Abstract: Various embodiments provide a process roasting a metal bearing material under oxidizing conditions to produce an oxidized metal bearing material, roasting the oxidized metal bearing material under reducing conditions to produce a roasted metal bearing material, leaching the roasted metal hearing material in a basic medium to yield a pregnant leach solution, conditioning the pregnant leach solution to thrill a preprocessed metal bearing material; and leaching the preprocessed metal bearing material in acid medium.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the leaching of a laterite ore, concentrate, tailings or waste rock for the recovery of value metals, at least one value metal being nickel. The laterite ore or concentrate is subjected to a leaching step with a lixiviant comprising hydrochloric acid to leach nickel from the laterite ore, followed by a liquid/solids separation step. The liquid obtained is subject to solvent extraction with a dialkyl ketone, to obtain a solution rich in iron and a raffinate. Separation of iron from cobalt and nickel is obtained.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to reacting tin metal with crude TiCl4 containing arsenic to produce pure TiCl4, SnCl4, and an arsenic solid co-product. In some embodiments, the contaminant vanadium is removed as well. The reaction is preferably done in a continuous fashion in two stages for maximum through-put and utility at an elevated temperature. Distillation can be used to purify the TiCl4 produced and simultaneously yield a purified SnCl4 product. The synthesis of SnCl4 in this method utilizes waste chloride to save virgin chlorine which would otherwise be used.

Abstract: A method for the heap leaching of manganese-containing ores, the method characterized by the steps of: (i) beneficiating the manganese-containing ore and separating into a coarse fraction and a fine ore fraction; (ii) combining the fine ore fraction with a sulfide ore material to produce a combined ore fraction; (iii) stacking the combined ore fraction to form at least one heap; and (iv) applying a lixiviant to the heap to produce a pregnant leach solution (PLS) containing dissolved manganese values, wherein the lixiviant is added to the or each heap in the presence of soluble iron.

Abstract: Process for the combined regeneration of at least two soluble salts contained in a residue of an industrial process comprising heavy metals, comprising: adding an amount of reactive aqueous solution needed to completely dissolve the salts which are desired to be regenerated to the residue; subjecting the resulting aqueous suspension to a separation to obtain an aqueous production solution on the one hand and insoluble impurities on the other hand, which are removed; successively subjected the aqueous production solution to at least two selective crystallization steps intended to crystallize, separately, the at least two soluble salts which are desired to be regenerated, which are washed, dried and regenerated separately; and adjusting the concentration of at least one of the soluble salts to be regenerated in the aqueous production solution, at the moment when such solution is subjected to the step of crystallization of this salt, to give rise to the selective crystallization of this salt, by addition of a co

Abstract: A template-free reverse micelle (RM) based method is used to synthesize pyrochlore nanostructures having photocatalytic activity. In one embodiment, the method includes separately mixing together a first acid stabilized aqueous solution including pyrochlore precursor A and a second acid stabilized aqueous solution including pyrochlore precursor B with an organic solution including a surfactant to form an oil-in-water emulsion. Next, equimolar solutions of the first and second acid stabilized oil-in-water emulsions are mixed together. Then, the mixture of the first and second acid stabilized oil-in-water emulsion is treated with a base to produce a precipitate including pyrochlore precursors A and B. After which, the precipitate is dried to remove volatiles. The precipitate is then calcined in the presence of oxygen to form a pyrochlore nanostructure, such as a bismuth titanate (Bi2Ti2O7) pyrochlore nanorod. The method of synthesizing the pyrochlore nanorod is template-free.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to reacting tin metal with crude TiCl4 containing arsenic to produce pure TiCl4, SnCl4, and an arsenic solid co-product. In some embodiments, the contaminant vanadium is removed as well. In another embodiment, the vanadium is removed separately through a commercial process and the resulting arsenic containing commercial grade of purified TiCl4 is reacted with elemental tin, sulfur and ferric chloride to substantially reduce the arsenic. The reaction is preferably done in a continuous fashion in two stages for maximum through-put and utility at an elevated temperature. Distillation can be used to purify the TiCl4 produced and simultaneously yield a purified SnCl4 product. The synthesis of SnCl4 in this method utilizes waste chloride to save virgin chlorine which would otherwise be used.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of bottom ash is characterized by shredding and physical separation phases. The bottom ash undergoes an oxidation treatment of the amphoteric metals contained therein. After the process, the treated bottom ash can be employed as mineral additive for concretes or hydraulic bonding agents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the synthesis of luminophores and of reflective alumina for optimizing the emissive properties of a fluorescent layer.

Abstract: A process for making cerium-containing oxide nanoparticles includes providing an aqueous reaction mixture containing a source of cerous ion, optionally a source of one or more metal ions (M) other than cerium, a source of hydroxide ion, at least one monoether carboxylic acid nanoparticle stabilizer wherein the molar ratio of said monoether carboxylic acid nanoparticle stabilizers to total metal ions is greater than 0.2, and an oxidant at an initial temperature in the range of about 20° C. to about 95° C. Temperature conditions are provided effective to enable oxidation of cerous ion to ceric ion, thereby forming a product dispersion of cerium-containing oxide nanoparticles, optionally containing one or more metal ions (M), Ce1-xMxO2-?, wherein “x” has a value from about 0.0 to about 0.95. The nanoparticles may have a mean hydrodynamic diameter from about 1 nm to about 50 nm, and a geometric diameter of less than about 45 nm.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a process for extracting uranium from wet-process phosphoric acid (WPA), comprises separating uranium from WPA to produce a loaded uranium solution stream and a uranium depleted WPA stream. The loaded uranium solution stream is then contacted by with an ion exchange resin. Uranium species bound to the ion exchange resin are eluted by contacting the resin with a solution comprising anions to produce a loaded uranium eluant stream. The loaded uranium eluant stream is treated to provide a uranium containing product.

Abstract: A quantum nanomaterial having a bandgap that may be tuned to enable the quantum nanomaterial to detect IR radiation in selected regions including throughout the MWIR region and into the LWIR region is provided. The quantum nanomaterials may include tin telluride (SnTe) nanomaterials and/or lead tin telluride (PbxSn1-xTe) nanomaterials. Additionally, a method of manufacturing nanomaterial that is tunable for detecting IR radiation in selected regions, such as throughout the MWIR region and into the LWIR region, is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process of gold and copper recovery from gold-containing copper ores obtained from mixed oxide-sulfide copper ore bodies by a series of flotation stages. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process of gold and copper recovery whereby gold-containing ores obtained from mixed oxide-sulfide copper ore bodies, and/or copper flotation by-products thereof, are subjected to at least one flotation step following a dewatering step. In particular, it recovers copper and gold from the oxidized zone of porphyry and other mixed ore deposits. Likewise, the present process allows recovery of copper and gold from the tailings and scavenger concentrates which, in conventional process are no longer viable for further treatment.

Abstract: Alumina particles and compositions containing alumina particles are disclosed. Methods of making alumina particles and methods of using alumina particles are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for extracting a radioisotope from an aqueous solution, the method comprising: a) intimately mixing a non-chelating ionic liquid with the aqueous solution to transfer at least a portion of said radioisotope to said non-chelating ionic liquid; and b) separating the non-chelating ionic liquid from the aqueous solution. In preferred embodiments, the method achieves an extraction efficiency of at least 80%, or a separation factor of at least 1×104 when more than one radioisotope is included in the aqueous solution. In particular embodiments, the method is applied to the separation of medical isotopes pairs, such as Th from Ac (Th-229/Ac-225, Ac-227/Th-227), or Ra from Ac (Ac-225 and Ra-225, Ac-227 and Ra-223), or Ra from Th (Th-227 and Ra-223, Th-229 and Ra-225).

Abstract: A process for producing sodium bicarbonate from a sodium carbonate bearing stream (A) comprising sodium carbonate and an alkaline metal salt impurity at a concentration Ci(A), comprising: a) mixing the stream (A) with part of a stream (B), b) bicarbonating the resulting mixed stream with a gas comprising CO2 to produce an aqueous suspension comprising sodium bicarbonate crystals (F), c) separating the sodium bicarbonate crystals (F) from the aqueous liquor (G), d) partly debicarbonating at least part of (G) and removing part of the water of (G) to obtain the stream (B) with the salt impurity at a concentration Cf(B), e) recycling part of the stream (B) to step a) so that the ratio of the concentrations Cf(B)/Ci(A) of the impurity is at least: 1.4, and f) removing the remainder (I) of the stream (B) or the remainder (J) of the liquor (G) to be further processed.

Abstract: A process for the production of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate out of trona, comprising crushing trona ore and dissolving it in a leaching tank containing a solution comprising sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, and an additive selected from the group consisting of: phosphates, phospholipids, carboxylates, carboxilic acids, and combinations thereof, saturated in sodium bicarbonate, in order to produce solid particles suspended in a production solution comprising sodium carbonate, the solid particles containing insoluble impurities and at least 65% by weight of sodium bicarbonate. The solid particles are separated from the production solution containing sodium carbonate. At least part of the production solution containing sodium carbonate is taken out of the leaching tank.

Abstract: Provided is a method for separating and recovering iodine ingredients from acid solution containing iodide ions and iron (II) ions and for efficiently producing iron (III) ions. Said method is for treating acid solution containing the iodide ions and the iron (II) ions. Said method comprises a step of oxidizing the iron (II) ions in said solution into iron (III) ions with iron-oxidizing microorganisms, the step being performed in the presence of activated carbon.

Abstract: A method for removing sulfide from an aqueous alkali solution in which hydrogen peroxide is introduced into a sulfide-containing aqueous alkali solution associated with an alkali mineral recovery operation. The method is particularly useful for the processing of sulfide-containing aqueous alkali solutions containing NaHCO3 and Na2CO3, where bicarbonate in the sulfide-depleted alkali solution is decomposed to form Na2CO3, with concurrent evolution of gaseous carbon dioxide byproduct but without formation of gaseous H2S as a pollutant, and where Na2CO3 values are subsequently recovered from the sulfide-depleted carbonate-rich alkali solution via a crystallization operation.

Abstract: Provided are methods for maintaining the ratio of the oxime to equilibrium modifier concentration in solvent extraction circuits, said solvents essentially consisting of at least one ketoxime and/or aldoxime; at least one equilibrium modifier; and at least one diluent.