A method for leaching one or more target metals from a sulfide ore and/or concentrate containing such, the method comprising the steps of: (a) Exposing the ore and/or concentrate to an aqueous solution of chlorine-based oxidising species in which the hypochlorous acid comprises at least 10 mol % of the chlorine-based oxidising species; (b) Allowing and/or facilitating the oxidation of the target metals by the hypochlorous acid, thereby decreasing the pH such that the predominant chlorine-based oxidising species becomes chlorine; (c) Allowing and/or facilitating the oxidation of the target metals by the chlorine; (d) Allowing and/or facilitating the dissolution of the target metals by the solution species formed during the oxidation by hypochlorous acid and/or chlorine; and (e) Passing the pregnant solution produced thereby to a means for metal recovery.

A process of extracting copper from copper sulphide minerals which is enhanced at solution potentials exceeding 700 mV SHE, in the absence of any microorganism, by contacting the minerals in a pre-treatment phase using an acid solution at a high chloride content containing dissolved copper.

Processing schemes for the extraction and/or separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from rare earth containing products such as rare earth mineral ore bodies and intermediate products derived from rare earth mineral ore bodies. The processing schemes may be applied independently or in various combinations to produce end-products that have a very high purity with respect to REEs, including high value critical REEs. The processes may include acid digestion, formation of rare earth oxalate compounds, metathesizing of rare earth oxalate compounds, selective precipitation and/or solvent extraction to form the high purity REE end products.

Processing schemes for the extraction and/or separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from rare earth containing products such as rare earth mineral ore bodies and intermediate products derived from rare earth mineral ore bodies. The processing schemes may be applied independently or in various combinations to produce end-products that have a very high purity with respect to REEs, including high value critical REEs. The processes may include acid digestion, formation of rare earth oxalate compounds, metathesizing of rare earth oxalate compounds, selective precipitation and/or solvent extraction to form the high purity REE end products.

The present invention relates to a chemical and physical hydrometallurgical method with solid-liquid-solid interaction for the solubilization of copper sulphides, by Selective Transformation and Precipitation of soluble, chlorinated, copper species, where said method does not depend on the redox potential and can be carried out in a wide range of pH under conditions of salts supersaturation, which is a condition that is generated by periods of non-irrigation, from ores or copper concentrates, mainly primary sulphides, such as chalcopyrite comprising said copper. This method is composed of 3 steps, called “Moistening and Solvation Step”, “Selective Transformation and Precipitation Step” and “Acid-Chlorinated Washing step”, wherein said method does neither require the addition of oxidizing or reducing agents, nor oxygen. Furthermore, the steps of the method can be applied only with the presence of water, where acid addition is not required. On the other hand, the repetitions of the steps of the method potentiate the physical effects on the ore or concentrate through the phenomena of haloclasty and crystallization of salts. The invention can also be applied to sulphide base metals such as nickel, zinc, cobalt, lead, molybdenum, among others, independently of the usual impurities of the sulphide ores, as occurs with the presence of arsenic.

The present invention relates to a chemical and physical hydrometallurgical method with solid-liquid-solid interaction for the solubilization of copper sulphides, by Selective Transformation and Precipitation of soluble, chlorinated, copper species, where said method does not depend on the redox potential and can be carried out in a wide range of pH under conditions of salts supersaturation, which is a condition that is generated by periods of non-irrigation, from ores or copper concentrates, mainly primary sulphides, such as chalcopyrite comprising said copper. This method is composed of 3 steps, called “Moistening and Solvation Step”, “Selective Transformation and Precipitation Step” and “Acid-Chlorinated Washing step”, wherein said method does neither require the addition of oxidizing or reducing agents, nor oxygen. Furthermore, the steps of the method can be applied only with the presence of water, where acid addition is not required. On the other hand, the repetitions of the steps of the method potentiate the physical effects on the ore or concentrate through the phenomena of haloclasty and crystallization of salts. The invention can also be applied to sulphide base metals such as nickel, zinc, cobalt, lead, molybdenum, among others, independently of the usual impurities of the sulphide ores, as occurs with the presence of arsenic.

A method for processing positive electrode active material waste of lithium ion secondary batteries, the waste containing cobalt, nickel, manganese and lithium, the method including: a carbon mixing step of mixing the positive electrode active material waste in the form of powder with carbon to obtain a mixture having a ratio of a mass of carbon to a total mass of the positive electrode active material waste and the carbon of from 10% to 30%; a roasting step of roasting the mixture at a temperature of from 600° C. to 800° C. to obtain roasted powder; a dissolution step including a first dissolution process of dissolving lithium in the roasted powder in water or a lithium-containing solution, and a second dissolution process of dissolving the lithium in a residue obtained in the first dissolution process in water; and an acid leaching step of leaching a residue obtained in the lithium dissolution step with an acid.

A method for processing positive electrode active material waste of lithium ion secondary batteries, the waste containing cobalt, nickel, manganese and lithium, the method including: a carbon mixing step of mixing the positive electrode active material waste in the form of powder with carbon to obtain a mixture having a ratio of a mass of carbon to a total mass of the positive electrode active material waste and the carbon of from 10% to 30%; a roasting step of roasting the mixture at a temperature of from 600° C. to 800° C. to obtain roasted powder; a dissolution step including a first dissolution process of dissolving lithium in the roasted powder in water or a lithium-containing solution, and a second dissolution process of dissolving the lithium in a residue obtained in the first dissolution process in water; and an acid leaching step of leaching a residue obtained in the lithium dissolution step with an acid.

Disclosed are a sealed cobalt leaching device, a reagent for the cobalt leaching, a method using the device, and use of the method. The sealed cobalt leaching device includes a base, where a top of the base is provided with a first groove; a chemical solution holding tool is provided above the base; a bottom of the chemical solution holding tool is removably connected to the base; a holding through-hole penetrating up and down is formed inside the chemical solution holding tool; and a sealing cover is provided above the chemical solution holding tool. Beneficial effects of the present disclosure: Through the combination of the base, the chemical solution holding tool, and the sealing cover, the holding through-hole inside the chemical solution holding tool is sealed, thereby improving the cobalt leaching temperature and the cobalt leaching efficiency.

Disclosed are a sealed cobalt leaching device, a reagent for the cobalt leaching, a method using the device, and use of the method. The sealed cobalt leaching device includes a base, where a top of the base is provided with a first groove; a chemical solution holding tool is provided above the base; a bottom of the chemical solution holding tool is removably connected to the base; a holding through-hole penetrating up and down is formed inside the chemical solution holding tool; and a sealing cover is provided above the chemical solution holding tool. Beneficial effects of the present disclosure: Through the combination of the base, the chemical solution holding tool, and the sealing cover, the holding through-hole inside the chemical solution holding tool is sealed, thereby improving the cobalt leaching temperature and the cobalt leaching efficiency.