The disclosed technology includes a method for producing ultrafine alumina from salt slag waste generated in aluminum recycling useful in the manufacture of durable ceramic products; a system for recovering alumina from salt slag waste; a method and systems for recovering salts, aluminum and alumina from salt slag waste; and a method and systems of capturing ammonia in a process recovering salts, aluminum and alumina from salt slag waste. The methods and systems provided crush the dry particles of the salt slag waste, scrub the slag with water, and with steam and by means of a vented alumina press, dewater the scrubbed slag particles. In some methods and systems of the disclosed technology, the particles of the pressed alumina cake are further reduced. In some methods and systems, the salt in the salt effluent is crystalized. In some methods and systems of the disclosed technology, the ammonia is contained and captured.

The invention is directed to a process and apparatus for metal refining, in particular for refining a mixture of conductive particles, such as heavy non-ferrous particles. In accordance with the invention a feed containing a mixture of conductive particles is fed to a dissolution unit, wherein the less noble metal is separated from a metal of interest in the presence of one or more acids or complexing agents, thus producing a stream having a concentrated less noble metal and producing a conductive stream containing a metal of interest. The conductive stream is then fed to a refining unit, wherein the conductive stream is separated in a stream of concentrated metal(s) of interest and a stream of concentrated conductive particles.

A nickel recovery process capable of decreasing nickel remaining in a byproduct by recovering nickel from the byproduct of electrolytic nickel manufacturing process by chlorine-leaching, and also, capable of simplifying a cementation step simultaneously, is provided. In a nickel recovery step S60, a nickel recovery step S70 and a nickel recovery step S80, nickel is recovered in each step from S.sup.0 slurry, residue flaker and chlorine-leached residue, which are byproducts of electrolytic nickel manufacturing process by chlorine-leaching, by using an aqueous solution containing 80 g/L to 390 g/L of chlorine and 30 g/L to 70 g/L of copper.

The invention relates to recovery of tin-lead solder from electronic printed circuit board scrap. The scrap is placed in a liquid-permeable and/or gas-permeable container, which is placed in a liquid or gaseous heat-transfer medium heated to or above the melting temperature of the tin-lead solder. After the tin-lead solder is melted, the heat-transfer medium is removed from the container, then, by means of rotation of the container, the melted tin-lead solder and the remains of the heat-transfer medium are removed from the container. The device comprises a hollow container, which is mounted so as to be capable of rotation and is designed in the form of a body of revolution, and is liquid-permeable and/or gas-permeable in a radial direction from the axis of rotation. The container can be designed in the form of a drum, which can be vertically displaced and has perforated side walls.

This invention relates to a process for obtaining lead (Pb) and/or tin (Sn) from a lead- and/or tin-based material using a deep eutectic solvent.

Compositions and methods for treating waste water produced by copper mining operations are described herein. Slag from steel making operations and other industrial waste materials that include alkali metal and/or alkaline earth elements have been found to both raise pH of the waste water and also reduce arsenic content. Following such treatment the spent slag or industrial waste can be utilized as a source of valuable metals or incorporated into stabilized building materials.

A recycling process that facilitates separation of materials from metallic substrates by cryogenically cooling the recyclable items to induce embrittlement of the metals. Embrittled metals may be shattered more efficiently and with a higher yield of materials bound to the metallic substrates. Metal embrittlement may be induced by mixing the source stream with liquid nitrogen, and cooling the stream to approximately minus 200° F. Multiple recovery stages may be employed to maximize the yield of the target materials. Embodiments may enable recovery of platinum group metals (PGMs) from catalytic converters with metallic foil substrates. Yield of PGMs may be enhanced by employing a primary recovery stage and a secondary recovery stage, by cryogenically cooling input materials for each stage, by mixing the pulverized material in secondary recovery with an aqueous solution to dissipate attractive charges, and by wet screening the pulverized material slurry to obtain the PGM particles.

The invention relates to a process for producing a lithium-containing solution from a lithium-containing raw-material solution, by: a) precipitating a first part of magnesium and calcium from the lithium-containing raw-material solution, b) extracting a second part of calcium and magnesium from the lithium-containing solution by liquid-liquid extraction, a resultant product being a lithium-containing solution. The invention also relates to equipment for producing a lithium-containing solution from a lithium-containing raw-material solution, including a precipitation unit to remove a first part of magnesium and calcium and an extraction unit to receive the lithium-containing raw-material solution and to remove therefrom a second part of calcium and magnesium by liquid-liquid extraction, and control unit to control the operation of the precipitation unit.

In the present invention, nickel is selectively extracted from an acidic solution that contains a high concentration of manganese. This valuable metal extraction agent is represented by the general formula. In the formula, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are alkyl groups that may be the same or different, R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom or any group, other than an amino group, bonded to an α carbon atom of an amino acid. The general formula preferably has a glycine unit, a histidine unit, a lysine unit, an aspartic acid unit or a n-methylglycine unit. When extracting nickel by using this extraction agent, it is preferable to adjust the pH of the acidic solution to 2.3 to 5.5 inclusive.

A method of treating rare earth metal-bearing permanent magnet scrap, waste or other material in a manner to recover the heavy rare earth metal content separately from the light rare earth metal content. The heavy rare earth metal content can be recovered either as a heavy rare earth metal-enriched iron based alloy or as a heavy rare earth metal based alloy.