Zžezvere ZOZ 64227Zze Z2
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Feb. 5, 1952 C. R. HAYWARD 2,584,700 TREATMENT OF IRON ORE CONTAINING IMPURITIES, INCLUDING NICKEL AND CHROMIUM Filed Aug. 24, 1948 Zžezvere ZOZ 64227ZZe Z2. ?????? _?? ????? ??? ???? Patented Feb. 5, 1952 2,584,700 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,584,700 TREATMENT OF RON ORE CONTAINING IMPURITIES, INCLUDING NICKEL AND CHROMUM Carle R. Hayward, Quincy, Mass, assignor to Bethlehem Steel Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania, Application August 24, 1948, Serial No. 45,862 10 Claims, (CI. 23-200) y 2 This invention is directed to a process for re ore in which the impurities analyzed, Ni-1.55%, moving chromium from solutions containing iron Cr-2.48, Co-0.11, Min-1.09, SiO2-7.5, and Al2O3-8.5, and chromium. More specifically, this invention can be considered as representative of the type relates to a process of treating iron ore to recover of ores which can be effectively treated by my iron in a form suitable for further processing. i process. The above analysis was made on a cal The invention is particularly directed to a treat cined basis, the iron in the ore analyzing ment for the elimination of impurities, such as Fe—54.0%? Compounds of aluminum, silicon, chromium, Referring now to the flow chart, ore and sul nickel and cobalt from iron ores of the type which furic acid are introduced into a mixer , and the contain nickel in excess of 0.25%, and chromium 10 resultant slurry is then transferred to a series in excess of 0.5%, such as, for example, those ores of tanks 2 in which sulfuric acid. is capable of found in Cuba, known as Mayari ores. Such ores simultaneous gas absorption and dissolution of may be classified as iron ores of the nickeliferous, ore. This leaching operation is performed at a lateritic, silicate type. temperature preferably above 150° F. The acid The principal object of this invention is to 5 present in the tanks 2 is supplemented by con prepare from iron ores, by the removal of dele tinuously dissolving waste sulfur oxide gas in the terious impurities, an iron bearing product suit acid. Waste gas is obtained from a roasting Op able for Smelting. eration as will be explained later. The slurry Another object is the recovery of metal values, formed in leaching is transferred to a thickener other than iron, which have been removed from 20 3 and the resultant coagulated solids withdrawn iron ore during beneficiation. to an agitating tank 4 where the residue is fur Raw, or unrefined, iron ores of the Mayari ther treated with acid to ensure the complete type contain impurities such as alumina, silica, removal of soluble material. After this cleaning and mixed oxides of chromium, and of nickel and step, the solids and wash liquor, from tank 4, are Cobalt, in amounts which render these ores un 25 sent through a four-stage washing operation, per Suitable for use in the preparation of ordinary formed in a series of tanks 5, where the residue is carbon Steels. washed counter-currently, the residue finally be-, I have discovered a process of treating a ing deposited on a concentrating table 6, where Mayari ore of fine particle size, whereby ore is chromium, in the form of chromite, is separated leached with sulfuric acid and the resultant slurry from silica. The Supernatant liquor from the Settled to remove chromium and a substantial thickener 3 is flowed to a series of agitator tanks amount of silica. The solution, containing iron, l, where the liquor, which contains iron, nickel, nickel, cobalt, manganese, aluminum and some of cobalt, manganese, aluminum and some chro the chronium as sulfates, is decanted and treated nium salts in Solution, along with excess Sulfuric With metallic iron, as for example iron powder, 35 acid, is treated with a small amount of raw ore to precipitate nickel, cobalt, aluminum and chro to lower the amount of free acid. The newly mium. After removing the precipitate, the re formed slurry, which contains only a small maining Solution, containing the iron, is evap amount of solid matter, is sent to a thickener 8 orated to dryness, and the residue roasted to pro and the settled Solids re-circulated to the original duce iron oxide of a high purity. A modification 40 leaching operation. The solution overflowing the of my invention is the recovery of sulfur oxide thickener 8 is introduced into a further series gas, i.e., sulfur trioxide and/or sulfur dioxide, ob of agitators 9. At this point the solution has tained from roasting iron sulfate, and the return practically the same chemical analysis as that of these gases to the leaching operation to replen from the first thickener step, except for a reduc ish the leaching solution. The sulfur oxide gases 45 tion in the amount of free acid. Sponge iron may be used for leaching by dissolving them in is now added to the solution to precipitate nickel, either Sulfuric acid, or in water. cobalt, chromium and aluminum. Iron addition The steps of my invention are shown in the must be made in an amount somewhat in excess accompanying diagrammatic flow chart, and the of the quantity required to neutralize sulfuric following detailed description discloses one mode 50 acid and to convert ferric sulfate to ferrous sui of procedure by which the invention can be per fate, as well as that required to precipitate the formed. metal values. The slurry formed by the iron ad While the amount of impurities in an iron ore dition, and which now contains precipitated metal of the type commonly known as Mayari will vary values and a solution of ferrous sulfate in very Over a considerably wide range, a sample of raw 55 dilute sulfuric acid, is removed to a thickener fo 2,584,700 3 4? and then filtered in filter f. The filter cake, tated in the precipitating tanks 9 along with from this first filtering operation, contains the nickel, cobalt and aluminum. Chronium may precipitated metals, either in the metallic or con also be precipitated by the addition of metallic bined form, as well as some excess sponge iron. iron to a solution containing chromium and iron In order to remove excess iron from the precipi sulfate, and in which nickel, cobalt and alumi tate, the cake may be digested in an agitator 2 num are absent. with a small amount of overflow liquor from the The iron oxide. obtained after roasting is of first thickener operation, and the resultant slurry a degree of purity which makes it entirely satis re-filtered in filter 3. The filtrate from this last factory for use as a blast furnace charge. A step is returned to the precipitation agitators 9. O typical analysis of a refined ore made by my The filter cake from the second filtering operation process is given below: contains nickel, cobalt, aluminum and chromium Per cent in a form from which they can be separated by Fe -------????????????????????????????? 68.39 conventional means. After the first filtration N-?----------- ??--------------------------- 0.05 step, a filtrate remains which contains most of 5 Or ——-----------—~——-——--------———~—--—. 0.05 the iron as ferrous Sulfate in very dilute Sulfuric Co ------------------------------------ 0.018 acid. This iron solution is sent to an evaporator Mn---------???????---------- ??---------------- 0.33 4, where the solution is evaporated to form iron SC92-------------? - ??--------------------- 1.00 sulfate crystals. The crystals, after being dried Alsos --------------------------------- 2.00 in a spray drier 5, are transferred to a calcining 20 furnace f6, preferably of the rotary type. In While my process has been directed chiefly to the calcining operation, the metal sulfates are the recovery of a satisfactory iron oxide product, decomposed at a temperature above 1100 F. to collateral benefits are derived from the process form sulfur trioxide and sulfur. dioxide gases, through the separation and recovery of valuable which gases may be returned to the leaching ap 25 chronium, nickel and cobalt. paratus to be used in further ore digestion. The I claim: sulfur oxide gases are forced into the leaching 1. The method of treating an iron ore contain apparatus 2 by means of blower it, and are fur ing nickel in excess of 0.25 per cent and chro ther forced through the subsequent stages of mium in excess of 0.5 per cent which comprises eaching by means of blowers 8, 9 and 20. The 30 leaching said ore with a water Solution of a ma product remaining after roasting is a refined iron terial of the group consisting of sulfuric acid, sul ore of high iron content (65.0% to 68.5%) with a fur oxide gases, and mixtures thereof to form a minimum of impurities. Such roasted ore is suit slurry, settling said slurry and removing the able for Smelting, or for other uses requiring an supernatant liquor therefrom, adding metallic iron oxide low in impurities. 35 iron to Said liquor to form a precipitate contain As previously pointed out, acid for the leaching ing nickel and chromium values, separating said operation may be supplied directly to the each precipitate from the remaining liquor, evaporat ing tanks 2. To maintain a constant concentra ing said remaining liquor to produce an iron salt tion of acid in the leaching tanks 2, additions of and then roasting said iron salt to obtain iron fresh acid may be made by introducing sulfur 40 Oxide. trioxide gas into the leach solution, or such gas 2. The method of treating an iron ore contain may be introduced into a solution of sulfuric acid ing nickel in excess of 0.25 per cent and chro in an outside tank to form replenisher acid, which inium in excess of 0.5 per cent which comprises acid may be added to the leaching operation as leaching said ore with sulfuric acid to form a needed.