Recovery of nickel and cobalt from nickel laterite leach solution using chelating resins and pre-reducing process

Author(s)

Botelho Junior, Amilton Barbosa ^[1] ; Romano Espinosa, Denise Crocce ^[1] ; Dreisinger, David ^[2] ; Soares Tenorio, Jorge Alberto ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Polytech Sch, Dept Chem Engn, Rua Lago 250, 28 Floor, BR-05508080 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ British Columbia, Dept Mat Engn, Frank Forward Bldg, 309-6350 Stores Rd, Vancouver, BC - Canada

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING; v. 97, n. 5, p. 1181-1190, MAY 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

The aim of this work was to recover nickel and cobalt from a nickel laterite leach solution using chelating resins combined with a pre-reducing process. Sodium sulphite was used as a reducing agent to convert Fe(II) from Fe(III) and increase adsorption efficiency. Batch experiments were performed using synthetic solutions to study the effect of pH in recovering these metals using chelating resins Lewatit TP 207 and Lewatit TP 220. Column experiments were performed to simulate the fixed-bed column process in the following two steps: first, removing copper; and second, recovering nickel and cobalt. Two acids were tested as eluent, namely, sulphuric and hydrochloric acid 1M and 2M. Batch experiments showed that increasing the recovery of the metals accompanied an increase in pH. Copper recovery was maximal at pH 2.00, and the resin selectivity changed in pH above 2, decreasing copper adsorption. However, batch experiments showed that nickel and cobalt recovery was higher at pH 3.50, and resin adsorbed a high concentration of contaminants such as iron, zinc, and chromium. For this reason, nickel and cobalt recovery at pH 2.00 was better in column experiments, with less of the contamination in the metals being adsorbed by the resin and a high selectivity for nickel and cobalt. Hydrochloric acid 2M showed to be more efficient as eluent than sulphuric acid. A precipitation process using NaOH was used to remove contaminants present in the eluent solution, and Cyanex 272 was used to separate cobalt and nickel through the solvent extraction process. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/05527-5 - Separation of metals from sulfuric liquor of mining waste using chelating resins
• Grantee: Amilton Barbosa Botelho Junior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 17/06563-8 - INFLUENCE OF REDUCING AGENT ON SULFURIC LIQUOR OF NICKEL LATERITE MINING IN THE ION EXCHANGE PROCESS USING CHELATING
• Grantee: Amilton Barbosa Botelho Junior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• FAPESP's process: 12/51871-9 - Study Center for Technology in Waste Solid Treatment and Recycling - SCTWSTR
• Grantee: Jorge Alberto Soares Tenório
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants