Patents by Inventor Yoshitomo Ozaki

Yoshitomo Ozaki 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: 9017640
    Abstract: Provided is a production method for obtaining high purity nickel sulfate having low levels of impurities, particularly low levels of magnesium and chloride, by adjusting the concentration of an extractant and the pH concentration at the time of treatment in a process of obtaining a nickel sulfate solution having a high nickel concentration by solvent extraction using an acidic organic extractant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakai, Tatsuya Higaki, Yoshitomo Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20150078972
    Abstract: Provided is a method of producing high-purity nickel sulfate by an impurity-element removal method for selectively removing Mg from a Ni-containing solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Atsushi Idegami, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Shin-ichi Heguri, Keiji Kudou, Hideki Ohara, Shinya Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20150050201
    Abstract: Provided is a production method for refining iron oxide (hematite), which has such a low sulfur content as to be used as an iron-making raw material, from a leach residue containing iron oxide produced by a high pressure acid leach (HPAL) process. In the method for refining iron oxide for ironmaking by a process of adding sulfuric acid to nickel oxide ore and then leaching nickel from the nickel oxide ore using a pressure vessel, an amount of the sulfuric acid added is 150 kg or more and 220 kg or less per ton of nickel oxide ore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Ozaki, Manabu Enomoto, Hirofumi Shouji, Tatsuya Higaki
  • Publication number: 20150023851
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing hematite for ironmaking, wherein high purity hematite, which can be used as an iron-making raw material, is cheaply and efficiently recovered from a leach residue containing iron oxide produced by a high pressure acid leach (HPAL) process. This method for producing (high purity) hematite for ironmaking in a process of adding a mineral acid and an oxidant to ore containing iron and valuable metals and then leaching the valuable metals under high pressure and high temperature includes (1) a neutralization step of adding a neutralizer to a leachate obtained under high pressure and high temperature to form a leach slurry, (2) a solid-liquid separation step of separating the leach slurry obtained in the neutralization step (1) into a leach residue and the leachate, and (3) a classification step of classifying the leach residue into the hematite and gangue components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Hideki Sasaki, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Manabu Enomoto, Hirofumi Shouji, Tatsuya Higaki, Hiroyuki Mitsui, Yasumasa Kan
  • Patent number: 8911531
    Abstract: A hydrometallurgical plant for nickel laterite ore extraction having a plurality of treatment facility lines wherein the plant is capable of minimizing a decrease in throughput when line failure occurs and efficiently restoring normal operation status Each line of the treatment facility includes a pretreatment step, a leaching step, a solid-liquid separation step, a neutralization step, a zinc removal step, a sulfurization step and a detoxification step. The lines are coupled by pipelines, each having a valve, installed after the solid-liquid separation step for sending a liquid from the solid-liquid separation step to the neutralization step in each line and/or after the sulfurization step for sending a liquid from the sulfurization step to the detoxification step in each line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Nakai, Toru Kitazaki, Shinichi Heguri, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Keisuke Shibayama
  • Publication number: 20140348732
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a method for producing magnesium oxide by which magnesium oxide being high in purity and low in impurity content can be produced simply and efficiently from a sulfuric acid solution containing magnesium and calcium such as waste water. In the present invention, calcium is precipitated as calcium sulfate and separated by concentrating a sulfuric acid solution containing magnesium and calcium, and magnesium is precipitated as magnesium sulfate and separated by further concentrating the solution resulting from the separation of calcium. The separated magnesium sulfate is roasted together with a reductant, so that magnesium oxide and sulfur dioxide are obtained. The resulting magnesium oxide is washed to produce magnesium oxide with high purity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Ozaki, Jun-ichi Takahashi, Yu Yamashita, Hideki Ohara
  • Publication number: 20140322109
    Abstract: Provided is a production method for obtaining high purity nickel sulfate having low levels of impurities, particularly low levels of magnesium and chloride, by adjusting the concentration of an extractant and the pH concentration at the time of treatment in a process of obtaining a nickel sulfate solution having a high nickel concentration by solvent extraction using an acidic organic extractant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakai, Tatsuya Higaki, Yoshitomo Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20140294703
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for easily and efficiently removing manganese from an aqueous acidic solution of sulfuric acid containing cobalt and manganese at low cast to obtain a high-purity cobalt sulfate aqueous solution usable as a raw material for lithium ion secondary batteries. The high-purity cobalt sulfate aqueous solution is obtained by mixing an aqueous acidic solution of sulfuric acid containing cobalt and manganese (aqueous phase) with an acidic organic extractant (organic phase) while adjusting the pH of the aqueous acidic solution of sulfuric acid to a value in a range between 2 and 4 with a pH adjuster such as sodium hydroxide to extract manganese into the organic phase. The acidic organic extractant to be used is preferably diluted so that the concentration of di-2-ethylhexyl phosphate is 10 to 30 vol %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Ozaki, Takayuki Nakai, Shinichi Heguri, Hideki Ohara
  • Patent number: 8747787
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing ferronickel from a nickel sulfide or a mixed sulfide containing nickel and cobalt, obtained by hydrometallurgy of nickel oxide ore or obtained from scraps or products in process. The method for producing a ferronickel raw material is to form the ferronickel raw material from a nickel sulfide or a mixed sulfide containing nickel sulfide and cobalt sulfide, wherein treatments are performed through the following steps: (1) redissolution step, (2) deferrization step, (3) solvent extraction step, (4) hydroxylation step, (5) roasting step, and (6) washing and calcining step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobayashi, Osamu Nakai, Keisuke Shibayama, Takayuki Nakai, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Norihisa Toki, Junichi Takahashi, Toshirou Tan
  • Publication number: 20140048987
    Abstract: This invention provides a method for shortening operation shutdown time of high pressure acid leach equipment in a hydrometallurgical process, wherein the high pressure acid leach equipment comprises (i) means to transfer an ore slurry into the high pressure acid leach equipment; (ii) means to increase temperature and pressure of an ore slurry before leaching; (iii) means to add sulfuric acid into the high pressure acid leach equipment and to leach the ore slurry to obtain a leached slurry at high temperature under high pressure; (iv) means to adjust the pressure of the leached slurry; and (v) means to discharge the leached from the high pressure acid leach equipment; wherein, upon operation shutdown of the high pressure acid leach equipment, the leached slurry is subjected to self-circulation inside the high pressure acid leach equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Shibayama, Osamu Nakai, Yoshitomo Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20130074653
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing ferronickel from a nickel sulfide or a mixed sulfide containing nickel and cobalt, obtained by hydrometallurgy of nickel oxide ore or obtained from scraps or products in process. The method for producing a ferronickel raw material is to form the ferronickel raw material from a nickel sulfide or a mixed sulfide containing nickel sulfide and cobalt sulfide, wherein treatments are performed through the following steps: (1) redissolution step, (2) deferrization step, (3) solvent extraction step, (4) hydroxylation step, (5) roasting step, and (6) washing and calcining step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: SIMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobayashi, Osamu Nakai, Keisuke Shibayama, Takayuki Nakai, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Norihisa Toki, Junichi Takahashi, Toshirou Tan
  • Patent number: 8343447
    Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process for a nickel oxide ore comprising obtaining an aqueous solution of crude nickel sulfate by high pressure acid leaching of a nickel oxide ore; obtaining a zinc free final solution by sulfurization of the solution; obtaining a waste solution; and scrubbing hydrogen sulfide gas from an exhaust gas. The process is characterized by at least one of the following operations: Adjusting the total volume (m3) of a sulfurization reactor to a ratio of 0.2-0.9 (m3/kg/h) relative to the input mass (kg/h) of the nickel to be introduced to the reactor; and/or subjecting the waste solution and the exhaust gas to countercurrent contact, then introducing the exhaust gas back to the scrubber and charging the waste solution from the scrubber into the sulfurization reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Shibayama, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Osamu Nakai
  • Publication number: 20120161374
    Abstract: In a hydrometallurgical plant of a nickel laterite ore having a plurality of lines of treatment facilities, the hydrometallurgical plant of the nickel laterite ore which is, even when a serious trouble will occur in said treatment facilities, capable of minimizing decrease in throughput caused by this, and restoring a normal operation state early, after eliminating the serious trouble, and an operation method thereof. A hydrometallurgical plant of a nickel laterite ore having a plurality of lines, as treatment facilities including a pretreatment step, a leaching step, a solid-liquid separation step, a neutralization step, a zinc removal step, a sulfurization step and a detoxification step as one line, wherein a coupling pipeline having a valve is installed between a liquid sending pipeline from the solid-liquid separation step to the neutralization step in each line and/or between a liquid sending pipeline from the sulfurization step to the detoxification step in each line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Nakai, Toru Kitazaki, Shinichi Heguri, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Keisuke Shibayama
  • Patent number: 7964165
    Abstract: The separation method for zinc sulfide, in the hydrometallurgical process by a High Pressure Acid Leach for nickel oxide ore comprising leaching and solid/liquid separation step, neutralization step, zinc removal step, and nickel recovery step, which can inhibit clogging of a filter cloth and reduce a frequency of washing operation and replacement operation of a filter cloth by improving filtration performance of zinc sulfide, and inhibit decrease of nickel recovery ratio, in the zinc removal step in which zinc sulfide is formed by adding a sulfurizing agent to the neutralization final liquid containing zinc as well as nickel and cobalt and zinc sulfide is separated to obtain a mother liquid for nickel recovery containing nickel and cobalt. The separation method for zinc sulfide of the present invention is characterized in that in the above-described neutralization step, the leach residue is added to the leach liquor, and pH of the neutralization final liquid is adjusted so as to fall to the range from 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Nakai, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Keisuke Shibayama, Takao Ooishi, Satoshi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20100034716
    Abstract: The separation method for zinc sulfide, in the hydrometallurgical process by a High Pressure Acid Leach for nickel oxide ore comprising leaching and solid/liquid separation step, neutralization step, zinc removal step, and nickel recovery step, which can inhibit clogging of a filter cloth and reduce a frequency of washing operation and replacement operation of a filter cloth by improving filtration performance of zinc sulfide, and inhibit decrease of nickel recovery ratio, in the zinc removal step in which zinc sulfide is formed by adding a sulfurizing agent to the neutralization final liquid containing zinc as well as nickel and cobalt and zinc sulfide is separated to obtain a mother liquid for nickel recovery containing nickel and cobalt. The separation method for zinc sulfide of the present invention is characterized in that in the above-described neutralization step, the leach residue is added to the leach liquor, and pH of the neutralization final liquid is adjusted so as to fall to the range from 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Nakai, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Keisuke Shibayama, Takao Ooishi, Satoshi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20100028227
    Abstract: The hydrometallurgical Process for a nickel oxide ore, which is capable of preventing inevitable operation shutdown of a leaching step and maintaining high operation efficiency as a whole process, in a trouble of the steps other than the leaching step, in a hydrometallurgical Process for a nickel oxide ore using a High Pressure Acid Leach.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Shibayama, Osamu Nakai, Yoshitomo Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20100018350
    Abstract: The hydrometallurgical process for a nickel oxide ore comprising a step (1) for obtaining an aqueous solution of crude nickel sulfate by High Pressure Acid Leach of a nickel oxide ore; a step (2) for obtaining a zinc free final solution formed; a step (3) for obtaining a waste solution; and a step (4) for scrubbing a hydrogen sulfide gas in exhaust gas, wherein utilization efficiency of hydrogen sulfide gas is enhanced while maintaining nickel recovery rate. It is characterized in that at least one kind of the following operations (a) to (d) is adopted. (a) to adjust total volume (m3) of the sulfurization reactor (B) in the above step (3), at a ratio of 0.2 to 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Shibayama, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Osamu Nakai
  • Patent number: 7563421
    Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process based on pressure leaching at elevated temperature for recovering nickel from nickel oxide ores, characterized by a simplified and efficient process as a whole, realizing a simplified leaching stage, reduced neutralizer consumption and precipitate production in the neutralization stage, and efficient use of recycled water. The hydrometallurgical process of the present invention, comprising a leaching stage which stirs the slurried ore in the presence of sulfuric acid at 220 to 280° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobayashi, Hirofumi Shouji, Masaki Imamura, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Naoyuki Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 7018605
    Abstract: A method of sulfidation removal of zinc using hydrogen sulfide is provided, desirably at a temperature at 60° C. or lower, wherein in a container that is pressurized at 0.1 MPa or less with respect to atmospheric pressure, by making the pH of the solution 1.5 to 4.0, and the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in gas 2 volume % or greater in equilibrium with the hydrogen sulfide dissolved in the solution, the zinc in solution is removed by sulfidation to 1 mg/liter or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobayashi, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Masaki Imamura
  • Publication number: 20050265910
    Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process based on pressure leaching at elevated temperature for recovering nickel from nickel oxide ores, characterized by a simplified and efficient process as a whole, realizing a simplified leaching stage, reduced neutralizer consumption and precipitate production in the neutralization stage, and efficient use of recycled water. The hydrometallurgical process of the present invention, comprising a leaching stage which stirs the slurried ore in the presence of sulfuric acid at 220 to 280° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobayashi, Hirofumi Shouji, Masaki Imamura, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Naoyuki Tsuchida