Abstract: A process is disclosed for extracting nickel, copper, cobalt and molybdenum from a complex ore containing copper, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, manganese and iron. The process features treatment of the ore with gaseous compound followed by leaching with an aqueous ammonia/ammonium salt solution into which is additionally introduced sulfite.

Abstract: A process which enables cumulative recovery of nonferrous metal values from manganiferous sea nodules and a limonitic ore comprises treating the limonitic ore in an aqueous acidic medium under reducing conditions to extract nonferrous metals and iron from the ore and form a solution containing ferrous iron and then leaching the sea nodules with such solution to extract nonferrous metals from the sea nodules and precipitate a predominant amount of the iron as hydrated ferric oxide.

Abstract: Finely-divided metal oxides are prepared by the steps of (a) contacting a compound of a metal with a carbohydrate material to obtain an intimate mixture thereof, (b) igniting this mixture to oxidize the same and to insure conversion of substantially all of said metal compound to a fragile agglomerate of its metal oxide, and (c) pulverizing the product of step (b) to form a finely-divided metal oxide powder having a mean particle size below about 1.0 micron. Certain of the finely-divided metal oxide powders produced by this process have the useful property of sinterability at temperatures significantly lower than metal oxide powders heretofore readily available. The powders are useful in the preparation of high strength compacted shapes for use in high temperature and/or corrosive environment, in the preparation of refractory cements, catalysts, catalysts supports and the like.

Abstract: Manganiferous deep sea nodules containing non-ferrous metal values are selectively reduced to reduce manganic oxides to manganous oxide (MnO) and the non-ferrous metal values to the metallic state, and the selectively reduced nodules are then smelted to produce a molten metallic alloy containing the non-ferrous metal values and a slag containing most of the manganese. The molten alloy is blown with a free-oxygen-containing gas to eliminate most of the manganese, and the substantially manganese-free metal is then sulfided to produce a matte suitable for separation and recovery of the non-ferrous metal values. After sulfiding the matte can be blown with a free-oxygen-containing gas to lower the iron content thereof. Not all the iron is removed if it is advantageous to keep a high proportion of cobalt in the matte.

Abstract: A process is disclosed wherein essentially all of the rhenium can be removed from an aqueous solution of molybdenum without the extraction of molybdenum using a particular solvent extraction solution. The extraction solution consists essentially of a quaternary ammonium compound and at least about 50% by volume of a highly aromatic solvent which dissolves a quaternary ammonium-rhenium complex to the extent of at least 0.1% by volume.

Abstract: Process in which manganese nodules are treated to enable metal values to be recovered. Manganese ore nodules are treated in a two-stage fluid bed process to produce a leachable product. In the first stage, dried nodules are calcined using direct fuel injection under a neutral or slightly oxidizing atmosphere to remove about one-half of the oxygen content. Subsequently, in the second stage, the calcined nodules are reduced with synthesis gas to render the metal values leachable. The metal values such as copper and nickel are leached from the reduced nodules with an ammonia-ammonium carbonate leach solution.

Abstract: Ocean floor nodules are treated with halogenating agents to produce a pregnant leach solution which is subjected to selective solvent extraction to isolate metal values contained in the ore.

Abstract: Chromium values may be recovered from the chromium bearing ores or sources by subjecting the chromium bearing source to a roast in the presence of sulfuric acid and an oxidant which contains manganese compounds at temperatures ranging from about 200.degree. to about 500.degree. C. followed by leaching, separation and solvent or ion exchange extraction whereby chromium is selectively extracted and recovered.

Abstract: Manganese values may be recovered from manganese bearing sources by subjecting said source to a roast in the presence of sulfuric acid and a reductant which comprises a chromium-containing compound at temperatures ranging from about 200.degree. to about 500.degree. C. followed by leaching, separation, solvent extraction or ion exchange whereby manganese is extracted, followed by separation and recovery of the manganese.

Abstract: 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.In 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.

Abstract: A method for reducing the higher oxides of manganese in manganese ore using solid fuel intermixed with an ore bed.

Abstract: When paraffins having a chain of 10 - 40 carbon atoms are reacted with gaseous oxygen in the presence of a manganese bearing catalyst, manganese is present in the oxidation mixture partly as a solute in the liquid mixture, and partly as a sludge. When the oxidation mixture is extracted with a dilute mineral acid, practically the entire manganese values present in the mixture are found in the aqueous extract which is free of significant amounts of organic matter. When a more concentrated aqueous acid is used in the extraction, practically the entire manganese values present are converted to a precipitate which is readily recovered and may be dissolved in water for further processing.

Abstract: In the recovery of molybdenum and rhenium values from sulfide ores, silica impurity is reduced to low levels by adding alumina to a carbonate fusion mix in an amount sufficient to combine with the silica present to form insoluble aluminum silicates, thus preventing its removal from the fusion mass during removal of soluble molybdenum and rhenium values by leaching, and thereby avoiding the necessity for conventional subsequent precipitation and filtration removal steps.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a special process for the recovery of molybdenum by the wet-chemical digestion of molybdenum sulphide containing materials by means of nitric acid. The invention relates especially to the combination of a leaching procedure (that provides a very pure molybdenum oxide) and a liquid extraction procedure for the recovery of molybdenum and other values from the residual solution that is left over from the leaching procedure.

Abstract: A process in which copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum are recovered by direct leaching of comminuted raw manganese nodules with an aqueous ammoniacal leach solution containing cuprous ions. During the process cuprous ions are consumed and are oxidized to cupric ions. The cuprous ions are regenerated by reducing the cupric ions with a reducing gas. An improvement is disclosed which results from increasing the pressure of the reducing gas. This increased pressure facilitates maintaining a high cuprous ion concentration in each reaction vessel, by increasing the rate at which the cuprous ions are regenerated from the cupric ions without affecting the rate at which the metal values are recovered from the nodules, which in turn, increases the efficiency of each reactor thus enabling the size of reactors to be reduced.

Abstract: An improved hydrometallurgical method is provided for producing technical grade molybdic oxide from molybdenite concentrates. According to this method, the molybdenite concentrates are leached in an acid medium having a nitric acid concentration between about 25 gpl and about 50 gpl and an initial sulphuric acid concentration of nil to about 750 gpl, under oxygen pressure of about 100 - 250 psig and at a temperature above 115.degree. C so as to produce technical grade molybdic oxide having not more than 0.1% sulphur. Then a liquid-solid separation of the reaction mixture is effected and the obtained leach liquor is recycled back to the leaching stage optionally after partial neutralization with a basic reagent. The solid is washed and recovered as technical grade molybdic oxide.This invention relates to a novel method of producing hydrometallurgically technical grade molybdic oxide from molybdenite concentrates.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for separating the halide of cobalt, and optionally nickel, from a pregnant aqueous solution, the aqueous solution also containing a manganese halide. The process comprises initially extracting the cobalt halide and a portion of any manganese halide which is present into an organic extract. The nickel halide is then separately extracted from the solution. The manganese halide is preliminarily preferentially stripped from the organic extract containing cobalt and manganese utilizing an aqueous solution comprising halide ions. The cobalt halide in the extract can then be stripped into an aqueous solution together with the remaining manganese to form a strip solution. The manganese is then preferentially extracted from the strip solution, leaving a manganese-free, substantially pure cobalt solution. Any nickel can be selectively extracted from the manganese remaining in the pregnant solution.

Abstract: A process in which copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum are recovered by direct leaching of comminuted raw manganese nodules with an aqueous ammoniacal leach solution containing cuprous ions. During the process cuprous ions reduce the nodules, are consumed, and are oxidized to cupric ions. The cuprous ions are regenerated by reducing the cupric ions with a reducing gas.

Abstract: O-Nitrosophenols adapted for the liquid-liquid extraction of metals, e.g., copper, from aqueous solutions and a nitrosation process for the preparation of the phenols.

Abstract: Ocean floor nodules are treated with aqueous hydrogen halide to produce a pregnant leach solution which is subjected to selective solvent extraction to isolate metal values contained in the ore.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for separating metal values from an anhydrous mixture of metal halides in a fluid state, i.e. vapor or liquid; the separation is made by contacting a fluid mixture containing a halide of at least one less-noble metal selected from the group consisting of iron and manganese, and a halide of at least one more-noble metal selected from the group consisting of copper, cobalt and nickel, with an elemental metal. This procedure is especially effective in the refining of ocean floor nodule ores.

Abstract: Hot reduced manganese ore is cooled by blowing air through a layer of ore at velocities greater than 1 meter per second. The use of an inert cooling gas is unnecessary, and air reoxidation of the ore does not occur in the process.

Abstract: Rhenium is recovered in a substantially pure form from a hydrochloric acid solution thereof contaminated with molybdenum and iron by adding sulfuric acid to establish a sulfate/chloride anion ratio of at least 20:1 and mixing the solution with a liquid trialkyl phosphate to extract rhenium in the phosphate phase. The trialkyl phosphate phase is seaprated and washed with sulfuric acid to remove any residual iron and molybdenum and thereafter with hydrochloric acid to remove entrained sulfuric acid. Rhenium is recovered by back extracting with nitric acid.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for selectively removing metal values from ocean floor nodule ore by a two-stage procedure. In the first stage, the ore is leached with an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid or a hydrogen halide to preferentially remove nickel and copper. In the second stage, the ore is leached with a reducing agent to preferentially remove cobalt and manganese. The two leach solutions can then be further treated to separate the individual metal values, e.g., by liquid ion exchange procedures.