Methods and systems for producing iron from an iron-containing ore are disclosed. For example, a method for producing iron comprises: providing an iron-containing ore to a dissolution subsystem comprising a first electrochemical cell and a dissolution tank; dissolving the iron-containing ore to form an acidic iron-salt solution; reducing Fe.sup.3+ ions to form Fe.sup.2+ ions and electrochemically generating protons in the first electrochemical cell; circulating solution between the dissolution tank and the first electrochemical cell; transferring formed Fe.sup.2+ ions from the dissolution subsystem to an iron-plating subsystem having a second electrochemical cell; second electrochemically reducing a first portion of the transferred formed Fe.sup.2+ ions to Fe metal at a second cathode of the second electrochemical cell; and removing the Fe metal. The methods and systems optionally include removing one or more impurities found in the feedstock.

Methods and systems for dissolving an iron-containing ore are disclosed. For example, a method of processing and dissolving an iron-containing ore comprises: thermally reducing one or more non-magnetite iron oxide materials in the iron-containing ore to form magnetite in the presence of a reductant, thereby forming thermally-reduced ore; and dissolving at least a portion of the thermally-reduced ore using an acid to form an acidic iron-salt solution; wherein the acidic iron-salt solution comprises protons electrochemically generated in an electrochemical cell.

The invention refers to viable biomining microorganisms encapsulated in alginate capsules, called BioSigma Bioleaching Seeds or BBS, wherein the alginate capsules have iron (II) and/or iron (III) ions as the cross-linking cations, and the usage of these capsules in the inoculation of these microorganisms in bioleaching processes.

The invention refers to viable biomining microorganisms encapsulated in alginate capsules, called BioSigma Bioleaching Seeds or BBS, wherein the alginate capsules have iron (II) and/or iron (III) ions as the cross-linking cations, and the usage of these capsules in the inoculation of these microorganisms in bioleaching processes.

The invention relates to a method and a recovery system for obtaining/recovering metallic iron and/or iron compounds, in particular iron chloride, from ores and/or ore tailings, especially from pyrite tailings, preferably from roasted pyrites produced during sulphuric acid manufacture.

In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating molten carbonate fuel cells with processes for iron and/or steel production. The systems and methods can provide process improvements such as increased efficiency, reduction of carbon emissions per ton of product produced, or simplified capture of the carbon emissions as an integrated part of the system. The number of separate processes and the complexity of the overall production system can be reduced while providing flexibility in fuel feed stock and the various chemical, heat, and electrical outputs needed to power the processes.

In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating molten carbonate fuel cells with processes for iron and/or steel production. The systems and methods can provide process improvements such as increased efficiency, reduction of carbon emissions per ton of product produced, or simplified capture of the carbon emissions as an integrated part of the system. The number of separate processes and the complexity of the overall production system can be reduced while providing flexibility in fuel feed stock and the various chemical, heat, and electrical outputs needed to power the processes.

A method is provided for recovering scandium values from scandium-bearing ores. The method includes providing a scandium-bearing ore; subjecting the scandium-bearing ore to atmospheric pressure acid leaching with sulfuric acid, thereby producing a first, scandium-bearing solution containing ferric (Fe.sup.3+) ions; subjecting the first solution to hydrothermal processing, thereby precipitating from the first solution a material selected from the group consisting of hematite and basic iron sulfates and generating a second, scandium-bearing solution; and recovering scandium values from the second solution.

A method is disclosed for extracting metals from concentrated sulphurated minerals containing metals by direct reduction with regeneration and recycling of the reducing agent, iron, and of the flux, sodium carbonate. It is a combination of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes which differ from the conventional processes. They do not require previous toasting of the concentrated sulphurated minerals and are technically and economically more advantageous than the presently used processes, since they directly reduce to zero the positive oxidation state of the metal, using a single reactor for extracting the metal, regenerating and recycling the metallurgical feed materials in complementary processes, the kinetics of the chemical reactions being characterised by high speed, without generating any slags or pollutant gases. The metals can be extracted at a reduced cost and in an environmentally sustainable manner

This disclosure relates to a process for selectively extracting Fe(III) ions from an aqueous feedstock containing Fe(III) ions and non-ferric ions. The process comprises contacting the feedstock with an organic phase comprising a phosphonium salt or ammonium salt ionic liquid under liquid-liquid extraction conditions for a time sufficient to allow transfer of at least some of the Fe(III) ions from the feedstock to the organic phase to provide an Fe(III) ion laden organic phase and an Fe(III) depleted feedstock, and separating the Fe(III) ion laden organic phase from the Fe(III) depleted feedstock.