Abstract: A process for recovering iron from preliminarily decopperized molten copper smelter slags having an initial composition which includes iron oxide, silica, and aluminum oxide as the major constituents. These constituents are initially present in the range of 40-70 percent FeO, 25-40 percent SiO.sub.2 and 5-10 percent Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. The slag is maintained in a molten state and a solid reductant is mixed into the slag using an internally cooled, metal bladed, rotating stirrer, which rotates at a rate sufficient to pump the reductant into the slag to enhance the reduction of the iron oxide. An important aspect of this invention is to reduce slag to recover iron when the slag contains the following constituents, 40-60 percent SiO.sub.2, 15-35 percent CaO, less than 20 percent FeO and 5-10 percent Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. Although the above constituents can vary within the range set forth, it is important to maintain the SiO.sub.2 to CaO ratio in the range of about 2.0 - 3.3.

Abstract: Ammoniacal leach solutions containing nickel and copper (and possibly other base metal values) are treated by first extracting copper leaving nickel in the raffinate. The nickel in the raffinate is subsequently extracted with an organic extractant. The nickel loaded organic extractant is subsequently stripped with a highly concentrated ammonium salt solution to yield a strip concentrate from which nickel or nickel oxide is recoverable without electrolytic treatment. To prevent build up of copper in the nickel extraction circuit, part or all of the organic from the nickel strip circuit is recycled back to the copper extraction circuit where copper on the organic is eventually stripped. In the copper extraction circuit, the nickel on the recycled organic is replaced by copper from the aqueous, preventing build up of nickel on the organic leaving the copper extraction circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a solar energy absorber panel comprising a heat absorbing and conducting sheet and an array of fluid conduits in thermal contact with the sheet. For a given efficiency, the weight of the panel is minimized by providing a sheet thickness of between about 0.001 inch and about 0.006 inch and a conduit density of between about 3 and about 7 conduits per foot. To precisely accomplish the weight minimization, for given operating parameters (i.e., effective insolation level per unit area, S.sub.eff and sheet internal temperature difference, T.sub.L -T.sub.O), the sheet thickness, t.sub.s, is chosen to minimize the panel weight per unit area, WA, where ##EQU1## WHERE P.sub. S IS THE SHEET MATERIAL'S DENSITY, W.sub.T IS THE WEIGHT PER UNIT LENGTH OF CONDUIT, K.sub.S IS THE SHEET'S THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY, AND W is the conduit width in contact with the sheet. For the value of t.sub.s thus determined, the conduit spacing, L, is determined as L = (8(T.sub.L - T.sub.O)k.sub.s t.sub.s /Seff)1/2.

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: 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: A novel stop-weld composition comprises a mixture of a stop-weld material and a compound capable of dissociating into a solid and a gas at temperatures below the melting point of the metal being processed. Sheet metal panels are imprinted with the novel stop-weld composition, rollbonded and heated to a temperature sufficient to dissociate the compound and inflate the metal panels in the imprinted areas.

Abstract: An electrodeposition cell in which high quality metal such as copper is produced on bipolar electrodes at a high current density. The bipolar electrodes are arranged in series between a cathode and an anode. Current shields around the anode and cathode and each bipolar electrode prevent current bypass. Gas bubble tubes for continuously agitating the electrolyte across each face of the bipolar electrodes enable effective use of high current densities to electrowin or electrorefine a metal such as copper.Apparatus may include bipolar electrodes comprising a non-corrodible metallic substrate having a refinable metal such as copper on its anodic face.Current shields also prevent electrodeposition on unwanted areas of bipolar electrodes and end cathode.Method of electrodeposition with novel cell.

Abstract: A method of recovering metal values from deep sea manganese nodules. A liquid reductant such as bunker-C oil is utilized as a reducing agent.As a result of the efficient contact between the liquid reducing agent and the nodules, little prior preparation of the nodules is required to recover a high percentage of copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum.A new series of metal alloys are produced in the selective reduction of the nodules, the major phase being iron-rich nickel, one minor phase being 80-90% copper and the other minor phase being a combination of manganese, molybdenum, nickel, cobalt and iron.

Abstract: Method for treating basic salts to preferentially extract copper without using a base to maintain the required pH. The liberation of unreacted hydrogen ions during the ion exchange reaction is eliminated by partially dissolving the basic salt mixture with an amount of acid that is equivalent to the non-copper content of the basic mixture. An amount of organic ion exchange extractant is selected so that the exchangeable hydrogen ion on the extractant is equivalent to or in excess of the amount of copper in the metal bearing liquor.

Abstract: A process in which copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum are recovered by leaching comminuted raw manganese nodules with an aqueous ammoniacal leach solution containing cuprous ions. An improvement is disclosed in which the metal values are extracted directly from the leach slurry with an organic extractant. To accomplish such extraction the amount by weight of solids in the slurry is maintained at less than 20 percent, the pH of the slurry is lowered to 9.5, the volumes of slurry and organic are maintained at a ratio so that the organic is the continuous phase and the organic and slurry are mixed with gentle agitation.

Abstract: Sodium ions are added to manganese nodules to convert the montmorillonite clay naturally occurring in the nodule material into a bonding agent for pelletization into spherical agglomerates.The addition of coking coal to provide bonding stength after reduction, during which the clay bond is destroyed, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing thin copper foils by electroplating the copper onto a rotating drum serving as a cathode where the surface of the rotating drum is molybdenum or TZM alloy.