Method of Recovering Nickel or Cobalt While Mitigating Corrosion

Abstract

There is provided a method of recovering at least one target metal which is adhered to a stainless steel surface, while mitigating corrosion to the stainless steel surface. The target metal is nickel or cobalt. The method comprises contacting an operative aqueous treatment solution with an operative solid material adhered to a stainless steel surface. The target metal is nickel or cobalt. The operative solid material includes at least one target metal, and at least a fraction of the at least one target metal of the operative solid material is disposed in metallic form. The operative aqueous treatment solution includes soluble treatment material, wherein the soluble treatment material includes nitric acid and copper-comprising material.

1 . A method of effecting recovering at least one target metal from an operative solid material which is adhered to a stainless steel surface, comprising:
 contacting an operative aqueous treatment solution with an operative solid material coupled to a stainless steel surface, wherein the operative solid material includes at least one target metal, and at least a fraction of the at least one target metal of the operative solid material is disposed in metallic form, wherein the target metal is nickel or cobalt;   wherein the operative aqueous treatment solution includes treatment material, and wherein the treatment material includes nitric acid and copper-comprising material   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the concentration of copper in the operative aqueous treatment solution is less than 250 milligrams per litre.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in claim
 wherein the concentration of copper in the operative aqueous treatment solution is greater than 10 milligrams per litre.   
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 ;
 wherein the concentration of copper in the operative aqueous treatment solution is greater than 100 milligrams per litre.   
     
     
         5 . The method is claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the copper is in the form of cupric ions. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 ; 
 wherein the concentration of nitric acid in the operative aqueous treatment solution is less than or equal to 15 volume % based on the total volume of the operative aqueous treatment solution.   
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the operative solid material includes metallic nickel.   
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the operative solid material includes metallic cobalt.   
     
     
         9 . A method of recovering at least one target metal from an operative aqueous process solution, wherein the operative aqueous process solution includes at least one target metal-comprising material, such that the operative aqueous process solution includes at least one target metal, wherein the target metal is nickel or cobalt, comprising:
 contacting the operative aqueous process solution with reagent material in a reaction zone disposed within a reaction vessel so as to effect production of a reaction product including an operative solid material, wherein the operative solid material includes at least one target metal of the at least one target metal of the operative aqueous solution, wherein at least a fraction of the at least one target metal of the operative solid material is disposed in metallic form, wherein at least a fraction of the produced operative solid material becomes adhered to a stainless steel surface within the reaction vessel; and   contacting an operative aqueous treatment solution with the operative solid material that is adhered to the stainless steel surface;   wherein the operative aqueous treatment solution includes treatment material, and wherein the treatment material includes nitric acid and copper-comprising material.   
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising; 
 after the production of the reaction product has been effected, and prior to the contacting of the operative aqueous process solution with reagent material, discharging at least a fraction of material disposed within a reaction vessel inner space, wherein the reaction zone is disposed within the reaction vessel inner space.   
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 ;
 wherein the stainless steel surface, to which the adhered operative solid material fraction has become adhered to, defines at least a fraction of the perimeter of the reaction vessel internal space.   
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 ;
 wherein the stainless steel surface, to which the operative solid material fraction has become adhered to, is disposed in fluid communication with the reaction zone.   
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 ;
 wherein the operative aqueous solution includes at least one of nickel diammine sulphate or cobaltous diammine sulphate.   
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 ;
 wherein the operative aqueous solution includes nickel diammine sulphate.   
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 ;
 wherein the operative aqueous solution includes cobaltous diammine sulphate.   
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 ;
 wherein the reagent material includes diatomic hydrogen.   
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 ;
 wherein the concentration of copper in the operative aqueous treatment solution is less than 500 milligrams per litre.   
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 ; 
 wherein the concentration of copper in the operative aqueous treatment solution is greater than 10 milligrams per litre.   
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 ;
 wherein the concentration of copper in the operative aqueous treatment solution is greater than 100 milligrams per litre.   
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 ;
 wherein the concentration of nitric acid in the operative aqueous treatment solution is less than or equal to 15 volume % based on the total volume or the operative aqueous treatment solution.   
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 ;
 wherein the operative solid material includes metallic nickel.   
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 ;
 wherein the operative solid material includes metallic cobalt.   
     
     
         23 . A method of recovering at least one target metal from a metalliferrous material, wherein the metalliferrous material includes at least one target metal, wherein the target metal is nickel or cobalt, comprising:
 treating the metalliferrous material so as to effect production of an operative aqueous process solution, wherein the operative aqueous process solution includes at least one target metal-comprising material, wherein the at least one target metal-comprising material includes at least one target metal of the metalliferrous material, such that the operative aqueous process solution includes at least one target metal, wherein the treating includes solubilizing at least a fraction of the metalliferrous material;   contacting the operative aqueous process solution with reagent material within a reaction zone disposed in a reaction vessel so as to effect production of a reaction product including an operative  solid material, wherein the operative solid material includes at least one of the at least one target metal of the operative aqueous solution, wherein at least a fraction of the at least one target metal of the operative solid material is disposed in metallic form, wherein at least a fraction of the produced operative solid material becomes adhered to a stainless steel surface within the reaction vessel;   contacting an operative aqueous treatment solution with the at least a fraction of the operative solid material that has become adhered to the stainless steel surface;   wherein the operative aqueous treatment solution includes treatment material, and wherein the treatment material includes nitric acid and copper-comprising material.   
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising;
 after the production of the reaction product has been effected, and prior to the contacting of the operative aqueous process solution with reagent material, discharging at least a fraction of material disposed within the reaction zone.   
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in  claim 24 ;
 wherein the stainless steel surface, to which the adhered operative solid material fraction has become adhered to, defines at least a fraction of the perimeter of the reaction vessel internal space.   
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 ;
 wherein the stainless steel surface, to which the operative solid material fraction has become adhered to, is disposed in fluid communication with the reaction zone.   
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 ;
 wherein the operative aqueous solution includes at least one of nickel diammine sulphate or cobaltous diammine sulphate.   
     
     
         28 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 ; 
 wherein the operative aqueous solution includes nickel diammine sulphate.   
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 ;
 wherein the operative aqueous solution includes cobaltous diammine sulphate.   
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 ;
 wherein the reagent material includes diatomic hydrogen.   
     
     
         31 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 ;
 wherein the concentration of copper in the operative aqueous treatment solution is less than 500 milligrams per litre.   
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 ;
 wherein the concentration of copper in the operative aqueous treatment solution is greater than 10 milligrams per litre.   
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 ;
 wherein the concentration of copper in the operative aqueous treatment solution is greater than 100 milligrams per litre.   
     
     
         34 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 ;
 wherein the concentration of nitric acid in the operative aqueous treatment solution is less than or equal to 15 volume % based on the total volume or the operative aqueous treatment solution.   
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 ;
 wherein the operative solid material includes metallic nickel.   
     
     
         36 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 ;
 wherein the operative solid material includes metallic cobalt.