Bio-reduction of metal ores integrated with biomass pyrolysis

A process for producing metal nuggets, the process comprising:

• providing a biomass feedstock;
• pyrolyzing the biomass feedstock, thereby generating a biogenic reagent and a pyrolysis off-gas, wherein the biogenic reagent comprises carbon, wherein the pyrolysis off-gas comprises hydrogen or carbon monoxide;
• providing a metal ore, wherein the metal ore comprises a metal oxide, wherein the metal ore is in particulate form;
• combining the carbon with the metal ore, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore particulate;
• pelletizing the carbon-metal ore particulate, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore pellet;
• chemically reducing the metal oxide within the carbon-metal ore pellet, thereby generating a metal nugget, wherein the chemically reducing is achieved utilizing the pyrolysis off-gas;
• and
• recovering the metal nugget, wherein the metal nugget comprises a metal, wherein the metal is a reduced form of the metal oxide.

A process for producing a metal from a metal ore, the process comprising:

• providing a biomass feedstock;
• pyrolyzing the biomass feedstock, thereby generating a biogenic reagent, wherein the biogenic reagent comprises carbon;
• providing a metal ore, wherein the metal ore comprises a metal oxide, wherein the metal ore is in particulate form;
• combining the carbon with the metal ore, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore particulate;
• pelletizing the carbon-metal ore particulate, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore pellet;
• introducing the carbon-metal ore pellet into a chemical-reduction furnace;
• oxidizing the carbon comprised within the carbon-metal ore particulate, thereby generating heat and carbon monoxide, wherein the oxidizing is achieved by introducing air or oxygen into the chemical-reduction furnace;
• chemically reducing, within the chemical-reduction furnace, the metal oxide comprised within the carbon-metal ore pellet, thereby generating a metal, wherein the chemically reducing is achieved using the carbon monoxide;
• and
• recovering the metal.