摘要 |
Process in which manganese nodules are treated to enable metal values to be recovered. Manganese ore nodules are treated in a two-stage fluid bed process to produce a leachable product. In the first stage, dried nodules are calcined using direct fuel injection under a neutral or slightly oxidizing atmosphere to remove about one-half of the oxygen content. Subsequently, in the second stage, the calcined nodules are reduced with synthesis gas to render the metal values leachable. The metal values such as copper and nickel are leached from the reduced nodules with an ammonia-ammonium carbonate leach solution. |