US 11,718,894 B2
Method for separating copper, and nickel and cobalt
Hiroshi Takenouchi, Niihama (JP); Hiroshi Kobayashi, Niihama (JP); Hirofumi Shoji, Niihama (JP); and Tatsuya Higaki, Niihama (JP)
Assigned to SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 16/771,419
Filed by SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Nov. 28, 2018, PCT No. PCT/JP2018/043846
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 10, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/124015, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 27, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2017-242225 (JP), filed on Dec. 18, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0180154 A1, Jun. 17, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C22B 15/00 (2006.01); C22B 3/08 (2006.01); C22B 3/44 (2006.01); C22B 7/00 (2006.01); C22B 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC C22B 15/0071 (2013.01) [C22B 3/08 (2013.01); C22B 3/44 (2013.01); C22B 7/003 (2013.01); C22B 15/0056 (2013.01); C22B 23/043 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for separating copper from nickel and cobalt, the method comprising:
sulfurizing a material containing copper, nickel, and cobalt to obtain a sulfide-containing copper sulfide as a main component and also containing nickel metal and cobalt metal;
bringing the obtained sulfide into contact with an acid solution, which is a solution containing at least one selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, to obtain a solid containing copper sulfide and a leachate containing nickel and cobalt; and
wherein when the sulfide is brought into contact with the acid solution, adjusting addition amounts of the sulfide and the acid solution, such that an oxidation-reduction potential of the obtained leachate is maintained at a value of 150 mV or less where a silver/silver chloride electrode is a reference electrode.