Abstract: A method of purifying an alkaline electrolyte includes contacting the alkaline electrolyte with an aluminum compound to provide a purified alkaline electrolyte. The alkaline electrolyte includes a metal hydroxide, a compound comprising aluminum, silicon, or a combination thereof, and a solvent. The method can be particularly advantageous when used with a method of processing an iron-containing feedstock.

Abstract: A method of removing one or more impurities from an iron-containing feedstock includes grinding the iron-containing feedstock in the presence of a grinding aid to form a pretreated iron-containing feedstock, the grinding aid including an alkali metal chloride, a fluoride salt, or a combination thereof; contacting the pretreated iron-containing feedstock with a flux comprising a metal borate; fusing the pretreated iron-containing feedstock and the flux to form a fused mixture; treating the fused mixture with a leaching solution to form a purified iron-containing feedstock and a used leaching solution; and solid-liquid separating the purified iron-containing feedstock from the used leaching solution, wherein an amount of aluminum, silicon, or a combination thereof is less in the purified iron-containing feedstock than in the iron-containing feedstock.

Abstract: An electrochemical reactor system includes: an electrochemical cell, having: an anode; a cathode; an electrolyte stream including an electrolyte and an iron-containing feedstock containing feedstock particles; and a channel that contains the electrolyte stream; and a magnetic field source positioned to provide a magnetic field at the surface of the cathode. The electrochemical cell electrochemically reduces the iron-containing feedstock to form iron particles at a surface of the cathode and in the magnetic field. The feedstock particles have an average particle size in at least one dimension of 10 micrometers or less, and the iron particles have an average particle size in at least one dimension of 50 to 1,000 micrometers, or the feedstock particles have an average particle size in at least one dimension of 25 micrometers or greater, and the iron particles have an average particle size in at least one dimension of 0.1 to 20 micrometers.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to processing iron-containing feedstocks using oxalic acid to cost-effectively and cleanly transform low-cost iron feedstocks into iron-containing products (e.g., metallic iron and/or iron oxide) of high purity. In general, the methods of production using the systems described herein may include leaching low-purity iron feedstocks using a lixiviant including oxalic acid and an iron-complexing additive. The iron-complexing additive may suppress formation of iron (II) oxalate crystals and iron (III) oxalate crystals as leaching of a low-purity iron feedstock is carried out using oxalic acid, thus improving process kinetics and increasing the amount of iron that goes into solution during the leaching operation and ultimately recovered as a high-purity iron-containing product (e.g., metallic iron and/or iron oxide).

Abstract: An electrochemical reactor comprising a source of a magnetic field positioned in proximity to a cathode and configured to generate a magnetic field; and an electrochemical cell comprising an anode and the cathode, and further comprising a catholyte channel configured to direct a catholyte stream comprising an iron-containing feedstock to the cathode; an anolyte channel configured to direct an anolyte stream comprising a metal chloride to the anode, wherein the catholyte channel and the anolyte channel are disposed between the cathode and the anode; and a separator disposed between the catholyte channel and the anolyte channel, wherein the electrochemical reactor is configured to electrochemically oxidize chloride anions to chlorine gas at a surface of the anode, and wherein the electrochemical reactor is further configured to electrochemically reduce the iron-containing feedstock to an iron particle comprising iron metal at the surface of the cathode and in the magnetic field.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to high-purity iron materials and systems and methods of producing such high-purity iron materials based on cost-effective transformation of low-cost iron feedstocks. In general, the methods of production using the systems described herein may include acid leaching low-purity iron ores to create an iron-rich acid solution, which may be purified to remove residual soluble impurities and hydrolyzed to produce high purity iron oxide powder. The high purity iron oxide powder may be reduced to form high purity iron metal suitable for a variety of end-uses, including use in batteries.