Development of Mixed-Chloride Hydrometallurgical Processes for the Recovery of Value Metals from Various Resources

Abstract

Demand of nickel, titanium, aluminum and gold is consistently increasing in the world while the extractable ores of these metals are gradually depleting. Chloride-based processes have several advantages over the conventional hydrometallurgical and smelting processes including higher leachability of complex ores, stability of chloro-complexes and regeneration of leaching reagents. Considering these advantages of the chloride chemistry, innovative mixed-chloride process flowsheets have been developed for the recovery of these metals from low grade laterite, ilmenite, bauxite and refractory complex ores and concentrates. These processes also produce value added byproducts such as cobalt, vanadium and iron oxide. Advantages of addition of magnesium chloride to hydrochloric acid, leaching and separation reaction mechanisms, and developed flowsheets are also discussed.