PROCESSING OF AMMONIACAL SOLUTIONS CONTAINING COPPER, NICKEL AND COBALT FOR METAL SEPARATION

Ammoniacal-ammonium sulphate solutions containing copper, nickel and cobalt were treated for the separation of metal values. The solutions were processed for the co-extraction of copper and nickel using LIX64N in kerosene leaving cobalt in the raffinate. The effect of pH and ammonium sulphate concentration on the extraction efficiency of copper and nickel was studied using 5% LIX64N in kerosene. Conditions were established for the co-extraction of copper and nickel, ammonia scrubbing and selective stripping of metal ions with their respective spent electrolytes from a typical solution containing 1.76 kg/m3 copper, 1.70 kg/m3 nickel, 0.19 kg/m3 cobalt, 90 kg/m3 ammonia and 200 kg/m3 ammonium sulphate.