Fried. Krupp Gesellschaft MIT Beschrankter Haftung

Duisburger Kupferhutte

Helmut Junghanss

Dieter Neuschutz

Ulrich Scheffler

Wilhelm Roever

A method is provided for processing raw manganese nodules for the selective recovery of metal values of nickel, copper, cobalt and zinc contained therein by hydrometallurgical means. The raw nodules are suspended in water or dilute wash solution to form a suspension. The suspension and sulfuric acid are charged to a pressure vessel to provide a solid-liquid suspension of nodules and leach solution. The solid-liquid suspension of nodules and leach solution is heated in the pressure vessel to a temperature between about 150.degree. C and about 300.degree. C to cause the nickel, copper, cobalt and zinc to be selectively leached from the nodules into the leach solution to form a metal rich leach solution containing these metals and a residue, with the solid-liquid suspension having a sulfuric acid content of less than 35 g/l upon completion of the leaching. The metal rich leach solution containing nickel, copper, cobalt and zinc is separated from the residue. The nickel, copper, cobalt and zinc values are then recovered from the separated metal rich leach solution.

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Duisburg, Germany

Helmut Junghanss