Patent US3876748A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3876748A
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Extraction of metals from iron oxide materials
Assignee: Huntington Alloys Corp
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Filing: 1973-10-29
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Granted: 1975-04-08
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Expires: 1993-10-29
Abstract
Abstract Non-ferrous metal values, such as nickel, cobalt or copper, contained in oxide ores, or roasted sulfide ores, that also contain iron, are selectively reduced to the metallic state, and the selectively reduced metal values are reacted with molecular chlorine by passing gaseous chlorine through an aqueous pulp of the reduced ore to produce a pregnant solution containing the chlorinated metal values from which solution the metal values can be recovered.
Inventors
- 👤 Herm Jan Roorda
- 👤 Paul Etienne Queneau
- 👤 Stanley Charles Townshend
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 16:44
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B23/00; C22B23/04; C22B15/00; C22B15/0002; C22B15/001; C22B15/0021; C22B15/0063; C22B15/0065; C22B15/0067; C22B15/0069; C22B15/0082; C22B15/0084; C22B15/0089; C22B15/0093; C22B23/0407; C22B23/0415; C22B23/0423; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A PROCESS FOR TREATING AN OXIDE ORE CONTAINING IRON TOGETHER WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY LESSER AMOUNT OF AT LEAST ONE OTHER METAL VALUE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF NICKEL, COBALT AND COPPER WHICH COMPRISES SELECTIVELY REDUCING THE OXIDE ORE TO CONVERT SUBSTANTIALLY ALL SAID OTHER METAL VALUE TO THE METALLIC STATE BUT REDUCING TO THE METALLIC STATE NO MORE THAN 5 PARTS OF IRON FOR EACH PART OF SAID METALLIZED OTHER METAL, IMMERSING THE SELECTIVELY REDUCED ORE IN WATER TO FORM A SUSPENSION HAVING AN AQUEOUS PHASE, CONTACTING SAID IMMERSED REDUCED ORE WITH MOLECULAR CHLORINE THROUGH SAID AQUEOUS PHASE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WHILE MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SUSPENSION IN THE RANGE OF 75*C. UP TO 95*C. TO MINIMIZE THE CONCENTRATION OF HYPOCHLOROUS ACID IN THE AQUEOUS PHASE WHILE MAINTAINING THE TOTAL PRESSURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 1 TO ABOUT 10 ATMOSPHERES TO CHLORIDIZE SAID METALS, TERMINATING THE CONTACT WITH MOLECULAR CHLORINE WHEN THE PH VALUE OF THE AQUEOUS PHASE IS IN THE RANGE BETWEEN ABOUT 3 AND 2 AND THE REDOX POTENTIAL OF THE AQUEOUS PHASE IS SOMEWHAT IN EXCESS OF ABOUT +300 MV WHEREBY SAID
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
A PROCESS FOR TREATING AN OXIDE ORE CONTAINING IRON TOGETHER WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY LESSER AMOUNT OF AT LEAST ONE OTHER METAL VALUE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF NICKEL, COBALT AND COPPER WHICH COMPRISES SELECTIVELY REDUCING THE OXIDE ORE TO CONVERT SUBSTANTIALLY ALL SAID OTHER METAL VALUE TO THE METALLIC STATE BUT REDUCING TO THE METALLIC STATE NO MORE THAN 5 PARTS OF IRON FOR EACH PART OF SAID METALLIZED OTHER METAL, IMMERSING THE SELECTIVELY REDUCED ORE IN WATER TO FORM A SUSPENSION HAVING AN AQUEOUS PHASE, CONTACTING SAID IMMERSED REDUCED ORE WITH MOLECULAR CHLORINE THROUGH SAID AQUEOUS PHASE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WHILE MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SUSPENSION IN THE RANGE OF 75*C. UP TO 95*C. TO MINIMIZE THE CONCENTRATION OF HYPOCHLOROUS ACID IN THE AQUEOUS PHASE WHILE MAINTAINING THE TOTAL PRESSURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 1 TO ABOUT 10 ATMOSPHERES TO CHLORIDIZE SAID METALS, TERMINATING THE CONTACT WITH MOLECULAR CHLORINE WHEN THE PH VALUE OF THE AQUEOUS PHASE IS IN THE RANGE BETWEEN ABOUT 3 AND 2 AND THE REDOX POTENTIAL OF THE AQUEOUS PHASE IS SOMEWHAT IN EXCESS OF ABOUT +300 MV WHEREBY SAID
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the reduced material, before chlorination, is slowly cooled under a protective atmosphere so as to cause disproportionation of wustite therein into metal and magnetite.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the reduced material, before chlorination, is selectively reoxidised to convert part of the metallic iron to iron oxide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the water in which the reduced oxide material is originally immersed contains chloride ions in solution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 4 which is carried out on a continuous basis and replacement water used in said process is sea water or brine.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the chlorination is carried out at a temperature of about 80.degree.C and is terminated when oxidation of dissolved iron to the ferric state begins as signified by the attainment of a pH of about 2 to 3 and an EH of about +300.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 6 in which ferrous iron in the solution produced is oxidised to the ferric state and precipitated by passing oxygen into the solution at a pH above 3.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
94 words
A process according to claim 7 in which the chlorination is continued until the solution contains an amount of ferrous iron at least equivalent to the remaining metallic nickel, cobalt and copper and further metallic nickel, cobalt or copper is then taken into solution by adjusting if necessary, to pH of the solution to about 3 to 4 and by passing a gas containing free oxygen into the solution having the pH of from 3 to 4 at a temperature of at least 80.degree.C. and a pressure of about 1 to about 10 atmospheres.
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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) | 1978-04-07 | 1978-10-07 | 1979-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-07 | 1982-10-07 | 1983-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-07 | 1986-10-07 | 1987-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |