Title:
ACID DIGESTION PROCESS FOR TREATING ALUMINA-BEARING ORES TO RECOVER METAL VALUES THEREFROM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2002090605
Kind Code:
A8
Abstract:
A method for processing alumina-bearing ores such as bauxite to recover iron, aluminum, silicon and titanium metal values therefrom the method comprising the steps of adding the alumina-bearing ores to a digester containing an acid to provide a mixture of acid and alumina-bearing ores and heating the mixture to dissolve soluble compounds of at least one of iron, aluminum, silicon and titanium to provide a digest containing dissolved salts of the soluble compounds and to provide a gas component. Thereafter, the digest is treated with water to dissolve water soluble salts therein to provide a slurry comprised of a liquid containing water and the dissolved soluble salts and a solid component comprised of silica. The solid component is separated from the liquid and the pH of the liquid is adjusted to form an aluminate and an iron-containing precipitate. The iron-containing precipitate is separated from the liquid to provide an iron-depleted liquid whose pH is adjusted to precipitate aluminum trihydrate which is separated from the iron-depleted liquid to provide an aluminum trihydrate-depleted liquid. The pH of the aluminum trihydrate-depleted liquid is adjusted to form a precipitate comprised of at least one remaining salt in the aluminum trihydrate-depleted liquid to provide a salt-depleted liquid. The salt precipitate is separated from the salt-depleted liquid thereby recovering the metal values from the alumina-bearing ores.
Inventors:
BARNETT ROBERT J
MEZNER MICHAEL B
MEZNER MICHAEL B
Application Number:
PCT/US2002/013960
Publication Date:
May 13, 2004
Filing Date:
May 02, 2002
Export Citation:
Assignee:
GOLDENDALE ALUMINUM COMPANY (US)
International Classes:
C01F7/20; C01F7/26; C01G23/053; C01G49/02; C22B3/06; C22B3/08; C22B21/00; (IPC1-7): C22B21/00; C22B3/08; C01F7/06; C01F7/26; C22B3/44; C01G23/053
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