Extraction and Refining of Nickel and Cobalt from Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) Using the Carbonyl Process
摘要
Mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) isMixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) an important nickelNickel- and cobaltCobalt-containing intermediate for producing batteryBattery-grade metalsMetals and salts. MetalsMetals are currently extracted and refined from MHP via complex hydrometallurgical processesHydrometallurgical processes, which are sensitive to feed material composition and require elaborate waste stream treatment. An improved flowsheetFlowsheet has been developed for selective extractionExtraction and refining of nickelNickel and cobaltCobalt MHP using the carbonyl processCarbonyl process. The process is highly selective in the extractionExtraction of nickelNickel and cobaltCobalt of varying feed compositions and is unaffected by high levels of deleterious elements (Cu, Mn, Zn). The carbonylation method, which has been used for many years for sulfide intermediate refining, is ideal for MHPMixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) refining. A demonstration plant has been operated to demonstrate the technologyTechnology and derive engineering data for a full-scale productionProductions facility in the USA. The paper presents an overview of the process and describes the progress of building America’s first integrated nickelNickel refinery.