Winning metal from ore
AssigneeNational Research Development Corporation
InventorsMichael Cox, Michael J. Gray, Phillip W. Duke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Copper is won from chalcopyrite ore (copper/iron sulphide) containing Cu(II) and Fe(III), which respectively prefer square planar and octahedral co-ordination. A vaporized tetradentate (square-planar) Schiff base reagent is passed through a fluidized bed of oxidatively roasted chalcopyrite, and ignores the iron but forms a (volatile) copper complex. This is blown to a decomposition chamber containing a hot probe on which the complex decomposes, leaving the desired copper on the probe and liberating the Schiff base reagent for recycling.
Claims17
A process of winning one or more desired metals from an ore containing also at least one undesired metal, comprising the steps of:
- treating the ore with a polydentate reagent displaying a substantial stereochemical constraint on a metal, which reagent forms a volatile compound with the or each desired metal but not with the undesired metal(s);
- transporting the compound in the vapor phase from the vicinity of the ore;
- and
- decomposing the compound to literate elemental metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.