EP 2054534 A4 20110720 - IMPROVED HYDROMETALLURGICAL METHOD FOR THE EXTRACTION OF NICKEL FROM LATERITE ORES
Title (en)
IMPROVED HYDROMETALLURGICAL METHOD FOR THE EXTRACTION OF NICKEL FROM LATERITE ORES
Title (de)
VERBESSERTES HYDROMETALLURGISCHES VERFAHREN ZUR EXTRAKTION VON NICKEL AUS LATERITERZEN
Title (fr)
PROCÉDÉ HYDROMÉTALLURGIQUE AMÉLIORÉ POUR L'EXTRACTION DE NICKEL DE MINERAIS DE LATÉRITE
Publication
Application
Priority
- AU 2007001213 W 20070823
- AU 2006904565 A 20060823
Abstract (en)
[origin: WO2008022395A1] An improved hydrometallurgical method (10) for the extraction of nickel from laterite ores, the method comprising the method steps of: i) Forming at least one primary heap (20) from nickel laterite ore material; ii) Leaching the primary heap (20) with a leaching agent (22) to produce an intermediate leach solution (ILS) (24); iii) Recirculating the ILS (24) to the or each primary heap (20) whereby the concentration of nickel in solution approaches saturation, or a steady state to form a pregnant leach solution (PLS) (26); iv) Passing at least a portion of the PLS (26) to an iron precipitation step (28) in which iron is precipitated as hematite at elevated temperature and pressure, releasing acid; v) Directing the discharge from the iron precipitation step (32) to a solid liquid separation stage (34) to produce a waste residue (40) and a clarified PLS (36) containing acid; vi) Irrigating at least one secondary heap (42) of nickel laterite ore material with the clarified PLS (36) to facilitate the leaching of the or each secondary heap and produce a secondary ILS (46); vii) Passing a stream of a reducing gas (50) into the secondary ILS (46) to facilitate the reduction of ferric iron to ferrous iron; viii) Recirculating the ILS (46) over the or each secondary heap (42) to produce a secondary PLS (48); and ix) Directing the PLS (48) from step viii) to a metals recovery circuit.
IPC 8 full level
C22B 3/08 (2006.01); C22B 3/44 (2006.01); C22B 23/00 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP)
C22B 3/08 (2013.01); C22B 3/44 (2013.01); C22B 23/043 (2013.01); C22B 23/0461 (2013.01); Y02P 10/20 (2015.11)
Citation (search report)
- [A] WO 2006029443 A1 20060323 - BHP BILLITON SSM TECH PTY LTD [AU], et al
- See references of WO 2008022395A1
Designated contracting state (EPC)
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
DOCDB simple family (publication)
WO 2008022395 A1 20080228; AU 2007288123 A1 20080228; AU 2007288123 B2 20110602; BR PI0714269 A2 20130416; CA 2659449 A1 20080228; EP 2054534 A1 20090506; EP 2054534 A4 20110720
DOCDB simple family (application)
AU 2007001213 W 20070823; AU 2007288123 A 20070823; BR PI0714269 A 20070823; CA 2659449 A 20070823; EP 07784849 A 20070823