Process for enhanced acid leaching of laterite ores
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United States of America Patent
Stats
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Jul 14, 2009
Grant Date -
Mar 6, 2008
app pub date -
Aug 14, 2007
filing date -
Feb 14, 2005
priority date (Note) -
In Force
status (Latency Note)
Importance
Abstract
A process is described for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from a nickeliferous laterite ore including the steps of: providing a nickeliferous laterite ore and separating that ore into its low magnesium limonite fraction and high magnesium saprolite fraction; treating the limonite fraction in acid solution in a primary high pressure leach step to produce a primary leach slurry; adding the saprolite fraction to the primary leach slurry to initiate precipitation of iron as goethite and/or hematite, while simultaneously releasing further acid from the iron precipitation, to effect a secondary atmospheric leach step, producing a secondary leach slurry; wherein all water used to prepare the ore slurries and/or acid solutions has an ionic composition that substantially avoids jarosite formation.
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