Manganese recovery as chloride from ores and slags

Abstract

The proposed process has the following advantages: 1. The manganese and iron compounds are chlorinated, volatilized, and separated in a single processing step. 2. The process is far less sensitive to variations in ore composition than are leaching processes. In contrast to the many leaching procedures that have been proposed, the chlorination operation is applicable to practically any manganese-bearing material. In 3-hr tests at 950°C, recoveries from 90 to near 100% were obtained from 9 out of 10 of the most important domestic ores, including ores that are difficult to treat by other methods, such as those from Aroostook County, Maine, and Chamberlain, South Dakota. 3. The high purity of the MnCl2 product makes it particularly suitable for the production of high-purity manganese by electrolysis. 4. The chlorination procedure can readily be made the basic step of a complete, integrated process that appears to have distinct advantages over previously proposed processes. 5. The chlorination temperature (850°–975°C) is low enough that no melting or sintering of the ore occurs. 6. Comminution of the ores and slags to only 10 or 20 mesh is adequate.