Process for the production of cobalt, nickel and copper powders from

Abstract

Cobalt, nickel and copper powders are produced from chelating extractants by reacting with hydrogen a liquid organic medium containing in solution a quinoline-based chelating extractant having bonded thereto a metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel and copper, and a hydrogenation inhibitor consisting of a linear or branched aliphatic alcohol containing from 7 to 13 carbon atoms, at a temperature of about 150.degree. to about 350.degree. C. and a pressure of about 50 to about 600 p.s.i. to cause precipitation of the metal in powder form while preventing decomposition of the chelating extractant, the liquid organic medium further containing a seed of the precipitating metal whereby to avoid undesirable deposition of the metal in plated form. The metal precipitates stoichiometrically with simultaneous regeneration of the chelating extractant which can thus be recycled for reloading with the metal to be precipitated. Since the metal is precipitated directly from the liquid organic medium, the process of the invention avoids electrowinning and therefore saves on energy, in addition to producing a product of high purity.