Falconbridge matte leaching

Figure 5.7 Falconbridge matte leach process flowsheet.

Wigstol, E. and Froyland, K. 1972. Solvent extraction in nickel metallurgy the Falconbridge matte leach process. Het Ingenieursblad 41 476-486. 

Falconbridge Also called the matte leach process. A process for extracting copper and nickel from matte (a sulfide ore that has been roasted to remove most of the sulfur). Most of the nickel is leached out with hydrochloric acid and recovered as nickel chloride crystals. The leach residue is roasted and leached with sulfuric acid to dissolve the copper. The process has been operated in Canada and Norway since 1970. 

FIGURE 8.6-1 Solvent extraction circuit of the Falconbridge Nikkelvert A/S matte leach plant for separation of iron, copper, and cobell. From Ref. 6, with permission. 

The anionic exchange reagents commonly employed in these processes are tris-alkyl ammonium cations, generally dissolved in an aromatic diluent such as xylene. Tris-isooctylamine has been used at Falconbridge Nikkeiverk in Kristiandsand, Norway for the purification of solutions derived from HC1 leaching of Ni—Cu matte for over 30 years.103... 

The first electrolytic nickel refinery plant, treating nickel metal anodes, was built by Hybinette in Kristiansand, Norway, in 1910, and this plant was acquired by Falconbridge in 1928. INCO developed electrorefining of nickel sulfide matte anodes in the 1950s. In a typical electrowinning process, the raw material is first smelted to a matte and then leached in a sulfate or chloride solution. The sulfur of the raw material is oxidized to insoluble elemental sulfur or soluble sulfate. The nickel contents of the mattes treated hydrometallurgically are in the... 

Falconbridge process A selective leaching process used to extract copper and nickel from a sulphide ore containing nickel, copper, and other precious metals that has been roasted to remove the sulphur known as matte. The nickel is removed using hydrochloric acid and recovered as nickel chloride crystals. The residue is then leached with sulphuric... 

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