Catalyst for the demetalation of a hydrocarbon charge stock

Claim 2

The process of claim 2 wherein said portion of said manganese dioxide component is converted to said compound by contacting said manganese nodule with a reagent capable of reducing the manganese of said manganese dioxide component to the divalent state.

Claim 3

The process of claim 3 wherein said compound is dissolved and removed from said manganese nodule by leaching said manganese nodule with an aqueous solvent.

Claim 4

The process of claim 3 wherein said reagent is carbon monoxide.

Claim 5

The process of claim 4 wherein said aqueous solvent is an alkaline aqueous solution.

Claim 6

The process of claim 3 wherein said reagent is carbon monoxide and said alkaline aqueous solution is an aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide and ammonium carbonate.

Claim 7

The process of claim 3 wherein said reagent is sodium chloride dissolved in an aqueous acid medium having a pH greater than 3.

Claim 8

The process of claim 3 wherein said reagent is sulfur dioxide.

Claim 9

The process of claim 9 wherein said aqueous solvent is water.

Claim 10

The process of claim 3 wherein said reagent is sulfur dioxide and said aqueous solvent is water.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of iron oxide component of said manganese nodule removed concomitantly with said manganese dioxide component of said manganese nodule is not greater than 10 percent of the amount of said manganese dioxide removed from said manganese nodule.

Claim 12

A process for the demetalation of a hydrocarbon charge stock containing metals selected from the class consisting of whole crude petroleum oils, topped crude oils, residual oils, distillate fractions, heavy vacuum gas oils, shale oils, oils from tar sands, and heavy hydrocarbon oils, comprising contacting a manganese nodule containing manganese dioxide and iron oxide along with oxides of silicon and aluminum, carbonates of calcium and magnesium, the sulfate and phosphate of calcium and small amounts of the oxides of molybdenum, zinc, lead, vanadium, and rare earth metals with a reagent capable of reducing the manganese of the manganese dioxide component of said manganese nodule to the divalent state to convert at least a portion of said manganese dioxide component to a compound which is soluble in a solvent in which the iron oxide component of said manganese nodule or any derivative of said iron oxide component of said manganese nodule formed concomitantly wiTh said compound is substantially insoluble and leaching said manganese nodule to dissolve and remove from said manganese nodule at least a portion of said compound, said portion of said manganese component converted to said compound and dissolved and removed from said manganese nodule being at least 25 percent by weight of said manganese dioxide component of said manganese nodule and the amount of iron oxide component of said manganese nodule removed concomitantly with said manganese dioxide component being not greater than 10 percent by weight of said manganese dioxide component, and thereafter contacting said hydrocarbon charge stock with hydrogen in the presence of said manganese nodule at a temperature from about 650* F. to about 850* F. and a pressure from about 100 to 3,000 pounds per square inch gage.

Claim 13

The process of claim 2 wherein said manganese nodule subsequently to removal of said portion of said manganese dioxide component is subjected to the action of hydrogen sulfide by contacting said manganese nodule with said hydrogen sulfide.

Claim 14

The process of claim 13 wherein said manganese nodule subsequently to removal of said portion of said manganese dioxide component is subjected to the action of hydrogen sulfide by contacting said manganese nodule with said hydrogen sulfide.