Nickel processing
AssigneeDominion Mining Limited
InventorsGeoffrey M. Motteram, Gavin S. M. Becker, Michael W. Ryan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of processing intermediate nickel bearing products, the method comprising subjecting the intermediate nickel bearing products to an acid leach in order to dissolve substantially all of the acid soluble magnesium bearing minerals contained therein to provide an upgraded nickel bearing residue and a leach solution. The method is particularly suitable where the intermediate nickel bearing products are nickel sulphide concentrates or nickel iron oxide calcine.
Claims14
A method of processing intermediate nickel bearing products, said method comprising subjecting intermediate nickel bearing products selected from the group consisting of nickel sulphide concentrate and nickel iron oxide calcine to an acid leach in order to dissolve substantially all acid soluble magnesium bearing minerals contained therein to provide an upgraded nickel bearing residue and a leach solution.
A method of processing nickel sulphide concentrates, said method comprising extracting rock from a nickel or body, subjecting the extracted rock to normal beneficiation processes, said beneficiation processes including crushing, grinding, flotation and thickening, to produce a nickel sulphide flotation concentrate, and subjecting the nickel sulphide flotation concentrate to an acid leach using sulphuric acid in order to dissolve substantially all acid soluble magnesium bearing minerals contained therein to provide an upgraded nickel concentrate residue and a leach solution.
A method of processing nickel iron oxide calcine produced after roasting of an upgraded nickel concentrate residue, said method comprising subjecting the nickel iron oxide calcine to an acid leach with sulphuric acid, the upgraded calcine residue providing a calcine having a higher nickel concentration and a lower MgO/SiO.sub.2 concentration than the feed nickel iron oxide calcine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.