Abstract: The present invention relates to a solvent extraction process for selectively recovering copper from an aqueous solution containing copper and nickel and having a pH above about 9. By employing only limited amounts of oxime, sufficient to provide about equivalent exchangeable hydrogen ion therein to latent copper ion of the aqueous stream, copper ion can be extracted in a multistage countercurrent process preferentially to nickel or cobalt. Hydrogen ion of the oxime molecule exchanges with copper ion in the aqueous solution in accordance with the equation:(2R.sup.o H)org. + (CU.sup.++)aqu. .fwdarw.(R.sub.2.sup.o Cu)org. + (2H).sup.+ aqu.wherein R.sup.o is the organic moiety of the oxime. The oxime selectively extracts copper when the mole ratio of exchangeable hydrogen ion of the oxime to copper ion in the aqueous is maintained between about 1.8 and 2.4.

Abstract: A process for selectively removing ammonia from an organic solution containing ammonia and an oxime-metal chelate which comprises countercurrently contacting the organic solution with an aqueous solution of ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, alkali metal bicarbonate or mixtures thereof. The mole ratio of ammonia, in organic solution prior to contact with the carbonate solution, to carbonate and/or bicarbonate in the fresh aqueous scrub solution is maintained so that ammonia transfer is effected from the organic solution to the aqueous solution. In the fresh scrub solution, the carbonate or bicarbonate concentration is maintained sufficiently high to prevent substantial emulsification of aqueous phase in the organic solution and the ammonia concentration is less than the ammonia concentration in equilibrium with 50 mg/l ammonia in the organic solution.