Hydrothermal metallurgy: An overview of basic concepts and applications

Innovation in process technology as applied to extractive metallurgy may en able mining companies to combine profitability and improvements in environm ental management. One of the ideas in process innovation is the use of hydr othermal conditions hence the term hydrothermal metallurgy. Hydrothermal me tallurgy is defined here a process which involves hydrothermal synthesis fo r recovery of metals or inorganic compounds. The reactions are carried out in a high pressure reactor, in which raw materials or residues intermediate products are processed into high quality and therefore, marketable product s. The reaction conditions are such that the temperature in the reactor alw ays corresponds with the saturated steam pressure. This paper discusses the characteristics and merits of this technology, which could reduce operatin g costs by using a direct process and also mitigate against the adverse env ironmental impact of some extractive metallurgical processes. It provides a n overview of the current state of the art, and additionally highlight some of the yet to be explored research areas. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. A ll rights reserved.