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US 2012/0067174 A1Published application
Processes for extraction of nickel with iron-complexing agent
AssigneeThe University of British Columbia
InventorsDavid G. Dixon, Adam J. Fischmann
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Abstract
The invention provides, in part, a process for extracting nickel from a source material including iron and nickel, by contacting the source material (e.g, an ultramafic ore) with an aqueous ammonia solution containing an iron-complexing agent (e.g., citrate) under suitable conditions, thereby extracting the nickel. The aqueous ammonia solution may optionally contain a sulfur-containing reductant, such as thiosulfate.
Claims19
A process for extracting nickel from a source material comprising nickel and iron, the process comprising:
- a) providing a source material comprising nickel and iron;
- b) providing an aqueous ammonia solution comprising an iron-complexing agent;
- c) contacting the source material with the aqueous ammonia solution under suitable conditions, wherein a substantial portion of the iron is solubilized, thereby extracting a sufficient quantity of the nickel from the source material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.