Use of raw manganese nodules for oxidation leaching of reductively roasted manganese nodules

摘要

A metal recovery process in which copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum are recovered by reducing comminuted raw manganese nodules and leaching the reduced nodules with an aqueous ammoniacal solution to obtain a leach solution containing these metal values. In order to recover copper from leach solutions by techniques such as ion exchange extraction, it is desirable to oxidize the copper to the cupric state. P PIn another embodiment, oxidation is required to bring about the solution of reduced metallic metal values of copper, nickel and cobalt or to convert lower valence ions of these metals to a more highly oxidized state. The present invention is an improvement in the foregoing metal recovery processes. In the present invention manganese nodules are used as the oxidizing agent to oxidize slurries containing pre- reduced manganese nodules which have lower valence ions of metals such as copper or the metal itself. In the process of this oxidation reaction, the manganese nodule used as an oxidizing agent is itself reduced and its metal values are added to the leach solution.