Patents by Inventor Joel Fournier

Joel Fournier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9410227
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes for recovering rare earth elements from various materials. The processes can comprise leaching the at least one material with at least one acid so as to obtain a leachate comprising at least one metal ion and at least one rare earth element, and a solid, and separating the leachate from the solid. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing at least one of the at least one metal ion from the leachate and optionally obtaining a precipitate. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing the at least one rare earth element from the leachate and/or the precipitate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: ORBITE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joël Fournier, Raymond Simoneau, Maria Cristina Garcia, Denis Primeau, Heinz Krivanec, Carsten Dittrich
  • Patent number: 9382600
    Abstract: There are provided processes for preparing alumina. These processes can comprise leaching an aluminum-containing material with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising aluminum ions and a solid, and separating said solid from said leachate; reacting said leachate with HCl so as to obtain a liquid and a precipitate comprising said aluminum ions in the form of AlCl3, and separating said precipitate from said liquid; and heating said precipitate under conditions effective for converting AlCl3 into Al2O3 and optionally recovering gaseous HCl so-produced. These processes can also be used for preparing various other products such as hematite, MgO, silica and oxides of various metals, sulphates and chlorides of various metals, as well as rare earth elements, rare metals and aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Orbite Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joël Fournier, Denis Primeau, Marie-Maxime Labrecque-Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20160153067
    Abstract: There are provided processes for preparing various products from various materials. For example, such processes are effective for extracting various metals from various materials, thereby allowing for preparing products such as aluminum chloride, alumina, titanium chloride and titanium oxide. These processes can comprise leaching the starting material with HCl so as to obtain a leachate and a solid. The solid can be treated so as to substantially selectively extract titanium therefrom while the leachate can be treated so as to substantially selectively recover a first metal chloride therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Richard BOUDREAULT, Joël FOURNIER, Denis PRIMEAU, Marie-Maxime LABRECQUE-GILBERT
  • Publication number: 20160153071
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes for recovering rare earth elements from an aluminum-bearing material. The processes can comprise leaching the aluminum-bearing material with an acid so as to obtain a leachate comprising at least one aluminum ion, at least one iron ion, at least one rare earth element, and a solid, and separating the leachate from the solid. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing at least one of the at least one aluminum ion and the at least one iron ion from the leachate and optionally obtaining a precipitate. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing the at least one rare earth element from the leachate and/or the precipitate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Richard BOUDREAULT, Joël FOURNIER, Raymond SIMONEAU, Maria Cristina GARCIA, Heinz KRIVANEC, Denis PRIMEAU, Carsten DITTRICH
  • Patent number: 9290828
    Abstract: There are provided processes for preparing various products from various materials. For example, such processes are effective for extracting titanium and various other metals from various materials, thereby allowing for preparing products such as titanium chloride and titanium oxide. These processes can comprise leaching the starting material with HCl so as to obtain a leachate and a solid. The solid can be treated so as to substantially selectively extract titanium therefrom while the leachate can be treated so as to substantially selectively recover a first metal chloride therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: ORBITE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joël Fournier, Denis Primeau, Marie-Maxime Labrecque-Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20160052796
    Abstract: There are provided methods for preparing hematite. For example, the method can comprise reacting a basic aqueous composition comprising the iron and the aluminum with hematite under conditions suitable for at least partially converting the iron into hematite under the form of a precipitate, thereby obtaining a liquid phase and a solid phase; and separating the liquid phase from the solid phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Richard BOUDREAULT, Joël FOURNIER, Laury GAUTHIER
  • Patent number: 9260767
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes for recovering rare earth elements from an aluminum-bearing material. The processes can comprise leaching the aluminum-bearing material with an acid so as to obtain a leachate comprising at least one aluminum ion, at least one iron ion, at least one rare earth element, and a solid, and separating the leachate from the solid. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing at least one of the at least one aluminum ion and the at least one iron ion from the leachate and optionally obtaining a precipitate. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing the at least one rare earth element from the leachate and/or the precipitate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ORBITE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Denis Primeau, Heinz Krivanec, Carsten Dittrich, Joel Fournier, Raymond Simoneau, Maria Christina Garcia
  • Publication number: 20160032421
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating fly ash. For example, the processes can comprise leaching fly ash with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising aluminum ions and a solid, and separating the solid from the leachate; reacting the leachate with HCl so as to obtain a liquid and a precipitate comprising the aluminum ions in the form of AlCl3, and separating the precipitate from the liquid; and heating the precipitate under conditions effective for converting AlCl3 into Al2O3 and optionally recovering gaseous HCl so-produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Richard BOUDREAULT, Joël FOURNIER, Denis PRIMEAU
  • Publication number: 20150345038
    Abstract: The present description relates to an anode arrangement for use in an electrolysis production of metals comprising an anode having a hollow body comprising a cavity, the body having at least one gas outlet connected in flow communication with the cavity. A gas inlet is connected in fluid flow communication with the cavity of the anode, the gas inlet being connectable to a source of hydrogen gas for feeding hydrogen gas into the cavity of the anode. The anode arrangement also comprises an electrical connector and a hydrogen chloride (HCl) recuperator surrounding at least a portion of the anode for recovering HCl gas released through the at least one gas outlet at an outer surface of the anode during electrolysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventor: Joël FOURNIER
  • Patent number: 9181603
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating fly ash. For example, the processes can comprise leaching fly ash with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising aluminum ions and a solid, and separating the solid from the leachate; reacting the leachate with HCl so as to obtain a liquid and a precipitate comprising the aluminum ions in the form of AlCl3, and separating the precipitate from the liquid; and heating the precipitate under conditions effective for converting AlCl3 into Al2O3 and optionally recovering gaseous HCl so-produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Orbite Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joël Fournier, Denis Primeau
  • Publication number: 20150307965
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes for recovering rare earth elements from an aluminum-bearing material. The processes can comprise leaching the aluminum-bearing material with an acid so as to obtain a leachate comprising at least one aluminum ion, at least one iron ion, at least one rare earth element, and a solid, and separating the leachate from the solid. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing at least one of the at least one aluminum ion and the at least one iron ion from the leachate and optionally obtaining a precipitate. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing the at least one rare earth element from the leachate and/or the precipitate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: ORBITE ALUMINAE INC.
    Inventors: Richard BOUDREAULT, Joel FOURNIER, Raymond SIMONEAU, Maria Cristina GARCIA, Heinz KRIVANEC, DenisÉ PRIMEAU, Carsten DITTRICH
  • Patent number: 9150428
    Abstract: There are provided methods for separating iron ions from aluminum ions. For example, the methods can comprise providing a basic aqueous composition comprising said iron ions and said aluminum ions and having a pH of about 10.5 to about 13 and a temperature of about 50 ° C. to about 150 ° C.; reacting said basic aqueous composition with hematite so as to promote, catalyze and/or enhance formation of hematite and to obtain a liquid phase comprising said aluminum ions and a solid phase comprising said so-formed hematite generated with said iron ions; and separating said liquid phase from said solid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: ORBITE ALUMINAE INC.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joël Fournier, Laury Gauthier
  • Publication number: 20150275330
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating red mud. For example, the processes can comprise leaching red mud with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising ions of a first metal (for example aluminum) and a solid, and separating said solid from said leachate. Several other metals can be extracted from the leachate (Fe, Ni, Co, Mg, rare earth elements, rare metals, etc.). Various other components can be extracted from solid such as TiO2, SiO2 etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Richard BOUDREAULT, Joel FOURNIER, Denis PRIMEAU, Marie-Maxime LABRECQUE-GILBERT
  • Publication number: 20150218720
    Abstract: It is described a process for extracting magnesium from magnesium-bearing materials comprising the steps of leaching the magnesium-bearing material with HCl as to obtain a leachate comprising the magnesium in solution and a solid form; purify said leachate to produce magnesium chloride and electrolysing the magnesium chloride producing magnesium metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: François Picard, Joël Fournier
  • Publication number: 20150159239
    Abstract: There are provided processes for preparing various products from various materials. For example, such processes are effective for extracting titanium and various other metals from various materials, thereby allowing for preparing products such as titanium chloride and titanium oxide. These processes can comprise leaching the starting material with HCl so as to obtain a leachate and a solid. The solid can be treated so as to substantially selectively extract titanium therefrom while the leachate can be treated so as to substantially selectively recover a first metal chloride therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: ORBITE ALUMINAE INC.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joël Fournier, Denis Primeau, Marie-Maxime Labrecque-Gilbert
  • Patent number: 9023301
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating red mud. For example, the processes can comprise leaching red mud with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising ions of a first metal (for example aluminum) and a solid, and separating said solid from said leachate. Several other metals can be extracted from the leachate (Fe, Ni, Co, Mg, rare earth elements, rare metals, etc.). Various other components can be extracted from solid such as TiO2, SiO2 etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Orbite Aluminae Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joel Fournier, Denis Primeau, Marie-Maxime Labrecque-Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20150075328
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating fly ash. For example, the processes can comprise leaching fly ash with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising aluminum ions and a solid, and separating the solid from the leachate; reacting the leachate with HCl so as to obtain a liquid and a precipitate comprising the aluminum ions in the form of AlCl3, and separating the precipitate from the liquid; and heating the precipitate under conditions effective for converting AlCl3 into Al2O3 and optionally recovering gaseous HCl so-produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joël Fournier, Denis Primeau
  • Publication number: 20140373683
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes for recovering rare earth elements from various materials. The processes can comprise leaching the at least one material with at least one acid so as to obtain a leachate comprising at least one metal ion and at least one rare earth element, and a solid, and separating the leachate from the solid. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing at least one of the at least one metal ion from the leachate and optionally obtaining a precipitate. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing the at least one rare earth element from the leachate and/or the precipitate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: ORBITE ALUMINAE INC.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joël Fournier, Raymond Simoneau, Maria Cristina Garcia, Denis Primeau, Heinz Krivanec, Carsten Dittrich
  • Publication number: 20140369907
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating red mud. For example, the processes can comprise leaching red mud with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising ions of a first metal (for example aluminum) and a solid, and separating said solid from said leachate. Several other metals can be extracted from the leachate (Fe, Ni, Co, Mg, rare earth elements, rare metals, etc.). Various other components can be extracted from solid such as TiO2, SiO2 etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: ORBITE ALUMINAE INC.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joel Fournier, Denis Primeau, Marie-Maxime Labrecque-Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20140301920
    Abstract: There are provided methods for preparing hematite. For example, the method can comprise reacting a basic aqueous composition comprising the iron and the aluminum with hematite under conditions suitable for at least partially converting the iron into hematite under the form of a precipitate, thereby obtaining a liquid phase and a solid phase; and separating the liquid phase from the solid phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: ORBITE ALUMINAE INC.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joël Fournier, Laury Gauthier