Method of treating solutions containing metal values

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF TREATING A CLARIFIED AQUEOUS AMMONIACAL SOLUTION SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM SOLIDS AND CONTAINING IN SOLUTION DISSOLVED VALUES OF AT LEAST ONE METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF NICKEL, COPPER AND COBALT, AMMONIUM SULPHAMATE AND AT LEAST ONE OXIDIZABLE SULPHUR COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THIOSULPHATE AND POLYTHIONATES, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SOLUTION IN A REACTION VESSEL ABOVE ABOUT 350*F. AND AT A PARTIAL PRESSURE OF OXYGEN OF AT LEAST ABOUT 10 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, AGITATING THE SOLUTION, FEEDING AN OXYGENBEARING, OXIDIZING GAS INTO THE SOLUTION, AND CONTINUING THE TREATMENT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO OBTAINSUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE CONVERSION OF OXIDIZABLE SULPHUR COMPOUNDS TO SULPHATES AND THE HYDROLYSIS OF SULPHAMATE TO SULPHATE.