Acid leach

Nickel and Cobalt. Often present with copper in sulfuric acid leach Hquors are nickel [7440-02-0] and cobalt [7440-48-4]. Extraction using an organophosphoric acid such as D2EHPA at a moderate (3 to 4) pH can readily take out the nickel and cobalt together, leaving the copper in the aqueous phase, but the cobalt—nickel separation is more difficult (274). In the case of chloride leach Hquors, separation of cobalt from nickel is inherently simpler because cobalt, unlike nickel, has a strong tendency to form anionic chloro-complexes. Thus cobalt can be separated by amine extractants, provided the chloride content of the aqueous phase is carefully controUed. A successhil example of this approach is the Falcon-bridge process developed in Norway (274). 

Acidic suspensions such as those produced by acid leaching often respond to natural products such as guar as well as nonionic polyacrylamides and anionic polyacrylamides containing sulfonic acid groups. 

The 2eohtes are prepared as essentially bindedess preformed particles. The kaolin is shaped in the desired form of the finished product and is converted in situ in the pellet by treatment with suitable alkaU hydroxide solutions. Preformed pellets of 2eohte A are prepared by this method. These pellets may be converted by ion exchange to other forms such as molecular sieve Type 5A (1). ZeoHtes of higher Si02/Al202 ratios, eg, 2eohte Y, can be obtained by the same method, when sodium metasiUcate is incorporated in the preshaped pellets, or when acid-leached metakaolin is used. 

In the acid-leaching process, the oxide ore is leached with sulfuric acid at elevated temperature and pressure, which causes nickel, but not iron, to enter into solution. The leach solution is purified, foHowed by reaction with hydrogen sulfide and subsequent precipitation of nickel and cobalt sulfides. 

The reaction of finely ground ores and an excess of carbon at high temperatures produces a mixture of metal carbides. The reaction of pyrochlore and carbon starts at 950°C and proceeds vigorously. After being heated to 1800—2000°C, the cooled friable mixture is acid-leached leaving an insoluble residue of carbides of niobium, tantalum, and titanium. These may be dissolved in HF or may be chlorinated or burned to oxides for further processing. 

A process has been developed to recover niobium from ferroniobium (30). The need for this process came about when Brazil would only export niobium in the form of ferroniobium. The process starts with a hydriding step, so as to be able to cmsh the alloy. Screening precedes a nitriding step, followed by an acid leach of the iron nitrides. This leaves the niobium nitride for further processing to the pure niobium metal. 

Silicon Nitride. SiUcon nitride is manufactured either as a powder as a precursor for the production of hot-pressed parts or as self-bonded, reaction-sintered, siUcon nitride parts. a-SiUcon nitride, used in the manufacture of Si N intended for hot pressing, can be obtained by nitriding Si powder in an atmosphere of H2, N2, and NH. Reaction conditions, eg, temperature, time, and atmosphere, have to be controlled closely. Special additions, such as Fe202 to the precursor material, act as catalysts for the formation of predorninately a-Si N. SiUcon nitride is ball-milled to a very fine powder and is purified by acid leaching. SiUcon nitride can be hot pressed to full density by adding 1—5% MgO. 

Caro s acid has been used ia AustraUa as an oxidant ia the acid-leaching of uranium ores. It acts by oxidising the iron present ia the solution from Fe " to Fe ". This Fe " then oxidizes the uranium. Alternative oxidants that have been used iaclude pyrolusite and chlorate ion. These are both undesirable because their effluents, containing Mn " or CF, contaminate watercourses. 

In metallurgy, hydrogen sulfide is used to precipitate copper sulfide from nickel—copper-containing ore leach solutions in Alberta, Canada, or to precipitate nickel and cobalt sulfides from sulfuric acid leaching oflaterite ores in Moa Bay, Cuba (120) (see Metallurgy, extractive metallurgy). 

Type B magnesium reduced and finished by acid leaching on inert gas sweep distillation. 

Vanadium Sulfates. Sulfate solutions derived from sulfuric acid leaching of vanadium ores are industrially important in the recovery of vanadium from its raw materials. Vanadium in quadrivalent form may be solvent-extracted from leach solutions as the oxycation complex (VO) ". Alternatively, the vanadium can be oxidized to the pentavalent form and solvent-extracted as an oxyanion, eg, (V O ) . Pentavalent vanadium does not form simple sulfate salts. 

Vanadium raw materials are processed to produce vanadium chemicals, eg, the pentoxide and ammonium metavanadate (AMV) primary compounds, by salt roasting or acid leaching. Interlocking circuits, in which unfinished or scavenged material from one process is diverted to the other, are sometimes used. Such interlocking to enhance vanadium recovery and product grade became more feasible in the late 1950s with the advent of solvent extraction. 

The ore is ordinarily ground to pass through a ca 1.2-mm (14-mesh) screen, mixed with 8—10 wt % NaCl and other reactants that may be needed, and roasted under oxidising conditions in a multiple-hearth furnace or rotary kiln at 800—850°C for 1—2 h. Temperature control is critical because conversion of vanadium to vanadates slows markedly at ca 800°C, and the formation of Hquid phases at ca 850°C interferes with access of air to the mineral particles. During roasting, a reaction of sodium chloride with hydrous siUcates, which often are present in the ore feed, yields HCl gas. This is scmbbed from the roaster off-gas and neutralized for pollution control, or used in acid-leaching processes at the mill site. 

Acid Leaching. DHect acid leaching for vanadium recovery is used mainly for vanadium—uranium ores and less extensively for processing spent catalyst, fly ash, and boiler residues. Although 20 in spent catalysts dissolves readily in acid solutions, the dissolution of vanadium from ores and... 

Australian Vanadium—Uranium Ore. A calcareous camotite ore at YeeHrrie, AustraHa, is iU-suited for salt roasting and acid leaching. Dissolution of vanadium and uranium by leaching in sodium carbonate solution at elevated temperature and pressure has been tested on a pilot-plant scale... 

The dispersion of amphiboles in concentrated HQ. solutions also leads to partial leaching, the rate of which depends on the metal cations present. With crocidoHte, only small amounts of magnesium and sodium are extracted in these conditions, whereas amosite Hberates substantial quantities of iron and magnesium. Overall, tremoHte appears to exhibit the highest resistance to acid leaching. 

Recovery of Bismuth from Tin Concentrates. Bismuth is leached from roasted tin concentrates and other bismuth-beating materials by means of hydrochloric acid. The acid leach Hquor is clarified by settling or filtration, and the bismuth is precipitated as bismuth oxychloride [7787-59-9] BiOCl, when the Hquors are diluted usiag large volumes of water. The impure bismuth oxychloride is usually redissolved ia hydrochloric acid and reprecipitated by diluting several times. It is then dried, mixed with soda ash and carbon, and reduced to metal. The wet bismuth oxychloride may also be reduced to metal by means of iron or 2iac ia the presence of hydrochloric acid. The metallic bismuth produced by the oxychloride method requites additional refining. 

This is the percent B2O2 in glass prior to acid leaching to form vycor. 

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