METHOD FOR EXTRACTING OF NICKEL AND COBALT FROM NICKEL ORES Russian patent published in 2006 - IPC C22B23/00 

FIELD: metallurgy, in particular, production of nickel and cobalt from ores preferably of laterites type.

SUBSTANCE: method involves roasting ore with sulfur additives and additives of alkaline or rare-earth metal chlorides in the presence of water steam, followed by cooling through sulfuric acid leaching of roasted ore and further processing of solution, with ore roasting and cooling processes being performed without access of air, said roasting process being preferably performed at temperature of 400-600 C and cooling process being performed to temperature of about 300 C. Sulfur and alkaline or rare-earth metal chlorides are added in amounts of 2-3% and 1.0-1.5% by weight of dry ore, respectively. Roasted ore is leached out under atmospheric pressure, with solid : liquid ratio being maintained within the range of 1:1.5-2.0, initial concentration of sulfuric acid in leaching solution being not less than 200 g/l and temperature of solution being kept within the range of 70-80 C.

EFFECT: increased extent of extraction of nickel and cobalt.

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