Solvent Extraction of Ni and Co from the Phosphoric Acid Leaching Solution of Laterite Ore by P204 and P507

Mingjun Rao,Zhongping Zhu,Guanghui Li,Tao Zhang,Xin Zhang,Zhiwei Peng,Tao Jiang,Jun Luo,Qun Zhou

doi:10.3390/met10040545

Abstract

An alternative process of pre-roasting, phosphoric acid leaching followed by solvent extraction of a limonitic laterite ore was described in this work, with emphasis on the solvent extraction of Ni and Co from the phosphoric acid leaching solution by P204 and P507. First, the pH value of the leaching solution was adjusted using ammonia to reduce the content of Al3+ and Fe3+ by precipitation, then the content of Al3+, Fe3+ and Mn2+ were further decreased by extraction using P204. At last, Ni2+ and Co2+ were separated by three-stage extraction using P507. After extraction, the extraction ratio of Co2+ was 96.61%, while that of Ni2+ was 12.32%, and the selective extraction of Ni2+ and Co2+ could be realized.

Highlights

Nickel is widely used in the steel industry, military industry, aerospace, battery and other fields [1,2]
The saprolitic laterite ore is treated by pyrometallurgical processes [11], while the laterite ore of limonitic type is more suitable for wet processes because of its low magnesia content [12]
The results showed that for the extraction ability of nickel, the three extractants for nickel arranged in the ascending order of P204 > Mextral 84H > Versatic 10

Summary

Introduction

Nickel is widely used in the steel industry, military industry, aerospace, battery and other fields [1,2]. Nickel sulfide accounts for 30% of the total nickel resources, which mainly exists in cupreous nickel sulfide deposits. Nickel laterite ore accounts for about 70%, mostly in the form of oxidized ore deposits near the equator [1,3,4,5,6]. Due to the increasing depletion of nickel sulphide resources, since 2010, the world’s nickel production from laterite ore has exceeded that of nickel sulphide ore, and the tendency is still rising [4,7,8]. After more than ten years of development, the pyrometallurgical process of laterite ore is relatively mature [9,10]. The saprolitic laterite ore is treated by pyrometallurgical processes [11], while the laterite ore of limonitic type is more suitable for wet processes because of its low magnesia content [12]

Methods

Results

Conclusion