Appeal No. 1998-1855 3
Application No. 08/459,537
27. A process for the recovery of one or more metal values from a metal
ore material containing said one or more values and a matrix material having a
sulfur content wherein the sulfur is present in an oxidation-reduction state of zero
or less comprising:
a. forming particulates from particles of said metal ore material and
an inoculate comprising bacteria capable of at least partially
oxidizing the sulfur content;
b. forming a heap of said particulates;
c. biooxidizing the sulfur content and
d. recovering said one or more values, wherein said heap is
essentially free of manganese or manganese-containing compounds,
said ore contains at least 0.2% by weight sulfide and said particulates
comprise less than 12% by weight moisture.
33. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal ore material
comprises less than 0.08 oz/ton of said one or more metal values.
THE REFERENCES OF RECORD
As evidence of obviousness, the examiner relies upon the following references:
Krebs-Yuill et al. (Krebs-Yuill) 4,740,243 Apr. 26, 1988
Clough et al. (Clough) 4,765,827 Aug. 23, 1988
Hackl et al. (Hackl) 4,888,293 Dec. 19, 1989
Gross 4,898,611 Feb. 06, 1990
Brierley et al. (Brierley ‘942) 5,127,942 Jul. 07, 1992
Brierley et al. (Brierley ‘486) 5,246,486 Sep. 21, 1993
Brierley et al. (Brierley ‘559) 5,332,559 Jul. 26, 1994
THE REJECTIONS
Claims 1 through 17 and 27 through 52 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112,
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