US3753686A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Recovery of copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum from complex ores
Assignee: Kennecott Utah Copper LLC
•
Filing: 1970-07-16
•
Granted: 1973-08-21
•
Expires: 1990-07-16
Abstract
Abstract Copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum may be leached from complex ores containing manganese, iron, copper, nickel, molybdenum, and cobalt after the complex ore is roasted with a carbon containing material.
Inventors
- 👤 T Wilder
- 👤 J Andreola
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 03:56
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B47/00; C22B47/0018; C22B47/0045; C22B47/0054; C22B47/0072; C22B1/00; C22B1/02; C22B3/00; C22B3/04; C22B3/12; C22B3/14; C22B34/00; C22B34/30; C22B34/34; C22B47/0027; C22B5/00; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/20; Y10; Y10S; Y10S423/00; Y10S423/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
roasting said nodules admixed with a material selected from the group consisting of liquid and solid carbonaceous material said carbonaceous material having a carbon content of from about 3 to about 10 percent by weight of said nodules at a temperature of from about 350* C to about 1,000* C for at least 15 minutes whereby said manganese dioxide is reduced to at least manganic oxide thereby rendering said copper, nickel, cobalt and nickel soluble,
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said roasted nodules are leached in the aqueous solution sequentially first out of contact with air and then further leached in the aqueous solution in the presence of air.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
roasting said nodules admixed with a material selected from the group consisting of liquid and solid carbonaceous material said carbonaceous material having a carbon content of from about 3 to about 10 percent by weight of said nodules at a temperature of from about 350* C to about 1,000* C for at least 15 minutes whereby said manganese dioxide is reduced to at least manganic oxide thereby rendering said copper and nickel soluble,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
leaching said roasted nodules with an aqueous leach solution containing at least 2 percent ammonia and at least a 0.2 molar concentration of an ammonium salt selected from ammonium chloride, ammonium carbonate and ammonium sulfate at atmospheric pressure whereby a leachate rich in copper and nickel, and essentially free of manganese and iron is obtained,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the carbon containing material is selected from anthracite coal, bituminous coal, methyl cellulose, crankcase oil, crude oil, bunker C fuel oil, and the destructive distillation products of anthracite coal and bituminous coal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
leaching at atmospheric pressure said roasted nodules with an aqueous leach solution containing at least 2 percent ammonia and at least a 0.2 molar concentration of an ammonium salt selected from ammonium chloride, ammonium carbonate and ammonium sulfAte whereby a leachate rich in a metal selected from copper, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum and mixtures thereof and essentially free of manganese and iron is obtained,
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
7 words
separating said leachate from nodule residue, and
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the aqueous leach solution contains about 10 percent ammonia and 1 molar ammonium carbonate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
7 words
separating said leachate from nodule residue, and
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
7 words
recovering copper and nickel from said leachate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of extracting copper and nickel from manganese deep sea nodules wherein iron, copper and nickel is present in said nodules as oxides or mixed oxides and manganese is present as manganese dioxide consisting of the steps of
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
recovering a metal selected from copper, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum and mixtures thereof from said leachate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the carbonaceous material is selected from coal, coke, crude oil, bunker C fuel oil and mixtures thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the aqueous ammonia-ammonium salt leach contacts the reduced manganese nodules before the reduced manganese nodules come into contact with air.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the aqueous leach solution contains about 10 percent ammonia and 1 molar ammonium carbonate. Percent Coal in the roast Percentage Extraction Ni Cu Co Mo4 53.3 98.8 26.0 83.65 87.1 84.1 55.8 94.06 91.7 83.9 60.9 90.0 8 86.9 87.6 67.7 -EXAMPLE III Percent Coal in the roast Ni Cu Co Mo6 47.3 98.2 29.8 82.310 79.2 90.2 50.0 84.1
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-20 | 1977-02-19 | 1977-08-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-20 | 1981-02-19 | 1981-08-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-20 | 1985-02-19 | 1985-08-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |