US4311520A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process for the recovery of nickel, cobalt and manganese from their oxides and silicates
Assignee: EMR Microwave Technology Corp
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Filing: 1980-02-28
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Granted: 1982-01-19
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Expires: 2000-02-28
Abstract
Abstract A process for the recovery of nickel, cobalt or manganese from their oxides or silicates wherein such process, which requires the application of heat, is improved by utilizing microwave energy as the source of heat. The microwave energy may be utilized to cause the reduction of these values enabling such reduced values to then be recovered by conventional leaching processes. The microwave energy may also be used in conjunction with the chlorination of such values to produce their chlorides which are subsequently separated from the gangue and then processed by conventional means to obtain the metal values.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul R. Kruesi
- 👤 Veryl H. Frahm, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 07:48
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B47/00; C22B47/0018; C22B47/0027; C22B23/00; C22B23/005; C22B9/00; C22B9/16; C22B9/22; C22B9/221; C22B9/225; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S423/00; Y10S423/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
In a process for the recovery of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and manganese from an ore material comprising an oxide or silicate of said metal and gangue, wherein the recovery process utilizes heat, the improvement in combination therewith comprising the step of subjecting said ore material to microwave energy wherein said microwave energy is preferentially absorbed by the metal oxide or silicate over the gangue and wherein the process involves a chemical reaction of the metal oxide or silicate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
In a process for the recovery of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and manganese from an ore material comprising an oxide or silicate of said metal and gangue, wherein the recovery process utilizes heat, the improvement in combination therewith comprising the step of subjecting said ore material to microwave energy wherein said microwave energy is preferentially absorbed by the metal oxide or silicate over the gangue and wherein the process involves a chemical reaction of the metal oxide or silicate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the metal oxide or silicate is heated with microwave energy to cause the reduction of the metal oxide or metal silicate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the metal oxide or metal silicate is heated with microwave energy to obtain a temperature of from about 500° C. to about 800° C. in the presence of a reducing gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the reducing gas is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbon gases, carbon monoxide, carbon, sulfur, sulfur dioxide and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the reduced metal values are recovered by an oxygenated ammonia-ammonium carbonate leach.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the reduced metal values are recovered by an inorganic acid leach.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the reduced metal values are converted to their chloride form.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the reduced metal values are heated in the absence of oxygen via microwave energy to a temperature of from about 200° C. to about 600° C. in the presence of a source of chlorine selected from the group consisting of ferric chloride, cupric chloride and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the source of the metal oxide or metal silicate is an ore.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the ore is selected from the group consisting of laterites, saprolites and sea nodules.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
73 words
In a process for the recovery of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and manganese from an ore material comprising an oxide or silicate of said metal and gangue, wherein the metal values are converted to their metal chlorides, the improvement comprising supplying heat needed to effect such a chlorination via microwave energy wherein said microwave energy is preferentially absorbed by the metal oxide or silicate over the gangue.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
73 words
In a process for the recovery of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and manganese from an ore material comprising an oxide or silicate of said metal and gangue, wherein the metal values are converted to their metal chlorides, the improvement comprising supplying heat needed to effect such a chlorination via microwave energy wherein said microwave energy is preferentially absorbed by the metal oxide or silicate over the gangue.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
89 words
A process for the recovery of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and manganese from an ore material comprising an oxide or silicate of said metal and gangue, comprising heating the metal oxide or metal silicate in an oxygen-free atmosphere with microwave energy to a temperature of from about 200° to about 600° C. in the presence of a source of chlorine in order to obtain the metal chloride wherein said microwave energy is preferentially absorbed by the metal oxide or silicate over the gangue.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
A process for the recovery of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and manganese from an ore material comprising an oxide or silicate of said metal and gangue, comprising heating the metal oxide or metal silicate in an oxygen-free atmosphere with microwave energy to a temperature of from about 200° to about 600° C. in the presence of a source of chlorine in order to obtain the metal chloride wherein said microwave energy is preferentially absorbed by the metal oxide or silicate over the gangue.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the metal oxide or metal silicate is first reduced by heating it to a temperature of from about 500° C. to about 800° C. in a reducing atmosphere selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbon gases, carbon monoxide, carbon, sulfur, sulfur dioxide and mixtures thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the source of chlorine is selected from the group consisting of chlorine gas, ferric chloride, cupric chloride and mixtures thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 14 wherein the chlorine source is ferric chloride.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 15 wherein a volatility depressant selected from the group consisting of alkali metal chlorides and ammonium chloride is added with the ferric chloride.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
99 words
A process for the recovery of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and manganese from an ore material comprising an oxide or silicate of said metal and gangue, wherein the metal values are converted to their chlorides comprising heating the metal oxide or metal silicate in an oxygen free atmosphere with microwave energy to a temperature of from about 200° C. to about 600° C. in the presence of ferric chloride and recovering the metal from its chloride form wherein said microwave energy is preferentially absorbed by the metal oxide or silicate over the gangue.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
99 words
A process for the recovery of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and manganese from an ore material comprising an oxide or silicate of said metal and gangue, wherein the metal values are converted to their chlorides comprising heating the metal oxide or metal silicate in an oxygen free atmosphere with microwave energy to a temperature of from about 200° C. to about 600° C. in the presence of ferric chloride and recovering the metal from its chloride form wherein said microwave energy is preferentially absorbed by the metal oxide or silicate over the gangue.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
68 words
The process of claim 17 wherein the metal oxide or metal silicate is first reduced by heating it with microwave energy to a temperature of from about 600° C. to about 750° C. in the presence of a reducing gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and mixtures thereof, the reduced metal oxide or metal silicate is then cooled and subjected to the chlorination process.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 17 or claim 18 wherein ferrous chloride is added to the metal oxide or metal silicate and the chlorination reaction is initiated by the addition of chlorine gas to cause the formation of ferric chloride.
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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) | 1985-01-18 | 1985-07-20 | 1986-01-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-01-18 | 1989-07-20 | 1990-01-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-01-18 | 1993-07-20 | 1994-01-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |