Pyrometallurgical process for recovering nickel, manganese, and cobalt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023002856-A1
Application number	US-201917779782-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 27, 2019
Priority date	Nov 27, 2019
Publication date	Jan 5, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A 2-step high temperature process for recovering Ni, Co, and Mn from various sources comprises preparing a metallurgical charge comprising materials containing Ni, Co, and Mn, and Si, Al, Ca and Mg as slag formers; smelting the charge with slag formers in first reducing conditions, thereby obtaining a Ni—Co alloy comprising a major part of at least one of Co and Ni, with Si<0.1%, and a first slag comprising the major part of the Mn; separation of the first slag from the alloy; and, smelting the first slag in second reducing conditions, more reducing than said first reducing conditions, thereby obtaining a Si—Mn alloy comprising the major part of the Mn, with Si>10%, and a second slag. A Ni—Co alloy is produced, and a Si—Mn alloy is produced. The second slag is essentially free of heavy metals and therefore suitable for reuse.

First claim

1 - 5 . (canceled)

6 . Process for the production of Si—Mn alloy from materials containing Ni, Mn and Co, comprising the steps:
a) preparing a metallurgical charge comprising said materials, and Si, Al, Ca, and Mg as slag formers;
b) smelting the charge in first reducing conditions, thereby obtaining a Ni—Co alloy comprising a major part of at least one of Co and Ni, with Si<0.1%, and a first slag comprising the major part of the Mn;
c) separation of the slag from the alloy; and
d) smelting the slag in second reducing conditions, more reducing than said first reducing conditions, thereby obtaining a Si—Mn alloy comprising the major part of the Mn, with Si>10%, and a second slag.

7 . Process according to claim 6 , wherein the first slag has a composition according to:
0.25<SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 <2.5; 0.5<SiO 2 /CaO<2.5; MnO>2.5%; MgO>5%; and, Co+Ni>0.1%

8 . Process according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of adding the Si—Mn alloy to an Fe-based molten phase, thereby obtaining Si—Mn steel.

9 . Slag having a composition according to:
0.25<SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 <2.5; 0.5<SiO 2 /CaO<2.5; MnO>2.5%; MgO>5%; and Co+Ni>0.1%.

10 . A Si—Mn alloy prepared smelting the slag according to claim 9 in reducing conditions.

Assignees

• Umicore Nv

Inventors

• Scheunis Lennart
• Vermeulen Isabel

Classifications

• C22C33/04

  by melting · CPC title

• C21B13/0073

  Selection or treatment of the reducing gases · CPC title

• C22B7/001

  Dry processes · CPC title

• C22C32/0015

  with only single oxides as main non-metallic constituents · CPC title

• C22B7/04

  Working-up slag · CPC title