A PROCESS FOR THE RECOVERY OF VALUE METALS FROM MATERIAL CONTAINING BASE METAL OXIDES

摘要

A process for leaching a value metal from a lateritic nickel ore containing a first metal comprising at least one of copper, iron, manganese, aluminum, zinc and chromium and a second metal comprising at least one of nickel and cobalt is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of:
(a) contacting the ore with a lixiviant comprising magnesium chloride and hydrochloric acid to produce a value metal-rich leachate and a leaching residue;
(b) separating the value metal-rich leachate from the leaching residue;
(c) increasing the pH of the leachate to obtain a first metal-rich solid fraction and a second metal-rich leachate and separating the first metal-rich solid fraction from the second metal-rich leachate;
(d) increasing the pH of the second metal-rich leachate to obtain a second metal-poor leachate and a second metal-rich solid fraction containing the second metal.