Claims
- 1. In the process of recovering from sea nodules a copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum concentrate with diminished iron and manganese content by subjecting comminuted nodules to a high temperature gas treatment to increase the leachability of the metals to be concentrated, and then leaching the thus-treated material with an aqueous solution of ammonia and ammonium salt, the improvement according to which the gas treatment is with a lower alkanol or lower alkanal or a mixture thereof, and is effected at a temperature below 400.degree. C.
- 2. The combination of claim 1 in which the gas treatment temperature is between about 250.degree. and about 300.degree. C.
- 3. The combination of claim 1 in which the gas treatment is with formaldehyde.
- 4. The combination of claim 1 in which the gas treatment is with methanol.
- 5. The combination of claim 1 in which the leaching is effected at about 100.degree. C.
Cross Reference to Related Application
This application is a Continuation-in-Part of co-pending application Ser. No. 396,764, filed Sept. 13, 1973, and subsequently abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
2662009 |
Roberts et al. |
Dec 1953 |
|
3369886 |
Metzger et al. |
Feb 1968 |
|
3734715 |
Redman |
May 1973 |
|
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Chemical Abstracts, vol. 67, 1967, p. 102052. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
396764 |
Sep 1973 |
|