Patent ID: 8435466

Claim:
A method of extracting a metal selected from the group consisting of zinc, nickel and copper from an aqueous ammoniacal solution containing metal values, the method comprising: contacting an ammoniacal solution containing metal values comprising zinc, nickel and/or copper with an organic solution comprising a water immiscible organic solvent containing dissolved extractant comprising an oxime having a structure represented by: wherein R 1 is hydrogen or CH 3 , R 3 is a C8-12 alkyl group, R 2 and R 4 are hydrogen, R 5 is a methyl group, forming a water immiscible organic phase, to extract at least some of the metal values from the aqueous ammoniacal solution into the organic phase, thereby providing a resultant metal-pregnant organic phase and a resultant metal barren aqueous phase; separating the resultant metal-barren aqueous phase from the resultant metal-pregnant organic phase; and recovering the at least some metal values from the resultant metal-pregnant organic phase.