Hydrometallurgy of Base and Precious Metals

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Hydrometallurgy of Base and Precious Metals This proposal outlines a program to continue research and development in a number of important areas related to recovery and processing of base and precious metals. The extraction and processing of lead in methane sulphonic acid (MSA) will be investigated. MSA has a very high solubility for lead (1033 g/L at room temperature) and is an ideal media for processing of lead. The leaching of oxide and sulphide ores, the purification of leach solutions and the electrowinning recovery of pure lead from MSA will be investigated. The reductive leaching of manganese and iron oxides ores in the ammonia-ammonium carbonate system will be investigated. The Kennecott Cuprion process chemistry for reductive treatment of manganese oxide containing nodules will be studied to investigate recovery of base and precious metals from terrestrial sources of manganese ores (containing copper, nickel, cobalt and silver). The process chemistry will also be extended to the treatment of nickel laterite ores with the goal of converting limonite mineralization to ferrous carbonate with subsequent liberation of nickel and cobalt. The formation of iron precipitates under high temperature and pressure conditions will be studied with a view to preparation of ferric sulfate rich solutions for mineral leaching. This approach has been developed for application at a copper processing plant in Laos. In this work, a deeper understanding of the formation and releaching of the basic precipitate will be undertaken with a view to development of new applications in metal extraction and recovery. The recovery and separation of vanadium from secondary sources will be investigated.