US 12,281,027 B2
Processes for crystallizing metal sulfates and methods for producing crystallized metal sulfates
Robert John Fraser, Oakville (CA); Andrea Winyen Trac, Delson (CA); and Louiza Kahina Harkouk, St. Lazare (CA)
Filed by HATCH LTD., Mississauga (CA)
Filed on Nov. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/979,410.
Application 17/979,410 is a continuation of application No. PCT/CA2021/051614, filed on Nov. 12, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/112,891, filed on Nov. 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0048939 A1, Feb. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. C01G 53/10 (2006.01); C01B 17/96 (2006.01); C01G 1/10 (2006.01); C01G 3/10 (2006.01); C01G 45/10 (2006.01); C01G 51/10 (2006.01); C22B 23/00 (2006.01); C22B 47/00 (2006.01)
CPC C01G 53/10 (2013.01) [C01B 17/96 (2013.01); C01G 1/10 (2013.01); C01G 3/10 (2013.01); C01G 45/10 (2013.01); C01G 51/10 (2013.01); C22B 23/00 (2013.01); C22B 47/00 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for crystallizing a metal sulfate, the process comprising:
diverting at least a portion of a fluid stream from a process performed in a metal processing plant to a crystallizer separate from the process performed in the metal processing plant,
the stream comprising a metal sulfate and an impurity;
controlling operational parameters of the crystallizer to crystalize the metal sulfate over the impurity, and
crystallizing the metal sulfate to form a crystallized metal sulfate in a mother liquor, the mother liquor comprising the impurity;
separating the crystallized metal sulfate from the mother liquor; and
returning the mother liquor upstream in the process or returning the mother liquor to the metal processing plant;
wherein the fluid stream is a feed to a metal electrowinning, metal hydrogen reduction, metal intermediate production, or metal oxide production step of the plant.
 
19. A process for crystallizing a metal sulfate, the process comprising:
diverting at least a portion of a fluid stream from a process performed in a metal processing plant to a crystallizer separate from the process performed in the metal processing plant,
the stream comprising a metal sulfate and an impurity;
controlling operational parameters of the crystallizer to crystalize the metal sulfate over the impurity, and
crystallizing the metal sulfate to form a crystallized metal sulfate in a mother liquor, the mother liquor comprising the impurity;
separating the crystallized metal sulfate from the mother liquor; and
returning the mother liquor upstream in the process or returning the mother liquor to the metal processing plant;
wherein the fluid stream is an anolyte from a metal electrowinning step of the plant.