RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS AND CHALCOPHILE METALS
A process for recovery of one or more elements, selected from precious metals and chalcophile metals, as herein defined, from materials containing precious and/or chalcophile metal/s, said process including: (i) contacting the material with an alkaline solution containing a lixiviant comprising an amino acid, or derivative thereof, and an alkali stable transition metal complex in order to form a leachate containing the precious metal and/or chalcophile metal; and (ii) recovering the precious metal and/or chalcophile metal from the leachate.
1 - 18 . (canceled)
19 . A leaching solution comprising an amino acid lixiviant and an alkali stable transition metal complex.
20 . The leaching solution of claim 19 , wherein the alkali stable transition metal complex is one or more of ferrocyanide, ferricyanide, ferric gluconate and ferric EDTA.