Method for obtaining nickel and cobalt out of low-grade silicate ores and of metallurgical offals

Claim 1

A METHOD OF RECOVERING NICKEL AND COBALT FROM LOW GRADE METALLURGICAL MATERIALS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF MIXING PARTICLES OF A LOW GRADE METALLURIGAL MATERIAL HAVING A NICKEL CONTENT OF LESS THAN 1% WITH A SULFUR CONTAINING MATERIAL AND A METAL HALIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF ALKALINE METAL CHLORIDES AND ALKALINE EARTH METAL CHLORIDES, ROASTING THE MIXED MATERIAL AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 250*C. TO 600*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN, LEACHING THE ROASTED MIXTURE WITH AN AGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF WATER, WEAK ACID, AND AMMONIA TO PUT NICKEL AND COBALT INTO SOLUTION, AND INCREASING THE PH OF THE SOLUTION TO AT LEAST 7 TO FORM A SEDIMENT COMPRISING NICKEL AND COBALTS, TREATING SAID SEDIMETN WITH ANOXIDIZING AGENT TO OXIDIZE IRON PRESENT IN SAID SEDIMENT TO THE TRIVALENT STATE, DISSOLVING NICKEL AND COBALT FROM THE SEDIMENT WITH AN AGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF WEAK SULFURIC AND WEAK HYDROCHLORIC ACID TO FORM A SECOND SOLUTION HAVING A PH OF AT LEAST 4, AND PRECIPITATING NICKEL AND COBALT FROM SAID SECOND SOLUTION AT A PH OF LESS THEN 6.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF RECOVERING NICKEL AND COBALT FROM LOW GRADE METALLURGICAL MATERIALS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF MIXING PARTICLES OF A LOW GRADE METALLURIGAL MATERIAL HAVING A NICKEL CONTENT OF LESS THAN 1% WITH A SULFUR CONTAINING MATERIAL AND A METAL HALIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF ALKALINE METAL CHLORIDES AND ALKALINE EARTH METAL CHLORIDES, ROASTING THE MIXED MATERIAL AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 250*C. TO 600*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN, LEACHING THE ROASTED MIXTURE WITH AN AGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF WATER, WEAK ACID, AND AMMONIA TO PUT NICKEL AND COBALT INTO SOLUTION, AND INCREASING THE PH OF THE SOLUTION TO AT LEAST 7 TO FORM A SEDIMENT COMPRISING NICKEL AND COBALTS, TREATING SAID SEDIMETN WITH ANOXIDIZING AGENT TO OXIDIZE IRON PRESENT IN SAID SEDIMENT TO THE TRIVALENT STATE, DISSOLVING NICKEL AND COBALT FROM THE SEDIMENT WITH AN AGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF WEAK SULFURIC AND WEAK HYDROCHLORIC ACID TO FORM A SECOND SOLUTION HAVING A PH OF AT LEAST 4, AND PRECIPITATING NICKEL AND COBALT FROM SAID SECOND SOLUTION AT A PH OF LESS THEN 6.