Process for the extraction of specific transition metals

Abstract

A process is disclosed for separation and recovery of vanadium, molybdenum, iron, tungsten, cobalt and nickel from alumina-based materials, mattes, ores, manufacturing by-products and waste. These elements are oxidized. The oxides are reacted with gaseous HCl to form volatile chloride-bearing compounds that subsequently sublimate. The volatile compounds are condensed in a downward-stepped thermal gradient that allows collection of moderate to high purity compounds of individual elements with exception of a nickel-cobalt co-condensate. Nickel is separated from cobalt by precipitation of nickel chloride from concentrated HCl pressurized with gaseous HCl.

1 . A method of treating metals selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, W, Mo and V on an alumina substrate, comprising
 oxidizing a plurality of the group metals on the alumina substrate at a temperature at or above 1400° C.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising
 charging a reaction vessel with the porous alumina substrate having at least two of the metals on the alumina; 
 inducing oxygen containing gas to flow through the porous alumina substrate in the reaction vessel. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the oxidizing of the metals in the porous alumina substrate is below the melting point of alumina. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the oxidizing of the metals thermally and chemically decomposes refractory compounds of the metals. 
     
     
         5 . A method of treating metals selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, W, Mo and V on an alumina substrate, comprising
 charging a reaction vessel with the porous alumina substrate having at least two of the metals on the alumina and combustible material in situ on the porous alumina substrate;   inducing oxygen containing gas to flow through the porous alumina substrate in the reaction vessel;   oxidizing a plurality of the group metals on the alumina substrate at a temperature at or above 1400° C.;   maintaining the oxidizing of the metals in the porous alumina substrate at or above 1400° C. to take the metals to the highest oxidation state of each.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the alumina substrate is spent petroleum industry catalyst. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising
 adding combustible material separate from the spent petroleum industry catalyst to the porous alumina substrate before the inducing oxygen containing gas. 
 
     
     
         8 . A method of treating metals selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, W, Mo and V on an alumina substrate, comprising
 oxidizing a plurality of the group metals including Ni and Co on the alumina substrate at a temperature at or above 1400° C.;   reacting the oxidized group metals with anhydrous gaseous HCl to form volatile chloride-bearing compounds;   dissolving the chloride-bearing compounds in a Ni-bearing solution of 0-30% aqueous HCl;   pressurizing the Ni-bearing solution with gaseous HCl to form and to precipitate NiCl 2 ,2H 2 O.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising
 filtering the NiCl 2 ,2H 2 O from the pressurized solution; 
 washing the filtered NiCl 2 ,2H 2 O with concentrated HCl pressurized with gaseous HCl at 600 psi or less.