Description of Manganese Nodule Processing Activities for Environmental Studies. Volume I. Processing Systems Summary.

摘要

This contract report brings together technological information pertinent to the processing of manganese nodules from the sea floor and helps determine the effects of manganese nodule processing activities on land and marine environments. Specifically,the objective of the study described herein is to identify and describe in detail the production facilities that will most likely be required by a first generation nodule mining industry. Based on the conclusions of several previous investigators and an objective review of the processing options that have been described in the literature,it is concluded that the state of technological development of extractive metallurgy at this time suggests that first generation plants may employ one or all of five process options. These are:For three-metal plants--(1) Reduction/ammonia leach, (2) Cuprion/ammonia leach,and (3) High temperature sulfuric acid leach;For four-metal plants--(4) Smelting to matte,following reduction roast,and conventional leach,and (5) Reduction/hydrochloric acid leach. The first three are variations of commercial laterite ore processing techniques. Much of the smelting technology is transferrable from laterite and sulfide ore processing. Only the hydrochloric acid route is totally new.