Improvements in or relating to separating nickel and copper from copper-nickel mattes or other material

摘要

240,789. International Nickel Co., (Assignees of Stanley, R. C.). Sept. 30, 1924, [Convention date]. Matte processes for copper and nickel.-Nickel and copper are separated from mattes or other material by a process which consists in subjecting the material to a furnace treatment, separating the product into copper tops and nickel bottoms, and blowing the tops and bottoms in converters. The material is smelted in a cupola furnace with an alkali sulphide, and the molten sulphides are taken from a fore-hearth to a separating furnace or to large pots. The bottoms may be resmelted, if desired, the copper tops resulting therefrom being returned to the first smelting cupola. The nickel bottoms are treated in a converter lined with basic or neutral material, and the metallic nickel is then refined electrolytically. Precious metals are recovered in the slimes from the electrolytic cells, and the cell liquor is circulated through cementing tanks to remove copper and iron. Specification 138,600 is referred to.