Abstract: An atmospheric leach process in the recovery of nickel and cobalt from lateritic ores, said processing including the steps of: a) separating the lateritic ore into a low magnesium containing ore fraction, and a high magnesium containing ore fraction by selective mining or post mining classification; b) separately slurrying the separated ore fractions; c) leaching the low magnesium containing ore fraction with concentrated sulphuric acid as a primary leach step; and d) introducing the high magnesium content ore slurry following substantial completion of the primary leach step and precipitating iron as goethite or another low sulphate containing form of iron oxide or iron hydroxide, wherein sulphuric acid released during iron precipitation is used to leach the high magnesium ore fraction as a secondary leach step.

Abstract: A process for leaching laterite ores containing limonite and saprolite. Sufficient mineral acid is added to a slurry of limonite which is leached at atmospheric pressure to dissolve most of the soluble non-ferrous metals and soluble iron. After adding saprolite the slurry is further leached at a temperature above the normal boiling point and at a pressure above atmospheric pressure for a time sufficient to leach most of the contained nickel in the saprolite and to precipitate most of the iron in solution. The pressure of the slurry is then reduced, and nickel and/or cobalt is subsequently recovered from the leach solution by solvent extraction, resin-in-pulp or other ion exchange, sulfide or hydroxide precipitation, or other recovery method.

Abstract: A process for leaching laterite ores containing limonite and saprolite in a two stage process. The first stage consisting of mixing and reacting the ore with concentrated mineral acid, and the second stage consisting of preparing a slurry of the acid/ore mixture in water and leaching the mixture to dissolve nickel and cobalt. Iron is efficiently separated from nickel and cobalt in the solid leach residue primarily as an oxide or hydroxide of ferric iron other than jarosite.

Abstract: An atmospheric leach process in the recovery of nickel and cobalt from lateritic ores, said processing including the steps of: a) separating the lateritic ore into a low magnesium containing ore fraction, and a high magnesium containing ore fraction by selective mining or post mining classification; b) separately slurrying the separated ore fractions; c) leaching the low magnesium containing ore fraction with concentrated sulphuric acid as a primary leach step; and d) introducing the high magnesium content ore slurry following substantial completion of the primary leach step and precipitating iron as goethite or another low sulphate containing form of iron oxide or iron hydroxide, wherein sulphuric acid released during iron precipitation is used to leach the high magnesium ore fraction as a secondary leach step.

Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process is provided for leaching nickeliferous laterite ores at temperatures below the boiling point of the pulp and at atmospheric pressure. The high iron fraction of the laterite, referred to as limonite, is first contacted with concentrated sulfuric acid to partially or completely dissolve the iron and nickel into solution. A reducing agent is used to keep the redox potential in solution below 1000 mV to enhance cobalt dissolution and more advantageously between 1000 and 900 mV to avoid reduction of ferric iron. Further mixing of the leach slurry in the presence of sodium, potassium, or ammonium allows formation of iron jarosite at ambient pressure. The resulting acid from iron hydrolysis is neutralized with the low iron fraction of the laterite ore (saprolite), thereby dissolving nickel into solution. The resulting final leach slurry can then be treated with conventional methods to recover nickel and cobalt from solution.

Abstract: A process is provided for the leaching of both the “limonite” (Fe approx. ≧25% and Mg approx. ≧6%) and “saprolite” (Fe approx. ≦20% and Mg approx. ≧10%) fractions of typical nickel and cobalt bearing laterite ore. The low magnesium fraction of the laterite ore is leached with sulfuric acid at high pressure and temperature to solubilize the metal values while precipitating most of the solubilized iron as hematite or other iron compounds and a portion of the dissolved aluminum as alunite or other aluminum compounds. After reducing the pressure of the leach slurry to approximately atmospheric pressure, the pregnant leach slurry or solution is contacted with the high magnesium fraction of the ore to solubilize most of the nickel contained in the high-magnesium ore fraction while dissolving only a small portion of the iron content of the high magnesium ore fraction.

Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process is provided for leaching nickeliferous laterite ores at temperatures below the boiling point of the pulp and at atmospheric pressure. The high iron fraction of the laterite, referred to as limonite, is first contacted with concentrated sulfuric acid to partially or completely dissolve the iron and nickel into solution. A reducing agent is used to keep the redox potential in solution below 1000 mV to enhance cobalt dissolution and more advantageously between 1000 and 900 mV to avoid reduction of ferric iron. Further mixing of the leach slurry in the presence of sodium, potassium, or ammonium allows formation of iron jarosite at ambient pressure. The resulting acid from iron hydrolysis is neutralized with the low iron fraction of the laterite ore (saprolite), thereby dissolving nickel into solution. The resulting final leach slurry can then be treated with conventional methods to recover nickel and cobalt from solution.

Abstract: A process is provided for the direct recovery of nickel and cobalt from a nickeliferous oxide ore leach slurry by ion exchange. A nickeliferous ore is leached with mineral acid to solubilize the metals. The resulting leach slurry is contacted with ion exchange resin, which selectively loads the nickel and cobalt from the pulp. The resin is separated from the leach slurry by screening and then stripped with an acidic solution. After stripping, the resin is returned to the loading cycle. Nickel and/or cobalt can be recovered in substantially pure form from the eluate by known processes. The metal-depleted slurry proceeds to waste treatment and disposal. This process eliminates the difficult solid/liquid separation, which would otherwise be required to recover metals values from the pregnant leach slurry.

Abstract: A process is provided for the leaching of both the “limonite” (Fe approx. ≧25% and Mg approx. ≦6%) and “saprolite” (Fe approx. <20% and Mg approx. ≧10%) fractions of typical nickel and cobalt bearing laterite ore. The low magnesium fraction of the laterite ore is leached with sulfuric acid at high pressure and temperature to solubilize the metal values while precipitating most of the solubilized iron as hematite or other iron compounds and a portion of the dissolved aluminum as alunite or other aluminum compounds. After reducing the pressure of the leach slurry to approximately atmospheric pressure, the pregnant leach slurry or solution is contacted with the high magnesium fraction of the ore to solubilize most of the nickel contained in the high-magnesium ore fraction while dissolving only a small portion of the iron content of the high magnesium ore fraction.

Abstract: A process is provided for leaching nickeliferous laterite ores by hydrometallurgical methods at temperatures below the boiling point of the pulp and at atmospheric pressure from which high overall nickel and cobalt extractions are obtained. The high iron fraction of the laterite, referred to as limonite, is first contacted with a concentrated mineral acid to partially or completely dissolve the iron and nickel in solution. During this process, a reducing agent is used to keep the redox potential in solution below 1000 mV to enhance cobalt dissolution and more advantageously between 1000 and 900 mV to avoid reduction of ferric iron. Further mixing of the leach slurry in the presence of sodium, potassium, or ammonium will allow the formation of iron jarosite at ambient pressure. The resulting acid from iron hydrolysis is neutralized with the low iron fraction of the laterite ore (saprolite) dissolving nickel into solution.

Abstract: A process is provided for the selective recovery from an impure solution of pure nickel and cobalt solutions, suitable for electrolysis of the respective metals. The impure solution may be that obtained from acid leaching of nickel/cobalt bearing laterite or oxide ore. The impure solution is contacted with a solid ion exchange resin to selectively extract nickel and cobalt, while rejecting at least one element of the group manganese, magnesium, calcium, iron(II), and chromium(III). The ion exchange resin contains bis-picolyl amine as the primary chelating group. The impure solution has sufficiently low levels of chromium(VI) and copper to allow repeated use of the ion exchange resin. The metal-bearing resin is washed and then stripped with an acid solution. This solution is then contacted with a water-immiscible organic phase for the selective extraction of cobalt, leaving nickel in the raffinate as a substantially pure nickel solution.

Abstract: An improved method for selectively rcovering Ge from acidic solution containing Ge and typically Zn, As, Cd, Sb, In, Cu and Fe (II) by multistage, countercurrent liquid-liquid extraction is described. The extractant used in the organic phase is an oxime, for example, 5,8-diethyl-7-hydroxy-6-dodecanone oxime, mixed with at least one alkylphosphoric acid, for example either di-2-ethylhexyl phosphate alone or admixed with mono-2-ethylhexyl phosphate, dissolved in a hydrocarbon diluent. This mixed system shows better efficiency and selectivity for germanium than known systems using either oximes or alkylphosphoric acids separately.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed at a method and apparatus for configuring and powering light fixture loads for a LED low voltage distribution system. The method and apparatus include converting power being supplied for powering the set of light fixture loads and then limiting this converted power to a set of multiple current outputs supplied to the light fixture loads. The multiple current outputs are then split or regrouped prior to being delivered to the light fixture loads.