Halidation of nonferrous metal values in manganese oxide ores
AssigneeDeepsea Ventures, Inc.
InventorsRichard G. Sandberg, Paul H. Cardwell
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Abstract
This invention provides a process for obtaining the nonferrous metal values from a manganese oxide ore, by reacting the ore with an aluminum halide or a ferric halide at a temperature of at least about 50.degree. C and preferably, at least about 130.degree. C. The manganese oxide ore can be treated with or without reduction. If reduction of the manganese oxide ore is desired, it can be accomplished prior to, or simultaneously with, the reaction with the aluminum halide or ferric halide. The resulting nonferrous metal halides can be separated from the reacted ore residue by conventional methods such as leaching or evaporation.
Claims21
A process for obtaining the nonferrous metal values, as the halides, from a manganese oxide ore, the process comprising reacting, at a temperature in the range of from about 50.degree. C to about 160.degree. C, the manganese oxide ore with a halidation reagent selected from the group consisting of aluminum halides to form a nonferrous metal halide reaction product comprising a manganous halide.
A process for obtaining the nonferrous metal values, as the halides, from a manganese oxide ore, the manganese oxide ore comprising manganese in a valence state higher than divalent, the process comprising:
- reducing and dehydrating the manganese oxide ore so as to reduce the manganese value in the ore to the divalent state and to substantially dehydrate the ore;
- reacting the reduced and dehydrated nodule ore with an aluminum halide halidation reagent at a temperature in the range of from about 50.degree. to about 160.degree. C. so as to form a nonferrous metal halide reaction product comprising a manganous halide.
A process for obtaining the nonferrous metal values, as a halide, from an ocean floor nodule ore containing the oxides of manganese and iron as the primary metal values and secondary amounts of copper, cobalt and nickel compounds, the process comprising:
- reducing the nodule ore so as to reduce the manganese value in the ore to the divalent state;
- reacting the reduced nodule ore with an aluminum halide halidation reagent at a temperature in the range of from about 50.degree. to about 160.degree. C so as to form a reacted ore product comprising the halides of the manganese, nickel, copper and cobalt values.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.