US4187281A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hydrometallurgical recovery of cobalt and nickel
Assignee: Honeywell UOP LLC
•
Filing: 1978-08-07
•
Granted: 1980-02-05
•
Expires: 1998-08-07
Abstract
Abstract Metal values may be recovered from metal bearing sources in a hydrometallurgical process in which a metal bearing source such as an ore and the like is reduced with a reductive roast only or with the presence of at least one additive at temperatures ranging from about 500 DEG to about 900 DEG C. Thereafter the reduced source is subjected to a leach in the presence of a basic leaching agent to extract the desired metals from the source. In the present invention, the basic leaching agent which is employed comprises an ammoniacal ammonium chloride solution.
Inventors
- 👤 John C. Stauter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 21:20
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B23/00; C22B23/04; C22B23/0407; C22B23/0446; C22B23/005; C22B3/00; C22B3/04; C22B3/12; C22B3/14; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
In a hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt metal values from a source containing the same which comprises: (a) roasting said source in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature in the range of from about 550° to about 900° C. in contact with a roast additive selected from the group consisting of solid sulfur in the concentration of about 0.01 to about 5% by weight of said source, gaseous sulfur compounds in the concentration of about 0.01 to about 10% by weight of said source, hydrogen halide in the concentration of about 0.01 to about 10% by weight of said source, and combinations thereof; (b) cooling said roasted material in the absence of air until said reduced source obtains a temperature below about 95° C. and extracting the same below about 95° C. in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas with a basic leaching agent at a pH sufficiently high to prevent dissolution of high amounts of iron from said source; and (c) recovering said desired nickel and cobalt metal values, the improvement which comprises utilizing ammoniacal ammonium chloride as said basic leaching agent of step (b).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
In a hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt metal values from a source containing the same which comprises: (a) roasting said source in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature in the range of from about 550° to about 900° C. in contact with a roast additive selected from the group consisting of solid sulfur in the concentration of about 0.01 to about 5% by weight of said source, gaseous sulfur compounds in the concentration of about 0.01 to about 10% by weight of said source, hydrogen halide in the concentration of about 0.01 to about 10% by weight of said source, and combinations thereof; (b) cooling said roasted material in the absence of air until said reduced source obtains a temperature below about 95° C. and extracting the same below about 95° C. in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas with a basic leaching agent at a pH sufficiently high to prevent dissolution of high amounts of iron from said source; and (c) recovering said desired nickel and cobalt metal values, the improvement which comprises utilizing ammoniacal ammonium chloride as said basic leaching agent of step (b).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said metal value is nickel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said metal value is cobalt.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said metal bearing source is a lateritic ore.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said source is pretreated with at least one additive prior to being subjected to said reductive roast.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as set forth in claim 5 in which said additive is a hydrogen halide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as set forth in claim 5 in which said hydrogen halide is hydrochloric acid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process as set forth in claim 5 in which said additive is a gaseous sulfur compound.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said solid sulfur is elemental sulfur.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process as set forth in claim 8 in which said gaseous sulfur compound is sulfur dioxide or hydrogen sulfide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process as set forth in claim 5 in which said additive is a mixture of hydrogen halide and a gaseous sulfur compound.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3734715A
Cited
US3736125A
Cited
US3772424A
Cited
US3845189A
Cited
US3772423A
Cited
US3953200A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-02-04 | 1983-08-06 | 1984-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-02-04 | 1987-08-06 | 1988-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-02-04 | 1991-08-06 | 1992-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |