WO2009033227A1 - Limonite and saprolite heap leach process - Google Patents
Limonite and saprolite heap leach process Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2009033227A1 WO2009033227A1 PCT/AU2008/001357 AU2008001357W WO2009033227A1 WO 2009033227 A1 WO2009033227 A1 WO 2009033227A1 AU 2008001357 W AU2008001357 W AU 2008001357W WO 2009033227 A1 WO2009033227 A1 WO 2009033227A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- ore
- process according
- heap
- nickel
- limonitic
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B23/00—Obtaining nickel or cobalt
- C22B23/04—Obtaining nickel or cobalt by wet processes
- C22B23/0407—Leaching processes
- C22B23/0415—Leaching processes with acids or salt solutions except ammonium salts solutions
- C22B23/043—Sulfurated acids or salts thereof
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B1/00—Preliminary treatment of ores or scrap
- C22B1/14—Agglomerating; Briquetting; Binding; Granulating
- C22B1/24—Binding; Briquetting ; Granulating
- C22B1/2406—Binding; Briquetting ; Granulating pelletizing
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B23/00—Obtaining nickel or cobalt
- C22B23/005—Preliminary treatment of ores, e.g. by roasting or by the Krupp-Renn process
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B3/00—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes
- C22B3/04—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes by leaching
- C22B3/06—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes by leaching in inorganic acid solutions, e.g. with acids generated in situ; in inorganic salt solutions other than ammonium salt solutions
- C22B3/08—Sulfuric acid, other sulfurated acids or salts thereof
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B1/00—Preliminary treatment of ores or scrap
- C22B1/14—Agglomerating; Briquetting; Binding; Granulating
- C22B1/24—Binding; Briquetting ; Granulating
- C22B1/242—Binding; Briquetting ; Granulating with binders
- C22B1/243—Binding; Briquetting ; Granulating with binders inorganic
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02P10/00—Technologies related to metal processing
- Y02P10/20—Recycling
Definitions
- Laterite ores are potentially the world's largest source of nickel and cobalt.
- most deposits of nickel/cobalt laterites contain three major zones based on morphology, mineralogy and chemical composition. These three zones, from the base to the surface, atop weathered parent bedrock materials are the saprolite zone, the transition zone and the limonite zone. There is generally a large variation in total thickness of the laterite deposit, as well as individual zone thickness.
- the less-weathered, coarse, siliceous and higher nickel content saprolites tend to be commercially treated by a pyro metallurgical process involving roasting and electrical smelting techniques to produce ferro nickel.
- the power requirements and high iron to nickel ore ratio for the lower nickel content limonite blends make this processing route too expensive.
- Limonite ores are normally commercially treated by a combination of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes, such as the High Pressure Acid Leach (HPAL) process, or the reduction roast - ammonium carbonate leach process.
- HPAL High Pressure Acid Leach
- U.S. Patent 5,571 ,308 describes a process for heap leaching of high magnesium containing laterite ore such as saprolite.
- the patent points out that the fine saprolite exhibits poor permeability, and as a solution to this, pelletisation or agglomeration of the ore is necessary to ensure distribution of the leach solution through the heap.
- One problem hindering the heap leaching of nickel and cobalt containing nickeliferous oxidic ores is the substantial clay or fine-particle component of such ores, particularly ores which contain significant quantity of limonitic type ores.
- the type of clay content is dependent on the parent rock and the physicochemical environment of the clay formation, but most clays have a detrimental effect on the percolation of the leach solution through the ore.
- the mechanism could be described with "Shrinking Core Model” (SCM) with porous solid product (quartz) formation as shown in the photo of Figure 1.
- SCM Stress Core Model
- quartz porous solid product
- the formation of acid-resistant quartz can act as a "backbone" within the agglomerated pellets and can strengthen and stabilize a heap that includes limonite. Consequently, the inventors have found that a heap charged with lateritic ore may be stable during acidic leach if the ratio of saprolite/limonite type ores is appropriately selected. In one embodiment, the inventors have found that a stable heap may be maintained if the limonite/saprolite blended heap includes 15%-85% wt of limonitic type ore and 15%-85% wt of saprolitic type ore.
- the heap is subjected to a leach process by contacting a heap of the ore with a mineral acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and/or nitric acid at an acid concentration sufficient to effect the dissolution of nickel, for example, at least about 0.1 molar (equals to 10 g/L H 2 SO 4 ).
- a mineral acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and/or nitric acid
- sulfuric acid is used.
- the aqueous leach solution may be acid supplemented fresh water, seawater or saline water.
- the leaching is preferably carried out at a temperature of at least ambient temperature and ranging up to about 80 °C, if additional exothermic reaction such as bio-oxidation is introduced.
- the reaction time should be sufficient to dissolve substantial amounts of nickel and some iron and magnesium to provide a pregnant solution thereof.
- the limonite ore generally consists of goethite and/or hematite type particles and is particularly fine and dissolved with acid as shown in Eq. 1 and 2.
- the saprolite ore is coarse silicates which volume was found unchanged during leach as shown in Eq.3 and the photo ( Figure 1 ). Accordingly there needs to be a certain quantity of saprolitic type ore within the heap in order to give the heap some structure backbone during the leaching phase.
- the intermediate pregnant leachate solution may be divided into two fractions with the fraction having a pH of greater than 2 being removed and transferred downstream for nickel and/or cobalt recovery.
- the acidic fraction with a pH of less than 2 may be used for the leach solution in the counter current system.
- the nickel and cobalt rich heap leachate may be divided in a similar manner with the fraction having a pH greater than 2 being transferred for nickel and cobalt recovery, while the acidic heap leachate with a pH of less than 2 is used to leach a fresh heap in the counter current process.
- Figure 2 shows progressive nickel extraction graphs of blended ores
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Metallurgy (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
- Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
- Battery Electrode And Active Subsutance (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU2008299587A AU2008299587B2 (en) | 2007-09-13 | 2008-09-12 | Limonite and saprolite heap leach process |
CN2008801068362A CN101802234B (en) | 2007-09-13 | 2008-09-12 | Limonite and saprolite heap leach process |
US12/676,954 US20100282024A1 (en) | 2007-09-13 | 2008-09-12 | Limonite and Saprolite Heap Leach Process |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU2007904992 | 2007-09-13 | ||
AU2007904992A AU2007904992A0 (en) | 2007-09-13 | Limonite and Saprolite Heap Leach Process |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2009033227A1 true WO2009033227A1 (en) | 2009-03-19 |
Family
ID=40451485
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/AU2008/001357 WO2009033227A1 (en) | 2007-09-13 | 2008-09-12 | Limonite and saprolite heap leach process |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20100282024A1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN101802234B (en) |
AU (1) | AU2008299587B2 (en) |
CO (1) | CO6270267A2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2009033227A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN103131855A (en) * | 2011-11-29 | 2013-06-05 | 沈阳有色金属研究院 | Method for treating normal pressure leaching of transitional nickel laterite ore |
WO2013181724A1 (en) * | 2011-06-03 | 2013-12-12 | Vale S.A. | Selective base metals leaching from laterite ores |
WO2014047672A1 (en) * | 2012-09-28 | 2014-04-03 | Direct Nickel Pty Ltd | Method for the recovery of metals from nickel bearing ores and concentrates |
Families Citing this family (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
AU2008341034B2 (en) * | 2007-12-24 | 2013-07-18 | Bhp Billiton Ssm Development Pty Ltd | Laterite heap leaching with ferrous lixiviants |
US9624560B2 (en) * | 2010-06-15 | 2017-04-18 | Teck Resources Limited | Recovery of residual copper from heap leach residues |
CN102191377A (en) * | 2011-05-06 | 2011-09-21 | 广西银亿科技矿冶有限公司 | Red clay nickel ore heap leaching method |
CN104805282A (en) * | 2014-01-28 | 2015-07-29 | 广西银亿科技矿冶有限公司 | Laterite nickel ore sulfuric acid curing heap leaching method |
Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6312500B1 (en) * | 2000-03-30 | 2001-11-06 | Bhp Minerals International Inc. | Heap leaching of nickel containing ore |
WO2004031422A1 (en) * | 2002-10-01 | 2004-04-15 | European Nickel Plc | Heap leaching base metals from oxide ores |
US20040228783A1 (en) * | 2003-05-16 | 2004-11-18 | Jaguar Nickel Inc. | Process for the recovery of value metals from material containing base metal oxides |
WO2006000020A1 (en) * | 2004-06-29 | 2006-01-05 | European Nickel Plc | Improved leaching of base metals |
WO2006029443A1 (en) * | 2004-09-17 | 2006-03-23 | Bhp Billiton Ssm Technology Pty Ltd | Production of ferro-nickel or nickel matte by a combined hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical process |
WO2006089358A1 (en) * | 2005-02-24 | 2006-08-31 | Bhp Billiton Ssm Technology Pty Ltd | Production of ferronickel |
WO2006119559A1 (en) * | 2005-05-13 | 2006-11-16 | Bhp Billiton Ssm Technology Pty Ltd | An improved process for heap leaching of nickeliferous oxidic ores |
EP1790739A1 (en) * | 2005-11-28 | 2007-05-30 | Companhia Vale Do Rio Doce | Process for extraction of nickel, cobalt, and other base metals from laterite ores by using heap leaching and product containing nickel, cobalt and other metals from laterite ores |
Family Cites Families (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6261527B1 (en) * | 1999-11-03 | 2001-07-17 | Bhp Minerals International Inc. | Atmospheric leach process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from limonite and saprolite ores |
-
2008
- 2008-09-12 AU AU2008299587A patent/AU2008299587B2/en not_active Ceased
- 2008-09-12 CN CN2008801068362A patent/CN101802234B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2008-09-12 WO PCT/AU2008/001357 patent/WO2009033227A1/en active Application Filing
- 2008-09-12 US US12/676,954 patent/US20100282024A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2010
- 2010-04-07 CO CO10039707A patent/CO6270267A2/en active IP Right Grant
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6312500B1 (en) * | 2000-03-30 | 2001-11-06 | Bhp Minerals International Inc. | Heap leaching of nickel containing ore |
WO2004031422A1 (en) * | 2002-10-01 | 2004-04-15 | European Nickel Plc | Heap leaching base metals from oxide ores |
US20040228783A1 (en) * | 2003-05-16 | 2004-11-18 | Jaguar Nickel Inc. | Process for the recovery of value metals from material containing base metal oxides |
WO2006000020A1 (en) * | 2004-06-29 | 2006-01-05 | European Nickel Plc | Improved leaching of base metals |
WO2006029443A1 (en) * | 2004-09-17 | 2006-03-23 | Bhp Billiton Ssm Technology Pty Ltd | Production of ferro-nickel or nickel matte by a combined hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical process |
WO2006089358A1 (en) * | 2005-02-24 | 2006-08-31 | Bhp Billiton Ssm Technology Pty Ltd | Production of ferronickel |
WO2006119559A1 (en) * | 2005-05-13 | 2006-11-16 | Bhp Billiton Ssm Technology Pty Ltd | An improved process for heap leaching of nickeliferous oxidic ores |
EP1790739A1 (en) * | 2005-11-28 | 2007-05-30 | Companhia Vale Do Rio Doce | Process for extraction of nickel, cobalt, and other base metals from laterite ores by using heap leaching and product containing nickel, cobalt and other metals from laterite ores |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2013181724A1 (en) * | 2011-06-03 | 2013-12-12 | Vale S.A. | Selective base metals leaching from laterite ores |
CN103703153A (en) * | 2011-06-03 | 2014-04-02 | 淡水河谷公司 | Selective base metals leaching from laterite ores |
RU2609113C2 (en) * | 2011-06-03 | 2017-01-30 | Вале С.А. | Method of extracting metals from lateritic ores |
CN103131855A (en) * | 2011-11-29 | 2013-06-05 | 沈阳有色金属研究院 | Method for treating normal pressure leaching of transitional nickel laterite ore |
WO2014047672A1 (en) * | 2012-09-28 | 2014-04-03 | Direct Nickel Pty Ltd | Method for the recovery of metals from nickel bearing ores and concentrates |
AU2013325098B2 (en) * | 2012-09-28 | 2017-12-14 | Direct Nickel Pty Ltd | Method for the recovery of metals from nickel bearing ores and concentrates |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
AU2008299587B2 (en) | 2013-02-07 |
CO6270267A2 (en) | 2011-04-20 |
US20100282024A1 (en) | 2010-11-11 |
CN101802234B (en) | 2012-06-13 |
AU2008299587A1 (en) | 2009-03-19 |
CN101802234A (en) | 2010-08-11 |
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