Extraction of tungsten from spent or scrap catalyst materials

摘要

A spent or scrap tungsten-containing, aluminosilicate catalyst material is blended with a silicate-containing, tungsten-bearing ore concentrate in amounts such that at least about 2.0% by weight of the total tungsten values in the mixture are present in the catalyst material, and then digested with an alkaline solution, e.g., sodium carbonate, under pressure and at an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to extract substantially all of the tungsten values from the mixture components. The presence of the catalyst material substantially suppresses the dissolution of silica in the leach liquor.