A process and system are disclosed for producing a lithium product from a solution comprising lithium nitrate. The solution comprising lithium nitrate can be obtained by reacting a lithium-containing metal silicate with nitric acid. The process and system comprise subjecting the solution comprising lithium nitrate to a first thermal treatment procedure (in one or more heated vessels) in which water and nitric acid (when present) are removed, and whereby a resultant lithium nitrate-rich crystal slurry is heated to produce a molten liquid. The process and system also comprise passing the molten liquid to a second thermal treatment procedure (in a further-heated vessel) in which the molten liquid is heated to substantially decompose lithium nitrate to lithium oxide.

A method and ionic liquid for the electrorecovery of metal from a metal salt including at least one metal ion. The method includes the steps of dissolving the metal salt in an ionic liquid, the ionic liquid including an ionic liquid cation and an ionic liquid anion; whereby the metal ion of the metal salt forms a metal complex in solution with at least the ionic liquid cation; and subjecting the metal complex to an electrical potential between a cathode and anode to recover metal at the cathode. The ionic liquid includes an ionic liquid cation and an ionic liquid anion, wherein the ionic liquid cation has an affinity for the metal ion which is at least about equal to that of the ionic liquid anion for the metal ion.

Digestion of a laterite ore with sulfuric acid dissolves all constituents except silica. The resulting sulfatesaluminum sulfate, ferric sulfate, titanyl sulfate, and magnesium sulfateremain in solution at approximately 90 C. Hot filtration separates silica. Solution flow over metallic iron reduces ferric sulfate to ferrous sulfate. Controlled ammonia addition promotes hydrolysis and precipitation of hydrated titania from titanyl sulfate that is removed by filtration. Addition of ammonium sulfate forms ferrous ammonium sulfate and ammonium aluminum sulfate solutions. Alum is preferentially separated by crystallization. Addition of ammonium bicarbonate to an ammonium alum solution precipitates ammonium aluminum carbonate which may be heated to produce alumina, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. The remaining iron rich liquor also contains magnesium sulfate. The addition of oxalic acid generates insoluble ferrous oxalate which is thermally decomposed to ferrous oxide and carbon monoxide which is used to reduce the ferrous oxide to metallic iron. Further oxalic acid addition precipitates magnesium oxalate which is thermally decomposed to magnesium oxide.

Provided is a water-insoluble crosslinked structure with an excellent metal-adsorbing effect. The crosslinked structure is formed by crosslinking a first linear polymer and a second linear polymer. The first linear polymer has a plurality of pendant groups represented by Formula (a). The second linear polymer has a plurality of pendant groups represented by Formula (a). Some of the plurality of pendant groups in the first linear polymer and some of the plurality of pendant groups in the second linear polymer are bonded to each other via a crosslinker. In the formula, ring Z represents a heterocycle containing a nitrogen atom as a heteroatom, R.sup.1 represents a single bond or an alkylene group having from 1 to 10 carbons, and Q.sup.+ represents a counter cation.

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There are provided processes for purifying aluminum ions. Such processes comprise precipitating the aluminum ions under the form of Al(OH).sub.3 at a first pH range; converting Al(OH).sub.3 into AlCl.sub.3 by reacting Al(OH).sub.3 with HCl and precipitating said AlCl.sub.3; and heating the AlCl.sub.3 under conditions effective for converting AlCl.sub.3 into Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and optionally recovering gaseous HCl so-produced. The processes can also comprise converting alumina into aluminum.

The disclosure relates to a method for recovering an iron and aluminum from a red mud, which includes the following steps: providing a red mud, a mass percentage of an alumogoethite is not less than 20% and a mass percentage of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 is not less than 40% in the red mud; mixing the red mud with a circulating mother liquor and an additive and performing a wet treatment above 260 C. to obtain an ore pulp; performing a liquid-solid separation on the ore pulp after the ore pulp is flash evaporated, to obtain a separated iron material and a separated liquid; performing a seed precipitation on the separated liquid after the separated liquid is refined, or performing a seed precipitation on the separated liquid after the separated liquid is combined with an existing refined liquid; and, preforming an iron separation on the separated iron material after washed to obtain an iron concentrate. The additive includes an alkaline earth metal compound. The alkaline earth metal compound is at least one of a calcium oxide, a calcium hydroxide, a magnesium oxide and a magnesium hydroxide.

Disclosed is a treatment system for removing iron-aluminum-chromium reaction products in leaching solution of laterite nickel ore, comprising a reaction tank, a lifting assembly, a flushing assembly, and a receiving box. The lifting assembly comprises a rotating shaft, a net pouch, and a connecting rod. The rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the reaction tank and is connected to the net pouch via the connecting rod; the rotation path of the net pouch covers and adheres to the inner bottom wall of the reaction tank, and it can be rotated to a first position and a second position; the receiving box can slide to a position directly below the net pouch at the second position. This solution addresses the current issues of requiring multiple thickeners for solid-liquid separation, which results in large equipment size and inconvenience in use.

A process for recovering titanium dioxide from a titanium-bearing material, the process including the steps of: leaching the titanium-bearing material in a first leaching step at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature of 70 to 97 C. with a first lixiviant to produce a first leach solution comprising undissolved first leach solids that include a titanium content and a first leach liquor, the first lixiviant comprising hydrochloric acid at a concentration of less than 23% w/w; separating the first leach liquor and the undissolved first leach solids; leaching the first leach solids in a second leaching step at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature of 60 to 80 C. with a second lixiviant in the presence of a Fe powder reductant to produce a second leach solution comprising undissolved second each solids and a second leach liquor that includes a leached titanium content and iron content, the second lixiviant comprising a mixed chloride solution comprising less than 23% w/w hydrochloric acid and an additional chloride selected from alkali metal chlorides, magnesium chloride and calcium chloride, or mixtures thereof; separating the second leach liquor and the undissolved second leach solids; and thereafter separating the titanium dioxide and the iron content from the second leach liquor by precipitation, and regenerating the second lixiviant for recycle to the second leaching step.

A process for recovering materials from a black mass material obtained from lithium-ion batteries can include: i) conveying a black mass material as a black mass solid stream; ii) leaching the black mass solid stream to form a pregnant leach solution and residual solids; iii) separating the pregnant leach solution from the residual solids; iv) isolating a copper product from the pregnant leach solution; v) isolating an aluminum (Al) and/or iron (Fe) product from the pregnant leach solution; vi) isolating a manganese (Mn) product from the from the pregnant leach solution; vii) isolating a cobalt (Co) product from the from the pregnant leach solution; viii) isolating a nickel (Ni) product from the from the pregnant leach solution; ix) isolating a salt by-product from the pregnant leach solution; and x) isolating a lithium product the pregnant leach solution.

A process for using acid to leach metals from metal silicate, oxide, or oxide-hydroxide feedstock with subsequent alkalinization of the leach liquor, thereby bringing target metal ions into solution and separating the metals as hydroxides, oxides, or oxide-hydroxides. Electrodialysis is used to recycle acid and base in the process. Configurations of the electrochemical cell and means of combining cells in stacks and in series are provided that enable production of acid at high concentration allowing for decreased reactor volumes for leaching and precipitation and improved solid/liquid separation characteristics of the leached slurry.