Some variations provide a composition for reducing a metal ore, the composition comprising a carbon-metal ore particulate, wherein the carbon-metal ore particulate comprises at least about 0.1 wt % to at most about 50 wt % fixed carbon on a moisture-free and ash-free basis, and wherein the carbon is at least 50% renewable carbon as determined from a measurement of the .sup.14C/.sup.12C isotopic ratio. Some variations provide a process for reducing a metal ore, comprising: providing a biomass feedstock; pyrolyzing the feedstock to generate a biogenic reagent comprising carbon and a pyrolysis off-gas comprising hydrogen or carbon monoxide; obtaining a metal ore comprising a metal oxide; combining the carbon with the metal ore, to generate a carbon-metal ore particulate; optionally pelletizing the carbon-metal ore particulate; and utilizing the pyrolysis off-gas to chemically reduce the metal oxide to elemental metal, such as iron. The disclosed technologies are environmentally superior to conventional processes based on coal.

Methods of reducing copper metal content of shredded scrap steel are provided. The method includes continuously separating a first scrap steel fraction from an amount of scrap steel concurrently with separating a second fraction from the amount of scrap steel; continuously separating the second fraction and providing a nonmagnetic fraction and, concurrently, a third scrap steel fraction; grinding the nonmagnetic fraction followed by magnetic separation to provide a fourth scrap steel fraction and, concurrently, an enriched nonmagnetic fraction; continuously combining the first scrap steel fraction, the third scrap steel fraction, and the fourth scrap steel fraction to obtain a combined scrap steel product comprising scrap steel with reduced copper metal content; and introducing the combined scrap steel product to an electric arc furnace. Systems of reducing copper metal content of shredded scrap steel are also provided.

A metal furnace header gate system haying a recirculation port in the furnace, a hot gas generator, a gas blower, and a furnace door. The door has an embedded gas manifold and outlet ports that each connect the manifold to a directional nozzle. The blower draws exhaust from the recirculation port into the hot gas generator, which generates additional exhaust and mixes the exhaust gases together. The blower forces this exhaust mixture into the manifold, through the nozzles, and into the furnace. A computer controls the blower and the hot gas generator to regulate the system.

A method of recovering a metal, such as copper or nickel or zinc or cobalt, from a metal sulfide-containing material in a mined material that is “non-economic” to recover metals from using conventional recovery options before the invention was made is disclosed. The method includes mixing (i) the metal sulfide-containing material and (ii) pyrite and forming agglomerates, leaching agglomerates with a leach liquor and microbes and removing a metal from the metal sulfide-containing material and forming a pregnant leach liquor containing metal, and recovering the metal from the pregnant leach liquor. A heap leaching operation for a metal sulfide-containing material is also disclosed. A flotation circuit for an ore processing plant for a metal sulfide-containing material is also disclosed.

A method of recovering a metal, such as copper or nickel or zinc or cobalt, from a metal-containing material, such as a metal-containing material that has been categorized by a mine operator as being “non-economic” from the perspective of recovering the metal from the material. Mixing (i) the metal-containing material and (ii) pyrite and forming agglomerates. Leaching agglomerates with a leach liquor, with pyrite generating acid and heat that facilitate recovering the metal from the metal-containing material, and forming a pregnant leach liquor containing metal. Recovering the metal from the pregnant leach liquor.

A method of recovering a metal, such as copper or nickel or zinc or cobalt, from a metal-containing material, such as a metal-containing material that has been categorized by a mine operator as being “non-economic” from the perspective of recovering the metal from the material. Mixing (i) the metal-containing material and (ii) pyrite and forming agglomerates. Leaching agglomerates with a leach liquor, with pyrite generating acid and heat that facilitate recovering the metal from the metal-containing material, and forming a pregnant leach liquor containing metal. Recovering the metal from the pregnant leach liquor.

A method of recovering gold and copper from a sulfide ore includes (a) removing valuable fines from a product stream from a comminution circuit, such as a crushing and milling circuit, for run of mine ore and producing a valuable fines concentrate stream and (b) processing the remaining comminution product stream after valuable fines removal and producing a valuable coarse concentrate stream.

Process for the recovery of transition metal from spent lithium ion batteries containing nickel, wherein said process comprises the steps of (a) heating a lithium containing transition metal oxide material to a temperature in the range of from 200 to 900° C. in the presence of H.sub.2, (b) treatment of the product obtained in step (a) with an aqueous medium, (c) solid-solid separation for the removal of Ni from the solid residue of step (b), (d) recovery of Li as hydroxide or salt from the solution obtained in step (b), (e) extraction of Ni and, if applicable, Co from the solid Ni-concentrate obtained in step (c).

A system and method reclaims select components containing rare earth metals of electronic media electronic storage devices such as hard disk drives, solid state drives and hybrid hard drives and destroys the data containing components thereof. The system employs first devices, such as milling tools, to loosen various components of the storage device. The various loosened components include the components containing the rare earth metals and the data containing portions. Second devices, such as pick and place mechanisms, are provided for removing components from the storage device. A holding chassis receives the storage device, and moves the storage device for engagement with the first and the second devices. A section is provided for destroying the data containing portion of the electronic media storage device.

The present invention provides a method for treating at least one lithium ion battery enclosed in a housing containing aluminum, comprising heating the lithium ion battery using a combustion furnace in which a combustion object is incinerated by flames, while preventing the flames from being directly applied to the housing of the lithium ion battery.