osmosis), using adsorption and/or absorption materials, pH control and precipitation, and combinations thereof. The water treatment technique may include introducing the extracted solution to an ion exchange column, solvent extraction (e.g., biphasic solvent extraction), or both. The separation may be set up to target either components leached from the ore (e.g., Mg, Fe, Cu, Ni, Al, Si, P, S, among others), the extraction composition, and/or one or more components present in the extraction composition.

[0091] The biosolvent, the biobroth, one or more components of the biosolvent and/or the biobroth (e.g., an organic acid), one or more metals of value, or combinations thereof may be separated from the extracted solution via feeding the extracted solution to a system configured to perform chromatography, filtration, nanofiltration, membrane filtration, osmotic separation (e.g. via reverse osmosis), using adsorption and/or absorption materials, pH control and precipitation, solvent extraction, ion exchange chromatograph and combinations thereof.

[0092] In one or more embodiments, one or more metals of value are removed from the extracted solution via the one or more water treatment techniques. In one or more embodiments, a metal of value component is selectively removed from the extracted solution, the extraction mixture, or both. The extracted metal of value may be added to the enriched ore material recovered from the extraction mixture. Advantageously, one or more embodiment methods may allow for a reduced or minimal loss of metals of value from an ore material even if relatively low amounts leach into the extracted solution.

[0093] In some embodiments, separating the extraction composition or one or more components of the extraction composition includes extracting the extraction composition or one or more components of the extraction composition from the extraction mixture, the extracted solution, or both. The extraction may be performed with one or more water treatments techniques selected from a group consisting of centrifugation, feeding the extracted solution through an ion exchange system, extracting the magnesium component via solvent extraction, chromatography, nanofiltration, filtration, membrane filtration, using adsorption and/or absorption materials, pH control and precipitation, and combinations thereof.

[0094] An organic acid component of the extraction composition, a biosolvent component of the extraction composition, a biobroth component of the extraction composition, or combinations thereof may be separated from the extracted solution and/or the extraction mixture and may subsequently be used to form a regenerated extraction composition. For example, at least a portion of an extraction composition may be separated from the extraction mixture, the extracted solution, or combinations thereof by pH control and precipitation, chromatography, ion exchange, or filtration. After this, the extracted portion may be recovered as a solid precipitate, in an aqueous solution, or both. In some embodiments, the organic acid components are targeted for separation and recovery, thereby minimizing loss of the extraction composition. The minimized loss of the extraction composition may assist further recycling of the extraction composition to form the regenerated extraction composition.

[0095] The regenerated extraction composition may be recovered and reused for subsequent extractions. For example, when the extracted portion is recovered as a solid precipitate, the precipitate may be redissolved to form the regenerated extraction composition. In some embodiments, the method includes repeating the extracting, such as with the regenerated extraction composition. In some embodiments, the regenerated extraction composition can be modified after recovery and prior to the repeating the extraction to add an organic acid, an inorganic acid or both, dilute the extraction composition, adjust a pH of the extraction composition (e.g., with a pH adjusting agent that does not interfere with the extraction process), or any combination thereof. The regenerated extraction composition may be transported (i.e., introduced) to the extraction zone, such that the regenerated extraction composition is recycled.

[0096] A simplified diagram of a non-limiting extraction process and recycling process may be as shown in FIG. 2. As shown in system 200 of FIG. 2 an ore material, an extraction composition, or both may be introduced to extraction zone 202 via feed line 201. An extracted solution may be introduced to component recovery zone 204 via input line 203 A. A treated metal ore material may be recovered from extraction zone 202 via output line 203B. The treated ore material may be analyzed, such as weighed to determine a total mass difference from the untreated ore material. The component recovery zone 204 may include a component to selectively remove Mg, Mo, Al, F, Si, Fe, Ni, Cu, among other metal and/or non-metal atoms (e.g., represented by line 205B) from the extracted solution such that the extraction composition is regenerated. In one or more embodiments, F may be removed from a Si-containing mineral or ore material

[0097] The system of one or more embodiments may include an organic acid recovery unit (not shown in FIG. 2). The organic acid recovery unit may include components to selectively remove and recover the organic acid (e.g., as a biosolvent, biobroth, or combinations thereof) from the extracted solution. In some embodiments, the organic acid recovery unit includes components that are capable of regenerating the extraction composition from the recovered organic acid(s) from the recovered form.

[0098] One or more impurity components may be separated (or “stripped”) from the extracted solution along with one or more additional metal components (e.g., a metallic ore component including, but not limited to, an Fe component, a Ni component, a Co component, a Cu component, a Li component, an Al component, among others) such that the extraction composition and a mixture of metallic components or individual metallic components may be recovered. In one or more embodiments, an Mg component may be a main component of the mixture of metallic components. In one or more embodiments, each of the impurity components and, if present, one or more additional metallic ore components are recovered separately from the extracted solution as recovered components. In some embodiments, the recovered component has a purity in a range from 5% or greater, 10% or greater, 25% or greater, or 50% or greater. The recovered component may have a purity in a range from 5% to 100%. For example, the recovered component may have a purity in a range having a lower limit of any one of 1%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, and 50%, and an upper limit of any one of 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, 99%, 99.9%, 99.99%, and 100%, where any lower limit can be paired with any mathematically compatible upper limit.

[0099] The regenerated extraction composition may be fed to one or more extraction units of the extraction zone, such as via one or more flow lines (e.g., line 205A) in fluid communication with the component recovery zone 204 and the extraction zone 202. In some embodiments, the regenerated extraction composition is transported to a storage tank to be used in a subsequent extraction process, for example. In some embodiments, it may be determined via analysis of the extraction composition, recovery efficiency of one or more metal atoms, or both, that the regenerated extraction composition requires additional components (e.g., one or more additional components of the extraction composition). The analysis may be performed with a method or system capable of measuring metal atoms and/or non-metal atoms in a solid sample (e.g., an ore material), a liquid sample (e.g., an extracted solution, a regenerated extraction composition), or both. Analysis of one or more embodiments may include determination of total mass loss of the untreated ore material, analysis of a sample (e.g., an extracted solution sample) with absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (MS), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) of a solution, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) of a solid sample, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Modal Mineralogy analysis (e.g. QEMSCAN®), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), pH, conductivity or combinations thereof.

[00100] A method of one or more embodiments may include providing a measurement system coupled to the extraction system to analyze one or more components of the extraction mixture, such as a regenerated extraction composition. The measurement system may include one or more components configured to perform the analytical methods including, but not limited to ICP-OES, absorption measurement, fluorescence measurements (e.g., excitation and/or emission), HPLC, IR, GC, MS, XRD, XRF, Modal Mineralogy (e.g. QEMSCAN®) ORP, pH, conductivity, among others. The measurement system may include various pumps, flow control components, a control system, among other components. The measurement system may be configured to collect a sample and analyze one or more components of the extraction mixture (e.g., a liquid sample of the extraction mixture) over set time intervals and time periods. In some embodiments, the analysis of a solid sample is performed at an off-site location after separation and collection from an extraction mixture.

[00101] In some embodiments, analysis of an extracted sample is carried out after each extraction in the extraction zone. Analysis of a regenerated extraction composition may be performed after processing through the component recovery zone. In some embodiments, the extracted sample, the regenerated extraction solution, or both are continuously measured by one or more components of the extraction system. In some embodiments, the extraction system includes one or more sensors capable of collecting and/or transmitting data to a computer that may be a part of the extraction system or at an off-site location. In some embodiments, one or more parameters (e.g., recycled extraction composition makeup, temperature, pressure, residence time within the extraction zone, etc.) is adjusted based on the data collected from the analytical measurements.

[00102] In some embodiments, an extraction composition storage tank 206 can be present in system 200 such that one or more components of the extraction composition may be introduced to the regenerated extraction composition via line 207. For example, an extraction composition make-up may be introduced to the regenerated extraction composition to regenerate the concentration of the acid(s) in the extraction composition, to increase the concentration of the extraction composition, or to dilute the extraction composition. In such embodiments, the adjusting of the regenerated extraction composition via introduction of the make-up may maintain or increase the extraction efficiency of target metal component(s), enhance the selectivity of target metal component(s), or both. [00103] In another aspect, embodiments herein relate to a method for improving smelting efficiency of an ore material. The method for improving a smelting efficiency may include one or more steps of a method for extracting one or more impurity components from an ore material (e.g., as described in method 100 of FIG. 1). The method for improving smelting efficiency may include forming a mixture including an extraction composition and an ore material. The mixture may be as described previously. The method may include selectively removing one or more impurity components from the ore material. In one or more embodiments, the method includes selectively removing one or more impurity components from the ore material with reduced removal of an Fe component from the ore material, thereby increasing or maintaining an Fe: impurity ratio as compared to conventional extraction compositions.

[00104] While the method may include one or more method steps as described above and as shown in FIG. 1 , one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that some or all of the blocks may be executed in different orders, may be combined or omitted, and some or all of the blocks may be executed in parallel. Furthermore, the blocks may be performed actively or passively. Alternative methods include the use of these combinations of organic acids and conjugate bases to selectively remove gangue from other Ni-containing materials, including, but not limited to, nickel laterite and nickel sulfides. Alternative methods include the use of these combinations of organic acids and conjugate bases to selectively remove gangue from other Cu-containing materials, including, but not limited to, copper carbonates, copper oxides, copper hydroxides, and combinations thereof. Alternative methods include the use of these combinations of organic acids and conjugate bases to selectively remove gangue from other Fe-containing materials, including, but not limited to, copper carbonates, copper oxides, copper hydroxides, and combinations thereof. The methods according to the present invention can be used in ore processing applications to remove gangue from ore as part of a load, strip, recycle circuit.

[00105] The method of one or more embodiments may advantageously upgrade an ore material as well as or better than traditional processes. The process of one or more embodiments may be cost-effective and can be adapted to equipment currently used in the mining industry. One or more embodiments of the present disclosure may advantageously improve the smelting efficiency of the ore material after extraction as compared to traditional processes. Additionally, the compositions and methods of one or more embodiments unexpectedly alters the selective removal of an impurity component an ore material in a way that significantly differs operationally from how a more standard solvent (e.g., the inorganic acid, H2SO4) solubilizes atoms, salts, and/or minerals from a copper ore material. Further, mixtures of certain concentrations of inorganic acids, organic acids, and/or ionic liquids may allow for reduced cost while retaining the advantage of selectively removing one or more impurity components from an ore material.

[00106] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure are advantageous as organic acids and their conjugate bases, inorganic acids, ionic liquids, or combinations thereof improve selective solubilization of impurities from ores. In some cases, addition of inorganic acids and/or ionic liquids to an extraction composition that includes one or more organic acids may further improve the removal of gangue material and impurities. Another advantage demonstrated by the present invention is that using the disclosed process for ore material reduces the smelting temperature, thereby permitting reduction in the carbon footprint and cost. One or more embodiments may advantageously support carbon sequestration. Furthermore, the one or more embodiments for treating an ore material has a concentration effect in which selectively solubilizing impurities (e.g., a Mg impurity) can reduce the formation of slag and permit reduction in the carbon footprint and cost. Still another advantage of the present disclosure is that using the disclosed process for a Cu ore material, such as a Cu concentrate, exposes more Cu and allows Cu depressants to work more effectively and capture more value from the same amount of material. Another advantage of the present disclosure is that using the disclosed process for a Fe ore material, such as a Fe concentrate, exposes more Fe and allows Fe depressants to work more effectively and capture more value from the same amount of material.

[00107] Another advantage demonstrated by the present invention is that using the disclosed process for Ni-containing ore materials, such as Ni sulfides, Ni oxides (e.g., Ni laterite), tailings thereof, or a concentrate and/or mixture thereof, the smelting temperature can be reduced, thus permitting reduction in the carbon footprint and cost. Another advantage demonstrated by the present invention is that using the disclosed process for Ni-containing ore materials has a concentration effect. Thus, selectively solubilizing the Mg impurity from the concentrate can reduce the formation of slag and permit reduction in the carbon footprint and cost. Still another advantage of the present invention is that using the disclosed process for ore materials including and/or derived from nickel oxides exposes more Ni and allows Ni depressants to work more effectively and capture more value from the same amount of material.

[00108] Alternative methods include the use of these combinations of organic acids and conjugate bases to selectively remove gangue from other materials, including nickel laterite, nickel sulfides, aluminosilicates, bauxite, copper ore, and ultramafic tailings. Alternative methods also include selectively extracting metals of value from gangue. These metals of value include, but are not limited to, Fe, Li, Co, Ni, Cu, and Al.

[00109] EXAMPLES

[00110] The following examples are intended to demonstrate that multiple laboratory experiments were performed to highlight the selectivity for impurity extraction in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. These examples are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[00111] Example 1

[00112] Mixtures of organic acids and their conjugate bases were prepared and these solvents were added to finely ground iron ore and incubated in a shaker at 50 C for 24 hours. Milli-Q water was used as a control treatment. Following incubation, samples were centrifuged and the solvents were decanted. Solid samples were dried and measured on XRF following a borate fusion pretreatment.

[00113] FIG. 3 shows the percent change in composition of an Fe ore following treatment with 1 M gluconate/citrate, pH 3.35; 1 M formate, pH 3.55; and a 1 M mixture of citrate (40% w/v), oxalate (40% w/v), and gluconate (20% w/v), pH 3.20. These results show that little or no Fe was removed from the ore samples, but about 16-21% of aluminum (Al), about 10-18% of silica (represented by Si) in FIG. 3, and about 2-5% of phosphorus (P) was removed. Thus, removal of Al, Si, and P impurities from Fe ore was increased by treatment with select combinations of organic acids and conjugate bases compared to controls.

[00114] Example 2

[00115] This example followed the procedure of Example 1 except that different pH values were tested and compared. FIG. 4 shows the changes in the percent elemental composition of Al, Si, P, and Fe after treatment with 1 M formate, pH 1.8; I M formate, pH 3.55; 1 M mixture of citrate (40% w/v), oxalate (40% w/v), and gluconate (20% w/v), pH 0.79; and 1 M mixture of citrate (40% w/v), oxalate (40% w/v), and gluconate (20% w/v), pH 3.20. These results again show that little or no Fe was removed from the samples. Treatment with 1 M formate, pH 3.55, removed about 16%, about 18%, and about 4%, respectively, of Al, Si, and P. In contrast, treatment with 1 M formate, pH 1.8, removed only about - 11%, -5%, and 1%, respectively or Al, Si, and P. Further, treatment with a 1 M mixture of citrate (40% w/v), oxalate (40% w/v), and gluconate (20% w/v), pH 3.20, removed about 21%, about 17%, and about 6%, respectively, or Al, Si, and P. In contrast, treatment with a 1 M mixture of citrate (40% w/v), oxalate (40% w/v), and gluconate (20% w/v), pH 0.79, removed only about -8%, about -7%, and about 3%, respectively of Al, Si, and P. Thus, in acidic conditions, increasing the pH of the treatments toward neutral pH resulted in increased removal of Al, Si, and P impurities with greater retention of Fe in the ore.

[00116] Example 3

[00117] This example followed the procedure of Example 1 except that different concentrations of organic acids were tested and compared. Gluconic acid and oxalic acid were each tested at concentrations of 31.25 mM, 62.5 mM, 125 mM, 250 mM, 500 mM, and 1 M for removal of Al from Fe ore. As shown in FIG. 5, with gluconic acid, the best results were obtained with concentrations of 250 mM and IM, which each removed about 1.4% of Al from the samples. With oxalic acid, the best results were obtained at a concentration of 500 mM, which removed about 2.8% of Al from the samples. Thus, the concentration of the organic acid impacts the extent of solubilization of impurities in Fe ore, and greater concentration does not always amount to increased solubilization. [00118] Example 4

[00119] Mixtures of inorganic acids and organic acids and their conjugate bases were prepared, and these solvents were added to ores and tailing and incubated in a paddle stirrer at room temperature for 96 hours. Milli-Q water was used as a control treatment. Following incubation, samples were centrifuged and the solvents were decanted. Solid samples were dried and measured on XRF.

[00120] FIG. 6 shows the percent removal of aluminum, calcium, magnesium, and silica from the ores and tailings. Several organic acids, shows improved removal of these elements compared to inorganic acids. For example, citrate demonstrated improved removal of calcium oxide (CaO) and silica (SiCF) over removal of these impurities by hydrochloric acid (HC1), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), or phosphoric acid (H3PO4). Also, oxalic acid removed greater amounts of aluminum oxide (AI2O3) than did any of the inorganic acids tested. Oxalic acid also removed magnesium oxide (MgO) in amounts comparable to those of the inorganic acids. Further, citrate, oxalic acid, malic acid, and gluconic acid removed SiO2 in amounts greater than any of the inorganic acids. Moreover, formic acid removed CaO relatively selectively, that is, with little or no removal of AI2O3, MgO, or SiO₂.

[00121] Example 5

[00122] Individual extraction solutions and comparative (i.e., “control”) solutions were prepared according to the amounts shown in Table 1 below as aqueous solutions. Notably, Control- 1 was prepared with tap water, and the remaining samples were prepared in Milli- Q water.

[00123] Table 1: Extraction Solution Composition

[00124] Copper concentrate (10 wt%) was added to each solution. The solutions were then stirred at 60 °C for 24 hours. Liquid samples were taken at 2 h, 6 h, and 24 h and measured on the ICP-OES. Results for these 2 h, 6 h, and 24 h measurements are shown in FIGS. 7A-7C, respectively, which include the aqueous concentrations of key elements in solution. In particular, oxalic and gluconic acid show reduced copper solubilization in solution as compared to other organic acids and controls.

[00125] Example 6

[00126] Individual extraction solutions and comparative (i.e., “control”) solutions were prepared according to the amounts shown in Table 1 above as aqueous solutions. Notably, the Control- 1 sample was prepared with tap water, and the remaining samples were prepared in Milli-Q water.

[00127] Copper concentrate (10 wt%) was added to each solution. The solutions were then stirred at 60 °C for 24 hours. The percentage of dissolved element was assessed by combining the total mass loss value with XRF and ICP-OES measurements. The combined data for percent dissolved for Al, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mo, and Si are shown in FIG. 8. It was determined that Example-3 and Example-4, which included oxalic acid and gluconic acid, respectively, demonstrated the greatest selectivity for Al, Fe, Mg, Si solubilization while retaining Cu in the solid concentrate material.

[00128] Example 7

[00129] Recycling of an extracted solution was evaluated with an ion exchange column using an AmberLite™ IRC 120 H Ion Exchange Resin. In particular, an extraction process (or “leaching”) was performed on a copper concentrate (approximately 10 wt%, 51 grams (s) of solid) at 60 °C for 24 hours with gluconic acid (I M, 400 mL). [00130] After 24 hours, any remaining solids were separated from the extracted solution. The extracted solution was passed and stirred with the resin (i.e., a resin-in-pulp method) to remove the metal component (i.e., cations of Al, Mg, Fe, Mo) and regenerate the extraction composition. Results are shown in FIG. 9, which shows the absorption of cations to the resin over time. The regenerated extraction composition was then used to treat a fresh copper concentrate (10 wt% solid suspension in water).

[00131] The percentage of dissolved elements in the extracted solution was determined after the first extraction and the second extraction, and results are shown in FIG.6. For example, the percentage of dissolved element was assessed by combining total volume loss of the liquid extraction composition and ICP-OES measurements of the extracted solution. Data shown in FIG. 10 indicates that there is no loss in selectivity for removal of Mg from the copper concentrate as compared to removal of copper after recycling of the extraction composition.

[00132] Example 8

[00133] An aqueous citric acid solution (200 mL, 1 M, Molar) and a comparative aqueous solution including sulfuric acid (200 mL, 1 M) were each introduced to 10 wt% nickel sulfide concentrate (20 grams (g) solid). Each mixture was stirred for 24 hours at 70 °C. Samples were removed from each solution at intermittent time intervals. In particular, samples were removed at 1 , 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours, and 24 hours for the comparative extraction mixture, and samples were removed at 1, 2, 3, 4, and, 5 hours, and 24 hours for the citric acid extraction mixture.

[00134] After collection of each sample, any solids were removed from the extraction mixture. Percentages of the metal component(s) dissolved were determined by combining total volume loss of the liquid with ICP-OES measurements of the extracted solution. Results for sulfuric acid are shown in FIG. HA, and results for the citric acid solution are shown in FIG. 11B. It was observed (in FIG. HA) that treatment of a nickel sulfide concentrate with sulfuric acid results in continuous metal component loss of Ni , Fe, and Mg. In contract, the citric acid solution showed selectivity for Mg component extraction (e.g., as magnesium oxide (MgO)) as compared to Fe, Ni, and S components. [00135] Example 9

[00136] Sulfuric acid (I M, 200 mL) and different organic acid solutions (IM total organic acid concentration, 200mL) were individually added to different samples of 10 wt% nickel sulfide concentrate (20 g of solid). Each solution mixture was stirred at 50 °C for 24 hours. After 24 hours, the solid nickel sulfide concentrate was separated from the acidic solution. A percentage of the dissolved element was assessed by combining total mass loss of the solid nickel sulfide concentrate with X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements of the isolated solids. Metal atom extraction results for each acid are shown in FIG. 12.

[00137] As shown in FIG. 12, citric acid and malic acid each showed the greatest selectivity for Mg solubilization as compared to Ni, Fe, and Co atoms. Conversely, sulfuric acid demonstrated the highest selectivity for Fe relative to the extraction of Mg, Ni, and Co.

[00138] Example 10

[00139] Mixtures of organic acids (I M and 1.3 M total organic acid concentration, 200 mF) in solution and 1 M citric acid solution 200 mL) were each evaluated for extraction selectivity in a 10 wt% nickel sulfide concentrate (20 grams of solid). Each solution mixture was stirred at 70 °C for 24 hours. After 24 hours, the solid nickel sulfide concentrate was separated from the acidic solution. ICP-OES measurements of the extracted liquid solution after separation from solids were used to assess the amounts of the dissolved metal atoms from the solid nickel sulfide concentrate. Metal atom extraction results for each acid may be as shown in FIG. 13. As shown, the organic acid mixtures show increased selectivity for Mg over Ni and Fe.

[00140] Example 11

[00141] Sulfuric acid (at pH 0.18, 200 mL) was compared to extraction performance of IM citric acid solution (200mL) at different pH’s and evaluated for extraction selectivity in a 10 wt% nickel sulfide concentrate (20 g of solid). Each solution mixture was stirred at 50 °C for 24 hours. After 24 hours, the solid nickel sulfide concentrate was separated from the acidic solution. Percentages of dissolved metal atoms were assessed by combining the total mass loss with XRF measurements of the isolated solids. Extraction results are presented in FIG. 14.

[00142] In FIG. 14, solutions including citric acid at acidic pH, i.e., with Citric Acid 1 (pH 0.86) and Citric Acid 2 (pH 2.25), show increased selectivity for extraction of Mg as compared to solutions having citric acid at a pH of 4.13 and 8.05. Notably, the selectivity of citric acid solutions at pH of 4.13 and 8.05 shows a reversal of selectivity for Fe extraction rather than being selective for Mg. Thus, as shown in FIG. 13, the pH of extraction compositions including an organic acid can be optimized to increase selectivity for a Mg component (e.g., MgO) as compared to Ni and Fe.

[00143] Example 12

[00144] Three 10 wt% nickel sulfide concentrate samples (20 g of solid) were introduced to 1 M citric acid solution (200 mL). Each of the three samples were stirred for 24 hours at different temperatures (i.e., at 22 °C, 50 °C, and 70 °C). After 24 hours, the solid nickel sulfide concentrate was separated from the acidic solution. The percentages of the dissolved metal atoms was assessed by combining a total volume loss with ICP-OES measurements of the extracted liquid solution after separation from solids. As shown in FIG. 15, adjusting the temperature of the extraction mixture enhances citric acid extraction selectivity for a Mg component as compared to Fe and Ni .

[00145] Example 13

[00146] Selectivity of different concentrations of citric acid solutions were evaluated for the extraction of components including iron, Mg, Ni , and S. In this example, different solutions having different concentrations (at 0.1 M, 0.3 M, 0.5 M, 0.7 M, and 0.9 M) were introduced to nickel sulfide concentrates (10 wt%, 20 g of solid). Each mixture was performed at 70 °C and samples were obtained at select time intervals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 24 hours).

[00147] FIGs. 16A-16D are graphs showing results of the extracted components (Fe, Mg, Ni , and S, respectively over time). It was determined that citric acid concentrations between 0.3 M and 1.0 M (i.e., 0.9 M) shows the greatest selectivity for a Mg component relative to other components over time.

[00148] Example 14

[00149] Three different biosolvents (i.e., Biosolvents 3-5) were produced by culturing the same Aspergillus species (i.e., Aspergillus niger (ATCC 1015)) in different media. MilliQ water was used as the base solution for Media 2 and 3 to produce Biosolvents 4 and 5, respectively, while tap water was pH adjusted to 5 and used as the base solution for media 1 to produce Biosolvent 3. The media recipes for all media types are based on a standard M9 cultivation media.

[00150] In media 1, all salt concentrations (excluding nitrogen and phosphorus salts) are those described in the standard M9 recipe. In media 2 and 3 sodium chloride concentration was reduced to 0.5 g/L. Media 3 differs from media 2 in that it was pH adjusted to 5 prior to autoclaving. Mixes of ATCC trace mineral and vitamin solutions were added to all media at 1 milliliter per liter (mL/L) of media as were Mg and calcium solutions. Glucose was loaded, after autoclaving, at 75 g/L using a pre-dissolved 50% w/v glucose solution from Teknova.

[00151] The inoculation process was the same for all media types. Aspergillus spp. preserved in 15% glycerol were thawed aseptically and transferred directly into the growth medium. Cultures were incubated at 25 °C, 60% humidity, and 150 RPM (rotations per minute) in baffled polycarbonate flasks for one week before they were harvested. At harvest cultures were first strained through a cheesecloth and then vacuum-filtered through a 0.22 m polyester sulfone membrane. As shown in FIG. 17, the use of different media can influence the production of different organic acid ratios in unpurified biobroths.

[00152] Example 15

[00153] The unpurified biosolvents obtained in Example 14 were used in an ore extraction process for three examples (ore:biobroth ratio 1:10). 4 grams of nickel sulfide concentrate was added to 40 mL of biobroth to create solution mixtures. Each solution mixture was stirred at 70 °C for 24 hours. After 24 hours, the solid nickel sulfide concentrate was separated from the acidic solution. Three additional examples were performed in which hydrochloric acid (HC1) was added to each of Biosolvents 3, 4, and 5 to reduce the pH to 1-2 from a pH of 4-5, and subsequently used to evaluate ore material extraction. Two comparative examples were performed with IM sulfuric acid and IM citric acid using the same ore to solvent ratios.

[00154] Results are presented in FIG. 18, which shows that biosolvents are selective for the extraction of Mg component removal from the ore material. Interestingly, Biosolvents 4 and 5 having oxalic acid as a main acid component demonstrated a reverse in selectivity for Mg and are predominantly selective for iron as shown in FIG. 18. Notably, the results shown in FIG. 18 indicate that there is enhanced selectivity for Mg removal with unpurified biobroths as compared to an inorganic acid solvent or a citric acid solvent. Additionally, unpurified Biosolvents 4 and 5 with HC1 show minimal removal of iron component with an increased percent dissolution of Mg as compared to extraction processes with only Biosolvents 4 and 5.

[00155] Methods for Examples 16-18: Comparative Extractions

[00156] Results for each of Examples 16-18 were obtained by adding 4 grams of nickel sulfide concentrate was added to 40 mL of biobroth or model bio-solvents to create solution mixtures. Model bio-solvents were created by adding purified components of each of the organic acids found in the biobroth mixtures (e.g., as shown in Fig 17) to MilliQ Water. Each solution mixture was stirred at 70 °C for 24 hours. After 24 hours, the solid nickel sulfide concentrate was separated from the acidic solution.

[00157] Example 16: Results

[00158] Comparative experiments were performed to determine whether a synergetic effect of Biosolvent 3 (produced as described in Example 14) is observed as compared to the model solvent. Results are shown in FIG. 19, which indicate that the unpurified Biosolvent 3 is advantageously and unexpectedly more selective for Mg as compared to other components. Thus, Biosolvent 3 displays a synergetic effect as compared to a synthetic mixture of Model Biosolvent 3. [00159] Example 17: Results

[00160] Comparative experiments were performed to determine whether a synergetic effect of Biosolvent 4 (produced as described in Example 14) is observed as compared to the model solvent. Results are shown in FIG. 20, which indicate that the unpurified Biosolvent 4 is advantageously and unexpectedly more selective for Mg as compared to other components. In contrast, a synthetic mixture of organic acid components displays higher selectivity for the removal of iron and sulfur. Thus, Biosolvent 4, an unpurified fermentation broth, displays a synergetic effect as compared to a synthetic mixture of Model Biosolvent 4.

[00161] Example 18: Results

[00162] Comparative experiments were performed to determine whether a synergetic effect of Biosolvent 5 (produced as described in Example 14) is observed as compared to the model solvent. Results are shown in FIG. 21, which indicate that there is a reversal in selectivity of unpurified Biosolvent 5 that is advantageously and unexpectedly more selective for Mg as compared to other components with minimal removal of iron. In contrast, a synthetic mixture of organic acid components displays higher selectivity for the removal of iron and sulfur. Thus, Biosolvent 5, an unpurified fermentation broth, displays a synergetic effect as compared to a synthetic mixture of Model Biosolvent 5.

[00163] Example 19

[00164] Recycling of an extraction composition was evaluated with an ion exchange column using an AmberLiteTM IRC 120 H Ion Exhange Resin. In particular, an extraction process (or “leaching”) was performed on a 10 wt% nickel sulfide concentrate (20 g of solid) at 70 °C for 24 hours with a citric acid (I M, 200 mL).

[00165] After 24 hours, any remaining solids were separated from the extracted solution. The extracted solution was passed through an ion exchange column to remove the metal component (i.e., cations of Fe, Mg, and Ni) and regenerate the extraction composition. The regenerated extraction composition was used to treat a fresh nickel sulfide concentrate (10 wt% solid suspension in water). [00166] The percentage of dissolved elements in the extracted solution was determined after the first extraction and the second extraction, and results are shown in FIG. 22. For example, the percentage of dissolved element was assessed by combining total volume loss of the liquid extraction composition and ICP-OES measurements of the extracted solution. Data shown in FIG. 22 indicates that there is no loss in selectivity for removal of Mg from a nickel sulfide concentrate as compared to removal of iron, Ni and S after recycling of the extraction composition.

[00167] Example 20

[00168] Recycling of an extraction composition was evaluated via solvent extraction of a model leachate solution having 5 g/L (grams per Liter) of iron (from FeCh), 5 g/L of Mg (from MgCh), and 1 g/L Ni(from NiCh) dissolved in 1 M citric acid solution with pH adusted to 3.5.

[00169] The model extraction composition solution was mixed with an organic solvent phase. The organic solvent phase included 40 wt% of di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (DEHPA) in kerosene and 55% saponified sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The solvents were shaken for 3 minutes and allowed to settle. The separation of aqueous and organic phases was observed. Samples were taken from the organic and aqueous phases for analysis and compared to the initial aqueous phase samples (i.e., the model leachate solution).

[00170] Concentrations of metal ions in the extracted solution are presented in FIG. 23. In particular, there is substantial reduction of iron and Mg ions in the aqueous phase after biphasic extraction with an organic solvent as compared to the extracted solution prior to biphasic treatment. This indicates that an extraction composition may be regenerated and recycled through the use of biphasic solvent extraction as a relatively large portion of Mg and iron components can be separated into the organic solvent phase.

[00171] Example 21

[00172] A solvent exchange procedure was followed to evaluate the solvent promoted regeneration of an extracted solution including Ni, Fe, and Mg. The study was performed using 40 vol% (volume percent) DEHPA in a kerosene diluent and adding an extracted solution (including 1 M citric acid). The extracted solution had the properties shown in Table 2, below, which include pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), and Fe, Mg, and Ni content in grams per liter (gpl).

[00173] Table 2: Biosolvent Properties

[00174] Three extraction shake-out tests were completed by adding the extracted composition (100 mL) and 40 vol% DEHPA (200 mL) to a 500 mL separatory funnel. For the first test, the phases were mixed for 5 minutes, then allowed to separate and the aqueous solution was analyzed for pH, ORP, and metal concentration.

[00175] Subsequent tests were carried out in the same manner with the exception of caustic sodium hydroxide (NaOH) addition to increase the pH. For example, in Test 2, 19.5 mL of 10 M caustic was added to the separatory funnel containing the biosolvent and DEHPA solution, and then mixed for 5 minutes. After mixing, the phases were allowed to separate and the aqueous solution was analyzed for pH, ORP and metal concentration. In Test 3, 33 mL of 10 M caustic was added and mixed for 5 minutes, separated, and analyzed.

[00176] The metal recovery verses equilibrium pH are shown in FIG. 24. As shown in FIG. 24, Fe and Mg extraction from the aqueous phase was achieved with pH modulation during a solvent exchange and with each shake test. In particular, Fe recovery achieved greater than 90 % recovery, and Mg achieved about 70 % recovery.

[00177] To ensure the biosolvent was not transferred to the organic phase (i.e., the DEHPA + Diluent), the active component of the aqueous phase (i.e., the citric acid) was analyzed in the starting solution and after each shake-out test. The biosolvent concentration (in millimoles, mmol) was back calculated to adjust for dilution during caustic addition. Results are shown in Table 3 below, which indicate that the biosolvent does not transfer to the organic phase during contact with DEHPA. [00178] Table 3: Active Component Concentration in the Biosolvent

[00179] The methods according to the present invention can be used in ore processing applications to remove gangue from ore as part of a leach, separate, and regenerate circuit.

[00180] Example 22

[00181] A metal extraction with DEHPA using multiple extractions was conducted using 40 vol% DEHPA in diluent (i.e., kerosene) and an extracted solution containing significantly less metals in solution than those present in previously described examples. Metal concentrations and pH are shown in Table 4, below.

[00182] Table 4: Extracted Solution pH and Metal Concentration

[00183] Extraction shake-out tests were completed by adding the extracted solution (70 mL) and 40 vol% DEHPA (140 mL) to a 500 ml separatory funnel. A 10 M sodium hydroxide solution was added (23 mL) to the separatory funnel and the phases were mixed for 5 minutes, The phases were allowed to separate, and the aqueous pH and metal concentrations were measured. The aqueous phase (or “raffinate”) was collected from the first shake-out test and contacted a second time with fresh DEHPA (140 ml) in the separatory funnel; 9 mL of 10 M sodium hydroxide was added and mixed for 5 minutes and the phases were then allowed to separate. The aqueous pH and metal concentrations were analyzed for each aqueous phase collected. The results of the extractions are shown in Table 5, below.

[00184] Table 5: Extraction Results of Aqueous Phases

[00185] As a result of the lower metal concentrations in the extracted solution and the second contact with fresh DEHPA, the metal extraction of Fe and Mg were significantly improved, while Ni was not extracted. The overall recovery of Fe and Mg after the two contacts were 99.2% and 90.4%, respectively.

[00186] Example 23

[00187] Testing was performed to investigate the use of calcium chloride (CaCh) to precipitate citric acid as calcium citrate with the use of NaOH for pH adjustment. Sodium hydroxide was used for pH adjustment as sodium citrate solubility in water is greater than calcium citrate. Slaked calcium oxide/calcium hydroxide was not used specifically to prevent the possibility of localized precipitation of metals or citric acid on the solid particle surface and to improve kinetics as the solids are only modestly soluble in water. An extracted solution having the pH and metal concentrations shown in Table 6, below, was used for testing.

[00188] Table 6: Extracted Solution pH and Metal Concentrations

[00189] Testing was performed using a 250 mL beaker and stir bar on a magnetic stir plate at room temperature. The extracted solution (50 mL) was added to the beaker and stirred, 0.1 M CaCh was added, and 10 M NaOH was added incrementally to increase the pH. After each sodium hydroxide addition, the solution was allowed to mix for 15 minutes, and the pH was measured. Samples were taken at pH 5.6 and 8.4 and analyzed for metal and citric acid concentration. Table 7, below, includes the measured concentration results. [00190] Table 7: Measured pH and Concentration of Samples

[00191] The results in Table 7 show that the citric acid concentration did not decrease at pH 5.6 but decreased at pH 8.4, with minimal drop in metal concentrations. Although not optimized, for calcium concentration, kinetics, temperature, pH, etc., the measured concentrations of the different samples indicate that the precipitation of citric acid could be a viable means of selectively precipitating and separating calcium citrate from metal ions to regenerate the biosolvent for subsequent extractions. For example, one can envision that addition of an acid, such as sulfuric acid addition, would be required to convert the calcium citrate to citric acid by precipitation of calcium sulfate to redissolve the citric acid in an aqueous solution.

[00192] Example 24

[00193] The extracted solution of two different Ni sulfide concentrates from sites across the globe were compared. 10 wt% of each Ni sulfide concentrate sample (20 g of solid) was introduced to an extraction composition having 1 M citric acid solution (200 mL). Each of the two samples were stirred for 24 hours at 70 °C. After 24 hours, the solid nickel sulfide concentrate was separated from the acidic solution. The percentages of the dissolved metal atoms were assessed by combining a total volume loss with ICP-OES measurements of the extracted liquid solution after separation from solids.

[00194] Selectivity for Mg solubilization as compared to Ni and iron solubilization is shown in FIG 25. As shown in FIG. 25, the extraction composition favors selectivity for the removal of Mg and iron as compared to the extraction of Ni from the nickel sulfide concentrates. [00195] The publications and other reference materials referred to herein to describe the background of the invention and to provide additional detail regarding its practice are hereby incorporated by reference. The references discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to distinguish such disclosure from the presently described invention.

[00196] Throughout the application, ordinal numbers (for example, first, second, third) may be used as an adjective for an element (that is, any noun in the application). The use of ordinal numbers does not imply or create a particular ordering of the elements or limit any element to being only a single element unless expressly disclosed, such as by the use of the terms “before,” “after,” “single,” and other such terminology. Rather, the use of ordinal numbers is to distinguish between the elements. By way of an example, a first element is distinct from a second element, and the first element may encompass more than one element and succeed (or precede) the second element in an ordering of elements.

[00197] It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a horizontal beam” includes reference to one or more of such beams. In another example, reference to a combination containing “a conjugate base” includes a mixture of two or more conjugate bases, reference to “an organic acid” includes reference to one or more of such organic acids, and reference to “an ionic liquid” includes reference to a mixture of two or more ionic liquids.

[00198] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.

[00199] Terms such as “approximately” or “substantially” mean that the recited characteristic, parameter, or value need not be achieved exactly, but that deviations or variations, including, for example, tolerances, measurement error, measurement accuracy limitations, and other factors known to those of skill in the art, may occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect the characteristic was intended to provide. [00200] It is to be understood that one or more of the steps shown in the flowcharts may be omitted, repeated, or performed in a different order than shown. Accordingly, the scope disclosed should not be considered limited to the specific arrangement of steps shown in the flowcharts.

[00201] Although multiple dependent claims are not introduced, it would be apparent to one of ordinary skill that the subject matter of the dependent claims of one or more embodiments may be combined with other dependent claims.

[00202] Although only a few example embodiments have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the example embodiments without materially departing from this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed:

1. A method for selectively removing gangue or impurities from an ore material, the method comprising: forming an extraction composition comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids, organic acids, and ionic liquids at selected concentrations and selected pH; contacting the ore material with the extraction composition at a selected temperature for a selected time for solubilizing the gangue or impurities to result in a treated ore material and an extracted solution; and separating the treated ore material from the extracted solution containing the solubilized gangue or impurities.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gangue or impurities comprise at least one of aluminum, silicon, silica, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, nickel, copper, molybdenum, fluorine, arsenic, and lithium.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the organic acids comprise at least one of citric acid, malic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, itaconic acid, tartaric acid, hydroxypropionic acid, phthalic acid, tartaric acid, hexadecenoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, gallic acid, aspartic acid, succinic acid, oleic acid, tannic acid, palmitic acid, glycine, proline, serine, alanine, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the organic acids are produced by microbes.

5. The method of claim 3 or 4, wherein the organic acids are derived from biological sources.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the organic acids are produced synthetically.

7. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extraction composition further comprises a biobroth obtained from an organic acid-producing microbe.

8. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the selected pH is in a range of about 1.5 to about 6.5.

9. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the selected pH is in a range of about 0.01 to 6.5.

10. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the selected temperature is at least about 20°C.

11. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the selected temperature is in a range from about 20 °C to about 100 °C.

12. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising breaking the ore material into particles of a selected size before contacting the ore material with the extraction composition.

13. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extraction composition further comprises silicase and/or other enzymes.

14. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extraction composition comprises a first organic acid, an optional additional organic acid, and an optional inorganic acid.

15. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inorganic acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ore material comprises one or more of gangue, ore tailings, ore concentrate, ore, waste rock, or any combination thereof.

17. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contacting further comprises removing the gangue or the impurities from the ore material, thereby improving an ore grade of the ore material.

18. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: separating the gangue and/or impurities from the extracted solution; and recovering the extraction composition to produce a recovered extraction composition, wherein the separated one or more components has a purity in a range from 10% to 100%.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein separating the gangue and/or impurities from the extracted solution comprises extracting the gangue and/or impurities from the extracted solution with one or more water treatment techniques.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more water treatment techniques are selected from the group consisting of feeding the extracted solution through an ion exchange system, using solvent extraction, chromatography, filtration, membrane filtration, osmotic separation, using adsorption and/or absorption materials, using pH control and precipitation, or combinations thereof.

21. A mixture comprising: an extraction composition; and an ore material, wherein: the extraction composition comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of a biosolvent, a biobroth, an organic acid, an inorganic acid, and an ionic liquid, and the extraction composition is configured to selectively solubilize an impurity component, a metal of value, or combinations thereof from the ore material.

22. The mixture of claim 21 , wherein the impurity component, metal of value, or both comprise at least one of aluminum, silica, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, molybdenum, nickel, copper, and lithium.

23. The mixture of any one of claims 21 to 22, wherein the organic acids comprise at least one of citric acid, malic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, itaconic acid, tartaric acid, hydroxypropionic acid, phthalic acid, tartaric acid, hexadecenoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, gallic acid, aspartic acid, succinic acid, oleic acid, tannic acid, palmitic acid, glycine, proline, serine, alanine, and combinations thereof.

24. The mixture of any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the extraction composition has a pH a range of about 1.5 to about 6.5.

25. The mixture of any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein the extraction composition has a pH a range of about 0.01 to 6.5.

26. The mixture of any one of claims 21 to 25, wherein the mixture is adjusted to a temperature that is at least about 20°C to promote selective extraction.

27. The mixture of any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the mixture is adjusted to a temperature in a range from about 20 °C to about 100 °C to promote selective extraction.

28. The mixture of any one of claims 21 to 27, wherein the ore material comprises one or more of gangue, ore tailings, ore concentrate, ore, or any combination thereof.

29. The mixture of any one of claims 21 to 28, wherein the extraction composition further comprises silicase and/or other enzymes.

30. The mixture of any one of claims 21 to 29, wherein the impurity component is gangue, one or more metals of value, one or more non-metallic atoms and/or compounds, or any combination thereof.

31. A method for solubilizing one or more impurity components from tailings, an ore substrate, an ore concentrate, gangue, or combinations thereof to support carbon sequestration, the method comprising: forming an extraction composition comprising one or more selected from inorganic acids, organic acids, and ionic liquids at selected concentrations and pH; contacting the tailings, the ore substrate, the gangue, or both the tailings and the ore substrate with the extraction composition at a selected temperature for a selected time for solubilizing the one or more impurity components to produce an extracted solution and treated tailings, a treated ore substrate, a treated ore concentrate, a treated gangue, or combinations thereof; and separating the treated tailings, the treated ore substrate, the treated ore concentrate, or combinations thereof from the extracted solution.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the organic acids comprise citric acid, malic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, itaconic acid, tartaric acid, hydroxypropionic acid, phthalic acid, tartaric acid, hexadecenoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, gallic acid, aspartic acid, succinic acid, oleic acid, tannic acid, palmitic acid, glycine, proline, serine, alanine, and combinations thereof.

33. The method of claims 31 or 32, wherein the organic acids are produced by microbes.

34. The method of any one of claims 31 to 33, wherein the organic acids are derived from biological sources.

35. The method of claims 31 or 32, wherein the organic acids are produced synthetically.

36. The method of any one of claims 31 to 35, wherein the selected pH is in a range of about 1.5 to about 6.5.

37. The method of any one claims 31 to 36, wherein the selected pH is in a range of about 0.01 to 6.5.

38. The method of any one of claims 31 to 37, wherein the selected temperature is at least about 20 °C.

39. The method of any one of claims 31 to 38, wherein the selected temperature is in a range from about 20 °C to about 100 °C.

40. The method of any one of claims 31 to 39, further comprising breaking the tailings, ore substrate, or both tailings and ore substrate into particles of a selected size before contacting the tailing, ore substrate, or both tailings and ore substrate with the extraction composition.

41. The method of any one of claims 31 to 40, wherein the extraction composition further comprises silicase or other enzymes.

42. The method of any one of claims 31 to 41, wherein the extracted solution comprises the extraction composition and the one or more impurities.

43. The method of any one of claims 31 to 41, further comprising: separating the one or more impurities from the extracted solution; and recovering the extraction composition to produce a recovered extraction composition.

44. The method of any one of claims 31 to 43, wherein separating the gangue and/or impurities from the extracted solution comprises extracting the gangue and/or impurities from the extracted solution with one or more water treatment techniques.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the one or more water treatment techniques are selected from the group consisting of feeding the extracted solution through an ion exchange system, using solvent extraction, chromatography, filtration, membrane filtration, osmotic separation, using adsorption and/or absorption materials, using pH control and precipitation, or combinations thereof.

46. A method for selectively removing one or more impurity components from an iron ore material, the method comprising: contacting the iron ore material with an extraction composition comprising one or more organic acids, the extraction composition having a selected pH, resulting in a slurry; incubating the slurry at a selected temperature of at least about 20 °C for a selected time, thereby solubilizing the one or more impurity components in the extraction composition to form an extracted solution; and separating the extracted solution comprising the one or more impurity components from the incubated slurry to form a treated iron ore material having an improved ore grade and/or improved ability for processing.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the extraction composition comprises a pH in a range from about 0.01 to about 6.5.

48. The method of claims 46 or 47, wherein the one or more organic acids are present in the extraction composition at a concentration in a range from a non- zero value to 4 M.

49. The method of any one of claims 46 to 48, wherein the extraction composition comprises formate having a pH of about 3.5 and a concentration of about 1 M.

50. The method of any one of claims 46 to 49, wherein the extraction composition comprises gluconic acid having a concentration of about 250 mM to about 1 M.

51. The method of any one of claims 46 to 50, wherein the extraction composition comprises oxalic acid having a concentration of about 250 mM to about 1 M.

52. The method of any one of claims 46 to 51 , wherein the extraction composition comprises about 40% (w/v) citrate, about 40% (w/v) oxalate, and about 20% (w/v) gluconate.

53. The method of any one of claims 46 to 52, further comprising breaking the iron ore material into particles of a selected size range.

54. The method of any one of claims 46 to 53, further comprising separating the one or more impurity components from the extracted solution.

55. The method of any one of claims 46 to 54, further comprising extracting the one or more impurity components with one or more water treatment techniques to regenerate the extraction composition, wherein the one or more water treatment techniques comprise one or more selected from solvent extraction, chromatography, filtration, membrane filtration, osmotic separation, using adsorption and/or absorption materials, using pH control and precipitation, or combinations thereof.