Patent AU-2010254596-B2 (AU)
Title: Method for leaching cobalt from oxidised cobalt ores
Inventor: SUTCLIFFE MATTHEW LESLIE
IPC: C22B23/00
Filed: 2010-08-06
Granted: 2012-04-19
Abstract: (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (43) International Publication Date H(10) International Publication Number 10 February 2011 (10.02.2011) PCT W O 2011/014930 Al (51) International Patent Classification: (74) Agent: WRAYS; Ground Floor, 56 Ord Street, West C22B 3/04 (2006.01) C22B 23/00 (2006.01) Perth, Western Australia 6005 (AU). C22B 3/14 (2006.01) (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every (21) International Application Number: kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, PCT/AU2010/001003 AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW, BY, BZ, ) .a CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DO, (22) International Filng Date: DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, Fl, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, 6 August 2010 (06.08.2010) HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP, (25) Filing Language: English KR, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, (26) Publication Language: English NO, NZ, OM, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, RU, SC, SD, (30) Priority Data: SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, 2009903702 7 August 2009 (07.08.2009) AU TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): MET- (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every ALEACH LIMITED; Akara Building, 24 De Castro kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, Street, Tortola VG 1110 (VG). GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, (72) Inventors; and TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, (75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only): SUTCLIFFE, EE, ES, Fl, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, Matthew Leslie [GB/GB]; 83D Gloucester Street, Lon- LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SK, don, Greater London SW1V4EB (GB). JOHNSTON, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, Garry Mervyn [AU/AU]; 74 Bayview Terrace, Clare- GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). mont, Western Australia 6010 (AU). WELHAM, Nicholas James [GB/AU]; 2 Fairway Court, Invermay Published: Park, Ballarat, Victoria 3350 (AU). - with international search report (Art. 21(3)) (54) Title: METHOD FOR LEACHING COBALT FROM OXIDISED COBALT ORES cure Teach soluttri solution . .re E D r Est leach as.IlId - Id!I separation recovery product / / separationI 10li tailings . 2 V (57) Abstract: A method for leaching cobalt from a non-lateritic oxidised cobalt ore, the method comprising the method steps of: curing the non-lateritic oxidised cobalt ore to be leached through the application of an aqueous solution of a cobalt reducing agent selected from the group: iron (II) salts, sulfite salts, sulfur dioxide, and combinations thereof; at a pressure of between about atmo spheric pressure and about 5 atmospheres, at a temperature between about 5 *C and about 65 'C; wherein the pH of the aqueous solution of the cobalt reducing agent is between about 1.0 and 10.0; and wherein the relative volumes of the aqueous solution of the cobalt reducing agent and the non-lateritic oxidised cobalt ore to be leached are such that the combination of the aqueous solu tion of the cobalt reducing agent and the non-lateritic oxidised cobalt ore to be leached forms a mixture with a solids content not less than about 100 g/L of aqueous solution; substantially retaining the aqueous solution of the cobalt reducing agent in contact N with the non-lateritic oxidised cobalt; and leaching the cured ore at a pressure of between about atmospheric pressure and about 5 atmospheres, at a temperature between about 5 *C and about 65 'C, through the application of an ammonium carbonate solution containing free ammonia thereby producing a pregnant leach solution; then passing the pregnant leach solution resulting to a means for cobalt recovery.