USRE37251EExpiredUtility

Chloride assisted hydrometallurgical extraction of metal

83
Assignee: COMINCO ENG SERVICESPriority: Jul 29, 1993Filed: Jul 22, 1999Granted: Jul 3, 2001
Est. expiryJul 29, 2013(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:David L. Jones
C22B 3/24C22B 3/3842C22B 3/26C22B 19/22Y02P10/20C22B 23/0453C22B 23/043C22B 23/0423C22B 15/0089C22B 15/0084C22B 15/0071C22B 15/0069C22B 15/0067C22B 23/0415C22B 11/00C22B 19/26C22B 3/08C22B 3/20C22B 3/10C22B 3/06
83
PatentIndex Score
31
Cited by
4
References
39
Claims

Abstract

A process for the extraction of a metal from an ore or concentrate comprises subjecting the ore or concentrate to pressure oxidation in the presence of oxygen and an acidic solution containing halogen ions and a source of bisulphate or sulphate ions, such as H2SO4. The metals which can be extracted by the process comprises copper as well as non-cuprous metals such as zinc, nickel and cobalt. During pressure oxidation the metal may be precipitated as an insoluble basic salt, such as basic copper sulphate, or substantially completely solubilized and precipitated later as the basic metal salt.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A process for the extraction of a  at least one non-cuprous metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt from a metal ore or concentrate containing the non- cuprous metal , comprising the step  steps of 
       subjecting the metal ore or concentrate containing the non- cuprous metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt  to pressure oxidation in the presence of oxygen and an acidic solution containing halogen ions and a source of bisulphate or sulphate ions to form a product solution of said non-cuprous metal, wherein said source of bisulphate or sulphate ions is at least one member selected from the group consisting of sulphuric acid and a metal sulphate which  that hydrolyzes in said acidic solution,  
         recovering the non - cuprous metal from the product solution, and    
       
         recycling a portion of the product solution remaining after the recovering step to the pressure oxidation step.  
       
     
     
       2. The process according to claim  1 , wherein said halogen is  ions are selected from chlorine and bromine ions. 
     
     
       3. The process according to claim  1 , wherein the non-cuprous metal is zinc and further comprising the steps of precipitating zinc from said solution of non-cuprous metal in the form of a basic zinc sulphate; separating the basic zinc sulphate from the remainder of said solution; and leaching zinc from said basic zinc sulphate to produce a solution of zinc ions. 
     
     
       4. The process according to claim  3 , further comprising the steps of extracting zinc from said solution of zinc ions by means of an organic extractant; and stripping zinc from said extractant to produce a concentrated solution of zinc ions for electrowinning. 
     
     
       5. The process according to claim  3 , wherein said solution of non-cuprous metal also contains copper ions and further comprising the step of removing said copper ions from solution prior to said precipitation of zinc as the basic zinc sulphate. 
     
     
       6. The process according to claim  5 , wherein the copper ions are removed by solvent extraction. 
     
     
       7. The process according to claim  5 , wherein the copper ions are removed by selective precipitation of copper. 
     
     
       8. The process according to claim  1 , wherein the non-cuprous metal is nickel and further comprising the steps of precipitating nickel from said solution of non-cuprous metal in the form of a basic nickel sulphate; separating the basic nickel sulphate from the remainder of said solution; and leaching nickel from said basic nickel sulphate to produce a solution of nickel ions. 
     
     
       9. The process according to claim  8 , wherein said solution of non-cuprous metal also contains copper ions and further comprising the step of removing said copper ions from solution prior to said precipitation of nickel as the basic nickel sulphate. 
     
     
       10. The process according to claim  9 , wherein the copper ions are removed by selective precipitation of copper. 
     
     
       11. The process according to claim  1 , wherein the non-cuprous metal is cobalt and further comprising the steps of precipitating cobalt from said solution of non-cuprous metal in the form of a basic cobalt sulphate; separating the basic cobalt sulphate from the remainder of said solution; and leaching cobalt from said basic cobalt sulphate to produce a solution of cobalt ions. 
     
     
       12. The process according to claim  11 , wherein said solution of non-cuprous metal also contains copper ions and further comprising the step of removing said copper ions from solution prior to said precipitation of cobalt as the basic cobalt sulphate. 
     
     
       13. The process according to claim  12 , wherein the copper ions are removed by selective precipitation of copper. 
     
     
       14. The process according to claim  11 , wherein the halogen ion concentration is about 12 g/L. 
     
     
       15. The process according to claim  1 , wherein the non-cuprous metal is a mixture of nickel and cobalt and further comprising the steps of precipitating nickel and cobalt from said solution of non-cuprous metal in the form of basic nickel and cobalt salts; separating the basic nickel and cobalt salts from the remainder of said solution; and leaching nickel and cobalt from said basic nickel and cobalt sulphates to produce a solution of nickel and cobalt ions. 
     
     
       16. The process according to claim  15  further comprising the step of separating said nickel and cobalt ions by selective solvent extraction to produce separate nickel and cobalt solutions for electrowinning. 
     
     
       17. The process according to claim  1 , wherein the halogen concentration is in the range of about 8 g/L to about 20 g/L. 
     
     
       18. The process according to claim  1 , wherein said source of bisulphate or sulphate ions is generated by the metal ore or concentrate during said pressure oxidation. 
     
     
       19. The process according to claim  2 , wherein the halogen ions are chloride ions and the concentration of chloride is in the range of about  8  g/L to about  20  g/L. 
     
     
       20. The process according to claim  19 , wherein the chloride concentration is about  12  g/L. 
     
     
       21. The process according to claim  1 , wherein the pressure oxidation is carried out at a temperature between about  130 ° C. and  150 ° C. 
     
     
       22. The process according to claim  1 , wherein the pressure oxidation is carried out under a total oxygen and steam pressure of about  690  kPa to about  1380  kPa. 
     
     
       23. The process according to claim  1 , wherein the non- cuprous metal is nickel, and the recovering of the nickel comprises precipitating the nickel from the product solution to form a nickel precipitate and leaching nickel from the nickel precipitate to produce a nickel solution.   
     
     
       24. The process according to claim  23 , wherein the product solution also contains copper and the process further comprises removing the copper from the product solution prior to the precipitating of the nickel. 
     
     
       25. The process according to claim  23 , wherein the metal ore or concentrate also contains copper that is leached into the product solution during the pressure oxidation and the process further comprises removing the copper from the product solution prior to the precipitating of the nickel. 
     
     
       26. The process according to claim  25 , wherein the copper is removed by solvent extraction. 
     
     
       27. The process according to claim  25 , wherein the copper is removed by precipitation. 
     
     
       28. The process according to claim  1 , wherein the non- cuprous metal is cobalt, and the recovering of the cobalt comprises precipitating the cobalt from the product solution to form a cobalt precipitate and leaching cobalt from the cobalt precipitate to produce a cobalt solution.   
     
     
       29. The process according to claim  28 , wherein the product solution also contains copper and the process further comprises removing the copper from the product solution prior to the precipitating of the cobalt. 
     
     
       30. The process according to claim  28 , wherein the metal ore or concentrate also contains copper which is leached into the product solution during the pressure oxidation and the process further comprises removing the copper from the product solution prior to the precipitating of the cobalt. 
     
     
       31. The process according to claim  30 , wherein the copper is removed by solvent extraction. 
     
     
       32. The process according to claim  1 , wherein the at least one non- cuprous metal is both nickel and cobalt, and the recovering of the nickel and cobalt comprises precipitating the nickel and cobalt from the product solution to form a nickel and cobalt precipitate and leaching nickel and cobalt from the nickel and cobalt precipitate to produce a nickel and cobalt solution.   
     
     
       33. The process according to claim  32 , wherein the product solution also contains copper and the process further comprises removing the copper from the product solution prior to the precipitating of the nickel and cobalt. 
     
     
       34. The process according to claim  32 , wherein the metal ore or concentrate also contains copper that is leached into the product solution during the pressure oxidation and the process further comprises removing the copper from the product solution prior to the precipitating of the nickel and cobalt. 
     
     
       35. The process according to claim  34 , wherein the copper is removed by solvent extraction. 
     
     
       36. The process according to claim  34 , wherein the copper is removed by precipitation. 
     
     
       37. The process according to claim  32 , wherein the process further comprises separating the nickel and cobalt from the nickel and cobalt solution by selective solvent extraction to produce separate nickel and cobalt solutions for electrowinning. 
     
     
       38. A process for the extraction of a non- cuprous metal from a metal ore or concentrate containing the non - cuprous metal, comprising the steps of    
         subjecting the metal ore or concentrate containing the non - cuprous metal to pressure oxidation at a temperature of between about  130 ° C. and  150 ° C. in the presence of oxygen and an acidic solution containing halogen ions and a source of bisulphate or sulphate ions to form a product solution of said non - cuprous metal, wherein said source of bisulphate or sulphate ions is at least one member selected from the group consisting of sulphuric acid and a metal sulphate that hydrolyzes in said acidic solution,    
         recovering the non - cuprous metal from the product solution, and    
       
         recycling a portion of the product solution remaining after the recovering step to the pressure oxidation step. 
       
     
     
       39. A process for the extraction of at least one non- cuprous metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt from a metal ore or concentrate containing the non - cuprous metal, comprising the steps of subjecting the metal ore or concentrate containing the non - cuprous metal to pressure oxidation at a temperature of between about  130 ° C. and  150 ° C. in the presence of oxygen and an acidic solution containing halogen ions and a source of bisulphate or sulphate ions to form a product solution of said non - cuprous metal, wherein said source of bisulphate or sulphate ions is at least one member selected from the group consisting of sulphuric acid and a metal sulphate that hydrolyzes in said acidic solution, and recovering the non - cuprous metal from the product solution.

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