Extn. of nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese - from manganese nodules obtd. from ocean bed, using ammonium sulphate treatment

摘要

In the extn. of metals from ores such as the manganese nodules found on ocean beds, the milled ore is attacked by a mixt. based on (NH4)2SO4, then drying and roasting the paste at 500-800 degrees C, the product being discharged into water, the solids sepd. and the liq. treated by NH3, obtd. from the roasting to ppte metallic impurities, and the valuable metals are obtd. from the soln. by solvent extn. MnCO3 is pptd. from the residual soln. by injection CO2, air and NH3, and the filtrate conc. by evapn. and the (NH4)2So4 obtd. recycled. The attacking reagent pref. contains =50 mole% (NH4)2SO4, the remainder being another sulphate, pref. NaSO4. The winning of Ni, Cu, Co, and Mn etc. by a simple economic process is provided.