Selective leaching

Abstract

The invention describes a process for the separation of Fe from Cu and one or more of Ni and Co contained in an alloyed powder having more than 1% by weight of Cu, comprising the steps of: —contacting, in oxidizing conditions, the alloyed powder with a stoichiometric amount of an acidic solution selected between a minimum suitable for dissolving 50% of all metallic elements except Fe, and a maximum suitable for dissolving 100% of all metallic elements except 50% of the Fe, thereby obtaining a leach solution containing a major part of the Cu and of the one or more of Ni and Co, and a residue containing a major part of the Fe; and, —separating the leach solution from the residue. Cu, Ni and/or Co from an alloyed powder are dissolved, while the major part of Fe is rejected to a solid residue and separated by solid/liquid separation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.