Process and circuit for producing enhanced manganese-zinc filter cake compositions with reduced chloride concentrations
AssigneeEnergysource Minerals LLC
InventorsJohn L. Featherstone, Christian J. Calvert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure pertains to a process and circuit for producing enhanced manganese-zinc filter cake compositions, and more specifically to a wash process and circuit that produces manganese concentrations of 36-45 wt. % and zinc concentrations of 15-17 wt. % while lowering chloride content to below 3 wt. %. The process and circuit involve sequential washing, drying, repulping, and dewatering of polymetallic filter cakes derived from saline feedstocks, facilitating effective downstream recovery of refined manganese and zinc products.
Claims24
A process for producing an enhanced manganese-zinc filter cake composition, the process comprising steps of:
- washing and dewatering a mixed polymetallic filter cake composition derived from a saline feedstock with a wash liquor to produce a dewatered polymetallic filter cake composition, the mixed polymetallic filter cake composition comprising oxides, hydroxides, chloride salts, or a combination thereof, the mixed polymetallic filter cake composition further comprising an initial concentration of manganese and zinc and an initial concentration of oxychloride salts;
- drying the dewatered polymetallic filter cake composition in a drying device to reduce a moisture content and to increase a water solubility of the oxychloride salts in the dewatered polymetallic filter cake composition to produce a dried polymetallic filter cake composition;
- and
- washing the dried polymetallic filter cake composition with a repulping liquor to produce an enhanced manganese-zinc filter cake composition having an enhanced concentration of manganese and zinc and a reduced concentration of chloride salts.
A circuit for producing an enhanced manganese-zinc filter cake composition, the circuit comprising:
- a first-stage washing and dewatering process circuit configured to receive a mixed polymetallic filter cake composition derived from a saline feedstock and to produce a dewatered polymetallic filter cake composition, the first-stage washing and dewatering process circuit comprising:
- a first washing stage configured to wash the mixed polymetallic filter cake composition with a wash liquor;
- and
- a first dewatering stage comprising a filtration or dewatering device configured to produce the dewatered polymetallic filter cake composition;
- an intermediate-stage drying process circuit downstream of the first-stage washing and dewatering process circuit and configured to increase a water solubility of oxychloride salts in the dewatered polymetallic filter cake composition to produce a dried polymetallic filter cake composition, the intermediate-stage drying process circuit comprising a drying device;
- and
- a second-stage washing process circuit downstream of the intermediate-stage drying process circuit and configured to repulp and wash the dried polymetallic filter cake composition with a repulping liquor to produce an enhanced manganese-zinc filter cake composition having an enhanced concentration of manganese and zinc and a reduced concentration of chloride salts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.