RECOVERING METHOD FOR COPPER, NICKEL AND COBALT IN SOLUTION LEACHED FROM MANGANESE NODULE WITH SULFURIC ACID

摘要

PURPOSE:To economically recover Cu, Ni and Co in a soln. leached from manganese nodules with sulfuric acid by removing Fe ions from the soln., adding metallic iron to deposit copper, and feeding gaseous H2S in the presence of the precipitated copper. CONSTITUTION:By adding an alkali substance such as calcium carbonate, especially calcareous abyssal mud to a soln. leached from manganese nodules with sulfuric acid, the soln. is neutralized and simultaneously freed of Fe (III) ions. Metallic iron is further added to deposit copper as precipitated copper, and continuously hydrogen sulfide is fed under oridinary pressure to rapidly precipitate Ni and Co as sulfides by the catalytic action of the precipitated copper. They are then recovered with the same apparatus as a mixture of metallic copper, nickel sulfide and cobalt sulfide. The valuable metals are separated and recovered from the mixture by a known method.