A method for extracting copper values from a low grade copper ore feedstock is provided. The method includes (a) providing an ore feedstock of a copper oxide ore; (b) subjecting the ore to at least one process selected from the group consisting of primary crushing processes and secondary crushing processes; (c) subjecting the ore feedstock to high pressure grinding roll crushing, thereby obtaining a crushed ore; (d) subjecting the crushed ore to acid curing, thereby obtaining a cured ore; (e) subjecting the cured ore to vat or heap leaching, thus yielding a leachate; (f) passing the leachate through a first ion exchange resin which is selective to base metals plus copper, thereby removing a portion of the copper values from the leachate and yielding a first loaded resin and a first treated leachate; (g) stripping base metals plus copper values from the first loaded resin with a first stripping solution, thereby yielding a base metals plus copper-loaded stripping solution; (h) selectively extracting copper values from the copper-loaded stripping solution via solvent extraction, thereby obtaining an extract and a raffinate; and (i) crystallizing a copper salt from the extract, thereby obtaining a crystallized copper salt.

A method, a system, and an apparatus for preparing manganese sulfate are provided. The method comprises introducing materials comprising a first stream, a second stream, and a reductant to a reactor to form a mixture. The first stream comprises a sulfate-containing acid, and the second stream comprises a manganese oxide compound. At least a portion of the mixture is reacted to provide a reactor outlet stream comprising an aqueous portion and an undissolved portion. The method comprises separating at least a portion of the aqueous portion from the undissolved portion in the reactor outlet stream to produce an aqueous stream comprising manganese sulfate and an undissolved stream.

A process for producing a purified aqueous lithium (sulfate) solution including: processing a lithium-containing raw material to produce a crude aqueous solution containing lithium sulfate; contacting the crude solution with an organic medium, in an extraction step to produce a lithium-loaded organic medium and a raffinate; stripping said lithium-loaded organic medium by means of an aqueous acid stripping solution (e.g., sulfuric acid), to extract the lithium cations from the lithium-loaded medium, to produce: the purified aqueous lithium (sulfate) solution and a stripped organic medium; separating the purified lithium solution from the stripped organic medium; recycling the stripped organic medium to the extraction step, the organic medium including the stripped organic medium; subjecting the raffinate to electrolysis to produce: an alkali (sodium) hydroxide solution contaminated with lithium and a sulfuric acid stream; and recycling the alkali hydroxide and sulfuric acid streams for use within the process.

A process for producing a purified aqueous lithium (sulfate) solution including: processing a lithium-containing raw material to produce a crude aqueous solution containing lithium sulfate; contacting the crude solution with an organic medium, in an extraction step to produce a lithium-loaded organic medium and a raffinate; stripping said lithium-loaded organic medium by means of an aqueous acid stripping solution (e.g., sulfuric acid), to extract the lithium cations from the lithium-loaded medium, to produce: the purified aqueous lithium (sulfate) solution and a stripped organic medium; separating the purified lithium solution from the stripped organic medium; recycling the stripped organic medium to the extraction step, the organic medium including the stripped organic medium; subjecting the raffinate to electrolysis to produce: an alkali (sodium) hydroxide solution contaminated with lithium and a sulfuric acid stream; and recycling the alkali hydroxide and sulfuric acid streams for use within the process.

Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.

An alloy treatment method is provided, in which a solution containing nickel and/or cobalt is obtained from an alloy containing nickel and/or cobalt and also containing copper and zinc, the method comprising: a leaching step for subjecting the alloy to a leaching treatment with an acid under the condition where a sulfating agent is present to produce a leachate; a reduction step for subjecting the leachate to a reduction treatment using a reducing agent to produce a reduced solution; an oxidation/neutralization step for adding an oxidizing agent and a neutralizing agent to the reduced solution to produce a neutralized solution containing nickel and/or cobalt and also containing zinc; and a solvent extraction step for subjecting the neutralized solution to a solvent extraction procedure using an acidic phosphorus compound-based extractant to produce a solution containing nickel and/or cobalt.

An alloy treatment method is provided, in which a solution containing nickel and/or cobalt is obtained from an alloy containing nickel and/or cobalt and also containing copper and zinc, the method comprising: a leaching step for subjecting the alloy to a leaching treatment with an acid under the condition where a sulfating agent is present to produce a leachate; a reduction step for subjecting the leachate to a reduction treatment using a reducing agent to produce a reduced solution; an oxidation/neutralization step for adding an oxidizing agent and a neutralizing agent to the reduced solution to produce a neutralized solution containing nickel and/or cobalt and also containing zinc; and a solvent extraction step for subjecting the neutralized solution to a solvent extraction procedure using an acidic phosphorus compound-based extractant to produce a solution containing nickel and/or cobalt.

The present invention describes a Solid-Liquid-Solid hydrometallurgical process, optimized and independent of redox potential, to increase the solubilization of metals from ores and/or concentrates with a granulometry of less than 40 mm, by means of an initial stage called “Activation”; a second stage called “Dry autocatalytic transformation”; a third stage called “Washing and re-wetting”; and where the stages of dry autocatalytic transformation and washing and re-wetting, can be repeated in an alternating and repeated way.

The present invention describes a Solid-Liquid-Solid hydrometallurgical process, optimized and independent of redox potential, to increase the solubilization of metals from ores and/or concentrates with a granulometry of less than 40 mm, by means of an initial stage called “Activation”; a second stage called “Dry autocatalytic transformation”; a third stage called “Washing and re-wetting”; and where the stages of dry autocatalytic transformation and washing and re-wetting, can be repeated in an alternating and repeated way.

Apparatuses and methods for extracting desired chemical species and/or impurities from input material. An aspect of the present disclosure comprises a continuous flow system using solvents and other reactants to assist in conversion and extraction of the desired output material and/or removal of specific impurities from the input material through pressure, temperature, and volume control within the extraction system.