Copper, nickel and cobalt recovery
US6245125A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 12, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S423/17
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process for the recovery of copper and nickel from a copper and nickel sulphide concentrate in slurry form. The slurry is subjected to a biological oxidation turning the copper sulphide to soluble copper sulphate and the nickel to nickel sulphate. The liquid containing the sulphates is separated from the slurry and treated with a solvent extraction reagent so that copper ions are exchanged by the reagent for hydrogen ions to produce a raffinate which is high in sulphuric acid and low in copper sulphate. The solvent extraction reagent is then stripped from the raffinate with a sulphuric acid solution. Copper is electrically harvested from the sulphuric acid solution and a portion of the copper depleted raffinate is returned to form a slurry with additional ore for subsequent biological oxidation. Nickel is recovered from the remaining portion of the raffinate. The preferred bacterium is at least one of Thiobacillus Ferro-oxidants, Thiobacillus Thio-oxidants, Leptospirrilum Ferro-oxidants, Thiobacillum Caldus, Acidimicrobium and Sulpholobus.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.