コバルトの製造法と用途

Abstract

Land-based, cobalt reserves in the world are roughly estimated at 5. 9 million m. t. The recovery of cobalt is calculated approximately 1. 2 million m. t. by taking acount of the losses during the mineral dressing and smelting. Sea-bed nodules, though believed to be inexhaustible, are not still regarded as the substantial resources at present time.The world production of cobalt counted 26 thousand m. t. in 1981. However the rapid rises in the price of cobalt and the shortness of the supply due to the cobalt crisis in 1978/79 lead to the substitution of cobalt and to the reduction in the consumption. The world production of cobalt dropped to 21 thousand m. t. in 1981. However, this decreasing tread seems to be stopped and the production is likely to increase.From the view point of the raw materials, the cobalt refining processes are classified as follows;(1) Recovery of cobalt from copper-cobalt concentrates.(2) Recovery of cobalt through the nickel refining.(3) Recovery of cobalt from the iron are (pyrite concentrates).The first recovery route is adopted by the goverment refineries in Zaire and Zambia.This processing route is described with the flow-sheets.The solvent extraction processes by SMM or NMC (of Japan) and the pentammine process by Sherritt Gordon Mines Ltd. are both classified into the second route. Amax and Outokumpu also adopted this pentammine process.Including these processes, eight processing routes are explained with their flow-sheets.The world consumption shares of cobalt are U. S. A. 40% Japan 15% Europe 40% others 5%.Enduses of cobalt are different depending on the countries. The break-downs of consumptions in the U. S. A. and Japan are given.