IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING NICKEL AND COBALT ORES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacob Levi Montefiore, of Great Winchester Street, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING
NICKEL AND COBALT ORES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH." A
communication from abroad by Edward Levi Montefiore, residing at Rue de la
Victorie, Paris, France.
Sealed the 4th May 1877, and dated the 16th February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacob Levi Montefiore. at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th February 1877.
JACOB LEVI MONTEFIORE, of Great Winchester Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING NICKEL AND COBALT ORES, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH." A communication from abroad by Edward Levi Mon-
tefiore, residing at Rue de la Victorie, Paris, France.
This Invention relates to a mode of treating nickel and cobalt ores, and to
apparatus for the purpose, said nickel ores consisting of silicates of nickel and
magnesia containing variable quantities of other substances, more especially the
nickel ore of New Caledonia.
The ore after having been reduced to a fine powder is attacked by strong sulphuric
acid, preferably at 60° Beaumé; this can be effected either by solution in the
ordinary manner, or by the mixture of the pulverized ore with the requisite
quantity of sulphuric acid, according to the composition of the ore, the proportion
of acid being such as is sufficient to transform all the nickel and magnesia to the
state of sulphates. The mixture being put into a heap gets spontaneously heated,
or the sort of combustion which takes place can be provoked or hastened by the
application of a burning substance; the mass becomes heated and hardens by the
transformation of the mass into a mixture of soluble sulphates and anhydrous
silica.
The soluble sulphates are separated by treatment of the mass with hot water,
which then contains the salts of nickel and magnesia and the iron partly in the
state of protosulphate. The iron is peroxodized by one of the processes well
known, and is then precipitated by carbonate of magnesia or by one of the known
agents, but I prefer the use of a milk of magnesia.
The iron may also be peroxidized partially or totally by the calcination of the

page_text: .
pulverized ore, either before or after sulphatisation, and if necessary by the
admixture of a proper quantity of nitrate of potash or nitrate of soda.
The solution being separated by decantation, washing, and filtration, contains
now only salts of nickel and cobalt with magnesia, this solution being heated by
steam or otherwise. A sufficient quantity of milk of magnesia (an emulsion of
caustic magnesia) is added to precipitate all the nickel, or an excess of magnesia
may be used, and after separation of the excess of liquid the precipitate may be
treated either with a solution of sulphuric acid or an excess of a solution of the
sulphates of nickel and magnesia, which takes up all the excess of magnesia.
The colorless liquid is a solution of sulphate of magnesia, which may be con-
centrated by evaporation, cooled, and crystallized for sale.
The remaining oxide of nickel is well washed, dried, calcined, and reduced by
the ordinary methods used for obtaining metallic nickel from the oxides of that
metal.
The solution of soluble sulphates obtained from the ore by the above-named
process may be evaporated to dryness and the residuum calcined, either alone or
after mixture with the quantity of saltpetre necessary to convert all the iron to
the state of insoluble peroxide, easily to be separated by washing. The solution
containing nickel (and cobalt) with magnesia may either be treated by the method
above described or may be evaporated to dryness and calcined with mixture of
saltpetre of magnesia or of carbonate of magnesia, in quantity sufficient to
decompose the sulphate of nickel and reduce it to the state of oxide. The mixture
being now washed the nickel remains in the state of a grey oxide, which may be
washed, dried, and reduced to the state of metallic nickel by the methods generally
employed.
I use in preference to any other a continuous reduction furnace for the reduction
of the oxide of nickel to the metallic state. This consists principally of one or
several pots or tubes placed vertically and open at both ends; they are so placed in
the furnace as to be easily exposed to the required heat; the upper end of each pot
or tube protruding higher than the top of the furnace, is covered by a moveable
cover; to the lower part of the earthen tube or pot is adapted au iron tube closed
by a sliding door.
The oxide to be reduced is introduced by the top into the pot or tube after being
mixed with coarsely pulverised charcoal; the reduced metal is withdrawn at the
bottom, mixed with the excess of charcoal, a new supply of mixed oxide and char-
coal is introduced at top, and so on continuously.
It is evident that the time given for the reduction can be regulated at will by
the regulation of the intervals for withdrawing the reduced metal, and the quantity
withdrawn each time.
As the work is continuous and the pot never allowed to cool this mode of reduction
is very economical.
The features in the Invention are,―
1. The treatment of the pulverized ore calcined or not by sulphuric acid, and
especially the rapid combination, as above described, without solution.
2. The separation of iron from its sulphates by magnesia.
3. The separation of nickel from the magnesia in their sulphated solutions by
magnesia, thereby obtaining nickel without magnesia, or with but slight traces of
this substance, and on the other hand sulphate of magnesia exempt from foreign
matters.
4. The evaporation to dryness of the solutions of the mixed sulphates and the
separation successively of the iron and nickel by calcination with the mixture of
saltpetre, for the first-named metal, and magnesia for the second.
5. The use of pots open at both ends for the continuous reduction of the oxide of
nickel.
The above-named and described process is equally applicable to the treatment of
ores containing cobalt.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Jacob Levi Montefiore in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th May
1877.
JACOB LEVI MONTEFIORE, of Great Winchester Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING NICKEL AND COBALT ORES, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH." A communication from abroad by Edward Levi Montefiore,
residing at Rue de la Victorie, Paris, France.
This Invention relates to a mode of treating nickel and cobalt ores, and to
apparatus for the purpose, said nickel ores consisting of silicates of nickel and
magnesia containing variable quantities of other substances, more especially the
nickel ore of New Caledonia.
The ore after having been reduced to a fine powder is attacked by strong sulphuric
acid, preferably at 60° Beaumé; this can be effected either by solution in the
ordinary manner, or by the mixture of the pulverised ore with the requisite
quantity of sulphuric acid, according to the composition of the ore, the proportion
of acid being such as is sufficient to transform all the nickel and magnesia to the
state of sulphates. The mixture being put into a heap gets spontaneously heated,
or the sort of combustion which takes place can be provoked or hastened by the
application of a burning substance; the mass becomes heated and hardens by the
transformation of the mass into a mixture of soluble sulphates and anhydrous
silica.
The soluble sulphates are separated by treatment of the mass with hot water,
which then contains the salts of nickel and magnesia and the iron partly in the
state of protosulphate. The iron is peroxidised by one of the processes well known,.
and is then precipitated by carbonate of magnesia or by one of the known agents,
but I prefer the use of a milk of magnesia.
The iron may also be peroxidised partially or totally by the calcination of the
pulverised ore, either before or after sulphatisation, and if necessary by the admixture
of a proper quantity of nitrate of potash or nitrate of soda.
The solution being separated by decantation, washing, and filtration, contains
now only salts of nickel and cobalt with magnesia; this solution being heated by
steam or otherwise a sufficient quantity of milk of magnesia (an emulsion of
caustic magnesia) is added to precipitate all the nickel, or an excess of magnesia
may be used, and after separation of the excess of liquid the precipitate may be
treated either with a solution of sulphuric acid or an excess of a solution of the
sulphates of nickel and magnesia, which takes up all the excess of magnesia.
The colorless liquid 'is a solution of sulphate of magnesia, which may be con-
centrated by evaporation, cooled, and crystallised for sale.
The remaining oxide of nickel is well washed, dried, calcined, and reduced by
the ordinary methods used for obtaining metallic nickel from the oxides of that
inetal.
The solution of soluble sulphates obtained from the ore by the above-named
process may be evaporated to dryness and the residuum calcined, either alone or
after mixture with the quantity of saltpetre necessary to convert all the iron to
the state of insoluble peroxide, easily to be separated by washing. The solution
containing nickel (and cobalt) with magnesia may either be treated by the method
above described or may be evaporated to dryness and calcined with a mixture of
saltpetre, of magnesia, or of carbonate of magnesia, in quantity sufficient to
decompose the sulphate of nickel and reduce it to the state of oxide. The mixture
being now washed the nickel remains in the state of a grey oxide, which may be
washed, dried, and reduced to the state of metallic nickel by the methods generally
employed.
I use in preference to any other a continuous reduction furnace for the reduction
of the oxide of nickel to the metallic state. This consists principally of one or
several pots or tubes placed vertically and open at both ends; they are so placed in

page_text: the furnace as to be easily exposed to the required heat; the upper end of each pot
or tube protruding higher than the top of the furnace is covered by a movable cover;
to the lower part of the earthen tube or pot is adapted an iron tube closed by a
sliding door.
The oxide to be reduced is introduced by the top into the pot or tube after being
mixed with coarsely pulverised charcoal; the reduced metal is withdrawn at the
bottom, mixed with the excess of charcoal, a new supply of mixed oxide and char-
coal is introduced at top, and so on continuously.
It is evident that the time given for the reduction can be regulated at will by
the regulation of the intervals for withdrawing the reduced inetal and the quantity
withdrawn each time.
As the work is continuous and the pot never allowed to cool this mode of reduction
is very economical.
After having obtained by the already described process a solution containing
sulphates of nickel and magnesia, from which the iron has been separated, the
oxide of nickel instead of being precipitated by magnesia may be treated as
follows:
To the heated liquid is added a sufficient quantity of a solution of caustic potash
or soda or their carbonates. I prefer carbonate of soda, which I use in sufficient
quantity to precipitate all the nickel (or nickel and cobalt). The immediate effect
is the simultaneous precipitation of the nickel and magnesia, but on agitation and
mixture all the precipitated magnesia redissolves, replacing the yet unprecipitated
nickel, and the result is that the precipitate contains only nickel, without any
magnesia. In practice I begin by separating from a portion of the solution all the
nickel and magnesia contained, by which means I obtain by filtration and evaporation
a residue, from which the larger part of the alkali can be recovered (transformed to
sulphate), while the precipitate may be used for the purpose of separating the
nickel from a fresh portion of the solution, the separated liquid giving by evaporation
and crystallisation sulphate of magnesia, as before described.
The above-named process is equally applicable to the treatment of ores containing
cobalt.
The annexed Drawings shew the furnace to be employed, but the details of its
construction may be modified. I claim as the Invention,-
Firstly. The treatment of the pulverised ore calcined or not by sulphuric acid,
and especially the rapid combination, as above described, without solution.
Secondly. The separation of iron from its sulphates by magnesia, as described.
Thirdly. The separation of nickel from the magnesia in their sulphated solutions
by magnesia, thereby obtaining nickel without magnesia, or with but slight traces
of this substance, and on the other hand sulphate of magnesia exempt from foreign
matters, as set forth.
Fourthly. The evaporation to dryness of the solutions of the mixed sulphates and
the separation successively of the iron and nickel by calcination with the mixture
of saltpetre for the first-named metal and magnesia for the second, as set forth.
Fifthly. The use of pots open at both ends for the continuous reduction of the
oxide of nickel, substantially in the manner shown in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jacob Levi Montefiore, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred and
Roventy-casion
JACOB L. MONTEFIORE. (L.S.)