Method and apparatus for mineral recovery.

A method of electrowinning a mineral from an ore body is disclosed, the method Including recirculating a leaching solutlon through leaching means and solvent extraction means whereby soluble mineral la leached from that ore body and dissolved into the leaching solution; recirculating a solvent through the solvent extraction means and stripping means whereby selected soluble mineral dissolved In the leaching solution is extracted into the solvent from the leaching solution; recirculating an electrolyte through the stripping means and a mineral extraction cell assembly whereby the selected soluble mineral is stripped from the solvent into the electrolyte, and applying an electric current to the mineral extraction call assembly and wherein said mineral extraction cell assembly includes a stationary elongate housing having a conductive inner surface, closure assemblies [13, 14] removably mounted to each end of the stationary housing, an electrode extending from at least one the closure assembly into the housing to form an annular cavity between the housing and the electrode a fluid inlet to the annular cavity in one of the closure assemblies and formed whereby, in use, fluid is introduced to the mineral extraction cell assembly offset from the elongate axis of the stationary elongate housing, a fluid outlet to the cell assembly formed in the other of the closure assemblies, end electrical terminations for connecting the electrical current to the electrode and the conductive surface to cause the selected soluble mineral to be electro-deposited on the conductive surface. The mineral extraction cell assembly preferably further Includes separation means dividing the annular cavity into an electrolyte chamber with which the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are in fluid connection and a process fluid chamber, a process inlet to the process fluid chamber a process outlet to the process fluid chamber, in which case the method includes circulating process fluid through the process inlet and the process outlet.