HYDROMETALLURGICAL PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COBALT POWDER FROM MIXED METAL SULPHIDES

摘要

A process for recovering metallic cobalt from an aqueous ammoniacal solution containing dissolved cobalt and other metals as ammine sulphates with substantially all the dissolved cobalt being in cobaltic form. The process includes contacting the solution with a water immiscible liquid ion exchange reagent dissolved in an inert organic diluent to selectively substantially completely extract the other metals from the solution and produce an organic extractant loaded with the other metals and an aqueous cobalt bearing raffinate substantially free of the other metals. The cobalt bearing raffinate is separated from the loaded organic extractant and the loaded organic extractant is washed to remove substantially all ammonia therefrom. The other metals are stripped from the washed organic extractant which is then recycled to treat further solution. Cobalt is recovered from the raffinate.