Leaching

(noun)

A widely used extractive metallurgy technique which converts metals into soluble salts in aqueous media.

Related Terms

Examples of Leaching in the following topics:

  • Microbial Ore Leaching

    • Microbial ore leaching is the process in which microorganisms are used to extract metals from ores.
    • Microbial ore leaching (bioleaching) is the process of extracting metals from ores with the use of microorganisms.
    • cause less environmental pollution in comparison to the traditional leaching methods.
    • When fungi are used, the leaching mechanism is different.
    • Another drawback of microbial leaching is the slow rate at which microbes work.

  • Biogeochemical Cycles

    • For example, the movement of water is critical for the leaching of nitrogen and phosphate into rivers, lakes, and oceans.
    • It is important for leaching certain components of organic matter into rivers, lakes, and oceans, and is a reservoir for carbon.

  • Oligotrophs

    • Oligotrophic environments include deep oceanic sediments, caves, glacial and polar ice, deep subsurface soil, aquifers, ocean waters, and leached soils.

  • Metallurgy

    • The most common hydrometallurgical process is leaching, which involves the dissolution of the valuable metals into the aqueous solution.
    • Here, the coordination chemistry and solubility of the compound can become very important, as one attempts to precipitate a mineral (metal) of interest over the other metals in the solution or attempts to selectively leach one desired mineral over the others present in the sample.

  • The Phosphorus Cycle

    • In addition to phosphate runoff as a result of human activity, natural surface runoff occurs when it is leached from phosphate-containing rock by weathering, thus sending phosphates into rivers, lakes, and the ocean.

  • Calcium and Phosphate Balance Regulation

    • This hormone also causes phosphate to leach out of bone.

  • Prokaryotes and Environmental Bioremediation

    • Bioremediation has been used to remove agricultural chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers) that leach from soil into groundwater and the subsurface.

  • Extractive Metallurgy

    • The most common hydrometallurgical process is leaching, which involves dissolution of the valuable metals into the aqueous solution.

  • The Carbon Cycle

    • This carbon can be leached into the water reservoirs by surface runoff.

  • Soaps & Detergents

    • Before sodium hydroxide was commercially available, a boiling solution of potassium carbonate leached from wood ashes was used.