Hydroconversion multi-metallic catalyst and method for making thereof

A process for forming a bulk hydroprocessing catalyst, comprising:

• co-precipitating at reaction conditions at least one of a Group VIB metal precursor feed and at least a Promoter metal precursor feed selected from Group VIII, Group IIB, Group IIA, Group IVA and combinations thereof, to form a mixture comprising a catalyst precursor;
• isolating the catalyst precursor from the mixture, forming a supernatant containing at least a Promoter metal residual and at least a Group VIB metal residual in a total amount of at least 10 mole % of the metal precursor feeds;
• mixing the supernatant with at least one of an acid, a sulfide-containing compound, a base, and combinations thereof under mixing conditions at a temperature from ambient to 90° C. for a sufficient amount of time to precipitate at least 50 mole % of metal ions in at least one of the metal residuals, wherein the precipitation is carried out at a pre-select pH;
• isolating the precipitate to recover a first effluent containing less than 50 mole % of metal ions in at least one of the metal residuals in the supernatant;
• converting the metal ions in the precipitate or the first effluent into at least a metal precursor feed;
• recycling the at least a metal precursor feed from the converting step to the co-precipitating step;
• and
• sulfiding the catalyst precursor forming the bulk catalyst.