Gfe Gesellschaft Fur Elektrometallurgie Mbh

Gunter Bauer

Joachim Eckert

A method of recovering molybdenum oxide as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,127 wherein, however, the temperature in the autoclave and the pressure therein are controlled within narrow ranges by increasing the suspension density of the molybdenum sulfide suspension fed to the autoclave upon a fall in temperature and by adding water to the slurry of molybdenum sulfide concentrate formed before introduction into the autoclave upon an increase in temperature.

Method of recovering molybdenum oxide

A method of recovering molybdenum oxide by oxidation of a molybdenum sulfide concentrate contaminated with impurities wherein the concentrate in an average particle size in the range of 20 to 90 microns is suspended to form an aqueous suspension which is oxidized at elevated temperature and an elevated oxygen partial pressure in an autoclave. The suspension withdrawn from the autoclave is subjected to filtration to remove the molybdenum oxide from the primary filtrate containing sulfuric acid and this filtrate is neutralized with lime to form calcium sulfate which is then removed from the suspension to provide a second filtrate. According to the invention, only this second filtrate is recirculated at a rate such that the suspension density in the oxidation stage is between 100 to 150 g of solids per liter and this suspension density is maintained in the oxidation stage by the recirculation.

Growing community of inventors

Furth, Germany

Gunter Bauer