Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A method for recovering nickel and cobalt from a PLS:

(a) passing the PLS through an ion exchange bed to load nickel onto the ion exchange resin and produce a cobalt-containing raffinate solution,(b) passing sulfuric acid through the loaded bed to strip nickel from the resin and produce a nickel-containing eluate,(c) rinsing the stripped ion exchange bed,(d) adjusting the pH of the cobalt-containing raffinate solution to a pH of at least 2.3,(e) passing the cobalt-containing raffinate solution through an ion exchange bed to pre-load cobalt on the ion exchange resin,(f) repeating step (a) though (e) until the cobalt concentration of the cobalt-containing raffinate solution increases to >2× of the PLS,(g) removing a portion of the cobalt-containing raffinate solution of step (d) from the nickel recovery circuit, and(h) passing a portion of the cobalt-containing raffinate solution from step (d) to step (e).

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim