Systems and methods for recovery of cobalt metal and ionic cobalt

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a method comprising electrowinning a first portion of a conditioned cobalt bearing solution to yield cobalt metal, subjecting a second portion of a conditioned cobalt bearing solution to a first ion exchange to yield a second conditioned cobalt bearing solution, performing cobalt selective solution extraction on the second conditioned cobalt bearing solution to yield a refined cobalt containing liquid and, precipitating a cobalt salt by adding a precipitating agent to a first portion of the refined cobalt containing liquid.

1 . A method comprising:
 electrowinning a first portion of a conditioned cobalt bearing solution to yield cobalt metal;   subjecting a second portion of a conditioned cobalt bearing solution to a first ion exchange to yield a second conditioned cobalt bearing solution;   performing cobalt selective solution extraction on the second conditioned cobalt bearing solution to yield a refined cobalt containing liquid; and,   precipitating a cobalt salt by adding a precipitating agent to a first portion of the refined cobalt containing liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the precipitating agent comprises sodium carbonate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange removes manganese from the conditioned cobalt bearing solution. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , forwarding a second portion of the refined cobalt containing liquid to a cobalt gypsum precipitation process. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrowinning comprises a bagged anode process. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrowinning comprises a free anode process. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrowinning comprises depositing cobalt metal rounds on a masked cathode. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 an electrowinning cell configured to electrowin a first portion of a conditioned cobalt bearing solution to yield cobalt metal;   an ion exchange column configured to subject a second portion of a conditioned cobalt bearing solution to a first ion exchange to yield a second conditioned cobalt bearing solution;   a solution extraction circuit configured to perform cobalt selective solution extraction on the second conditioned cobalt bearing solution to yield a refined cobalt containing liquid; and,   a precipitation vessel configured to contain a cobalt salt formed by addition of a precipitating agent to a first portion of the refined cobalt containing liquid.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the precipitating agent comprises sodium carbonate. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the ion exchange column further comprises resin configured to remove manganese from the conditioned cobalt bearing solution. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a channel configured to forward a second portion of the refined cobalt containing liquid to a cobalt gypsum precipitation process. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the electrowinning cell comprises a bagged anode. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the electrowinning cell comprises a free anode. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the electrowinning cell comprises a masked cathode for the deposition of cobalt metal rounds.