US 11,926,883 B2
Method for recovering valuable metal
Yu Yamashita, Niihama (JP); Toshihiko Nagakura, Niihama (JP); and Tomoya Hagio, Niihama (JP)
Assigned to SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 18/014,200
Filed by SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Jun. 29, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/024638
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 3, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/009742, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 13, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-118450 (JP), filed on Jul. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0257851 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. C22B 7/00 (2006.01); C22B 1/00 (2006.01); C22B 15/00 (2006.01); C22B 23/02 (2006.01); H01M 10/54 (2006.01)
CPC C22B 7/001 (2013.01) [C22B 1/005 (2013.01); C22B 15/0056 (2013.01); C22B 23/02 (2013.01); H01M 10/54 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for recovering a valuable metal comprising the steps of:
preparing a charge comprising at least phosphorus (P) and a valuable metal as a raw material;
heating and melting the raw material to form a molten body and then converting the molten body into a molten product comprising an alloy and a slag;
separating the slag from the molten product to recover the alloy comprising the valuable metal,
wherein the heating and melting of the raw material comprises directly measuring an oxygen partial pressure in the molten body using an oxygen analyzer, and regulating the oxygen partial pressure within the range of 10−14.0 (atm) or higher and 10−8.0 (atm) or lower based on an obtained measurement result,
the method being devoid of a dephosphorization step of removing phosphorus from the alloy after separating the slag from the molten material and recovering the alloy, wherein the alloy recovered comprises phosphorus in a content of 0.50% by mass or less.