The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 13, 2011
Filed:
May. 01, 2008
William F. Drinkard, Jr., Charlotte, NC (US);
William F. Drinkard, Jr., Charlotte, NC (US);
Drinkard Metalox, Inc., Charlotte, NC (US);
Abstract
An improved method for processing of nickel-bearing ores, laterite ores, saprolite and limonite ores, oxidic and sulfide ores, metallurgical wastes, and other metal-bearing materials, to recover the valuable minerals contained therein, comprising comminuting ore to a desired size; leaching the ore at about 70 C to 130 C for about 30 minutes to 4 hours with nitric acid, raising the temperature of the solution to form a liquid/solid residue in which nickel, cobalt and magnesium values are in solution, and iron, manganese, and aluminum are solid residues in oxide form; conducting a liquid-solid separation and removing the solids; and recovering the nickel, cobalt, and manganese from the liquid-metal concentrate. The leachate is recovered and the nitric acid from the leachate is recycled.