Method for separating and recovering metals from manganese nodules or cobalt crusts

摘要

PURPOSE:To precipitate valuable metals in the form of hydroxides and to recover the above in high yield, by crushing ores such as manganese nodules, etc., and carrying out leaching with an aqueous solution of sulfurous acid, then adding calcium chloride to a leach liquor, and adding alkali to the resulting filtrate. CONSTITUTION:Ores such as manganese nodules or cobalt crusts are crushed, and proper amounts of the above are added to the aqueous solution of sulfurous acid in a concentration of =about 0.2wt%, and the mixture is agitated to undergo leaching. The resulting leach liquor is separated by filtration and then calcium chloride or bleaching powder is added to the filtrate to precipitate gypsum, which is separated by filtration. Subsequently, alkali such as calcium hydroxide, etc., is added to the above filtrate and the mixture is sufficiently agitated, so that contained metals are precipitated in the form of hydroxides and separated out. Further, calcium chloride in the filtrate obtained at this time can be used for the formation of gypsum precipitates. In this way, valuable metals such as Cu, Ni, Co, etc., can be separated and recovered in a yield as high as =about 96%.