Kennecott Copper Corporation

Other

David S Davies

Stephen C Paspek

Alkis S Rappas

Robert E Lueders

Roger N Kust

Lester J Szabo

Herbert E Barner

The invention relates to a process for separating extractable organic material from a composition comprising organic material intermixed with solids and water. The composition is contacted with a solvent and a dehydrating agent. The dehydrating agent removes water, improves the solvent extraction, and aids in later separation of the solids from the solvent. The process additionally provides a means for removing cyanide compounds from the composition and fixating the metals against leaching.

Water managed solvent extraction process for the organic wastes

A process in which copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum are recovered by reducing comminuted raw manganese nodules with an aqueous solution containing cuprous ions. An improvement is disclosed in which copper is oxidized to provide a starting solution of cuprous ions for the process. In one important embodiment of the invention wet copper cement is added to a solution of carbon dioxide and ammonia and ground manganese nodules are then added to the mixture. As a result, a starting solution containing cuprous ions is produced. A major advantage gained from utilizing manganese nodules as an oxidizing agent is that the manganese nodule is itself reduced and its metal values are added to the reaction solution.

Cuprion process start-up control

Process in which manganese nodules are treated to enable metal values to be recovered. Manganese ore nodules are treated in a two-stage fluid bed process to produce a leachable product. In the first stage, dried nodules are calcined using direct fuel injection under a neutral or slightly oxidizing atmosphere to remove about one-half of the oxygen content. Subsequently, in the second stage, the calcined nodules are reduced with synthesis gas to render the metal values leachable. The metal values such as copper and nickel are leached from the reduced nodules with an ammonia-ammonium carbonate leach solution.

Two-stage fluid bed reduction of manganese nodules

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Andover, MA, United States of America

David S Davies