Compositions and methods are provided that permit both recovery of at least two metals from industrial waste materials and control of the degree of relative recovery between the two metals. Industrial waste is initially treated with an acid and mixed for a defined period of time, and the extracted metals recovered from the resulting supernatant in subsequent steps. Surprisingly, the duration of this initial stirring period has been found to impact the relative degree of recovery of the two metals in a non-linear fashion.

Compositions and methods are provided that permit both recovery of at least two metals from industrial waste materials and control of the degree of relative recovery between the two metals. Industrial waste is initially treated with an acid and mixed for a defined period of time, and the extracted metals recovered from the resulting supernatant in subsequent steps. Surprisingly, the duration of this initial stirring period has been found to impact the relative degree of recovery of the two metals in a non-linear fashion.

Various embodiments utilize selective sulfidation and/or desulfidation for such things as ore and concentrate cracking, metal separation, compound production, and recycling. Selective sulfidation can be used to selectively convert an oxide or other material in a feedstock to a sulfide or other sulfur-containing material, and selective desulfidation can be used to selectively convert a sulfide or other sulfur-containing material in a feedstock to an oxide or other material. In some cases, the material produced by such selective sulfidation/desulfidation of the feedstock can itself be novel and/or commercially valuable, while in other cases, such selective sulfidation/desulfidation can be followed by one or more processes to extract, isolate, or concentrate the converted material.

Various embodiments utilize selective sulfidation and/or desulfidation for such things as ore and concentrate cracking, metal separation, compound production, and recycling. Selective sulfidation can be used to selectively convert an oxide or other material in a feedstock to a sulfide or other sulfur-containing material, and selective desulfidation can be used to selectively convert a sulfide or other sulfur-containing material in a feedstock to an oxide or other material. In some cases, the material produced by such selective sulfidation/desulfidation of the feedstock can itself be novel and/or commercially valuable, while in other cases, such selective sulfidation/desulfidation can be followed by one or more processes to extract, isolate, or concentrate the converted material.

Hydrometallurgical systems, methods, and compositions are described in which amine-based lixiviants are utilized in substoichiometric amounts to recover alkaline earths from raw or waste materials. The lixiviant can be regenerated and recycled for use in subsequent iterations of the process or returned to a reactor in a continuous process. Extraction of the alkaline earth from the raw material and precipitation of the extracted alkaline earth is performed in the same reactor and essentially simultaneously.

Hydrometallurgical systems, methods, and compositions are described in which amine-based lixiviants are utilized in substoichiometric amounts to recover alkaline earths from raw or waste materials. The lixiviant can be regenerated and recycled for use in subsequent iterations of the process or returned to a reactor in a continuous process. Extraction of the alkaline earth from the raw material and precipitation of the extracted alkaline earth is performed in the same reactor and essentially simultaneously.

Systems for separating Ra from a mixture comprising at least Ra, Pb, Bi, and Th are provided. The systems can include: a first vessel housing a first media and Th or Bi; a second vessel in fluid communication with the first vessel, the second vessel housing a second media and Pb; and a third vessel in fluid communication with the second vessel, the third vessel housing a third media and Ra, wherein at least one of the first, second, or third medias are different from the other media.

Methods for separating Ra from Pb, Bi, and Th are provided, the methods can include: providing a first mixture comprising Ra, Pb, Bi, and/or Th; providing a system that can include: a first vessel housing a first media; a second vessel in fluid communication with the first vessel, the second vessel housing a second media; and a third vessel in fluid communication with the second vessel, the third vessel housing a third media; and exposing the first mixture to the first media within the first vessel then, through the fluid communication, exposing the first remainder to the second media in the second vessel, then, through fluid communication, exposing the next remainder to the third media in the third vessel, the exposing separating the Th and Bi from the Ra and Pb, and the Ra from the Pb.

Methods for separating Ra from being associated with a media are also provided. The methods can include: exposing the Ra and media to a chelating agent to form a mixture comprising the Ra complexed with the chelating agent.

Systems for separating Ra from a mixture comprising at least Ra, Pb, Bi, and Th are provided. The systems can include: a first vessel housing a first media and Th or Bi; a second vessel in fluid communication with the first vessel, the second vessel housing a second media and Pb; and a third vessel in fluid communication with the second vessel, the third vessel housing a third media and Ra, wherein at least one of the first, second, or third medias are different from the other media.

Methods for separating Ra from Pb, Bi, and Th are provided, the methods can include: providing a first mixture comprising Ra, Pb, Bi, and/or Th; providing a system that can include: a first vessel housing a first media; a second vessel in fluid communication with the first vessel, the second vessel housing a second media; and a third vessel in fluid communication with the second vessel, the third vessel housing a third media; and exposing the first mixture to the first media within the first vessel then, through the fluid communication, exposing the first remainder to the second media in the second vessel, then, through fluid communication, exposing the next remainder to the third media in the third vessel, the exposing separating the Th and Bi from the Ra and Pb, and the Ra from the Pb.

Methods for separating Ra from being associated with a media are also provided. The methods can include: exposing the Ra and media to a chelating agent to form a mixture comprising the Ra complexed with the chelating agent.

A method of selective extracting exchangeable strontium and barium from sediments, comprising, collecting a predetermined quantity of a sedimentary sample, removing biogenic clasts from the predetermined quantity of the sedimentary sample to provide a coarse filtered sedimentary sample, baking the coarse filtered sedimentary sample at a temperature less than 105 C., crushing the coarse filtered sedimentary sample to yield a fine filtered sedimentary sample having a sample grain size of less than 100 mesh, reacting a portion of the fine filtered sedimentary sample in a solution containing at least one of an ammonium acetate reactant and a sodium acetate reactant, measuring a strontium level within a liquid product of the solution, measuring a barium level within the liquid product of the solution and determining a ratio of the strontium level and the barium level of the liquid product.

A method of selective extracting exchangeable strontium and barium from sediments, comprising, collecting a predetermined quantity of a sedimentary sample, removing biogenic clasts from the predetermined quantity of the sedimentary sample to provide a coarse filtered sedimentary sample, baking the coarse filtered sedimentary sample at a temperature less than 105 C., crushing the coarse filtered sedimentary sample to yield a fine filtered sedimentary sample having a sample grain size of less than 100 mesh, reacting a portion of the fine filtered sedimentary sample in a solution containing at least one of an ammonium acetate reactant and a sodium acetate reactant, measuring a strontium level within a liquid product of the solution, measuring a barium level within the liquid product of the solution and determining a ratio of the strontium level and the barium level of the liquid product.