High-Temperature Super-Alkaline Ore Dissolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The mining industry faces challenges in efficiently processing lower-grade ores to produce high-grade iron ore suitable for hydrogen-based steelmaking, as existing green processes are not economically viable and energy-efficient, and traditional concentration methods are inefficient in terms of energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of super-alkaline media, typically formed from alkali metal or alkaline earth bases, to contact ores at elevated temperatures, facilitating the dissolution and chemical conversion of ores into solvable species, which can then be processed through electrometallurgical methods like electrowinning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional concentration methods are used to process lower-grade ores, then ore processing can be performed, but energy consumption is high and efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the processing medium by using super-alkaline media (pH > 13) instead of traditional acidic or neutral leaching solutions. This parameter change enables efficient dissolution of lower-grade ores including refractory minerals, significantly improving processing efficiency while reducing energy consumption compared to traditional concentration methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical concentration methods (such as flotation, magnetic separation, and gravity separation) with a chemical dissolution approach using super-alkaline media. This substitution eliminates the need for energy-intensive mechanical processing steps while achieving effective separation and concentration of valuable metals from lower-grade ores
2Object-generated harmful factors
If green processes are used to produce high-grade iron ore for hydrogen-based steelmaking, then carbon emissions are reduced, but economic viability and energy efficiency are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses super-alkaline media with pH > 13 to dissolve lower-grade ores and recover metals, creating a green processing pathway that eliminates carbon-intensive reduction steps. This approach produces high-grade iron ore concentrates suitable for hydrogen-based steelmaking while improving economic viability through efficient metal recovery and reducing carbon emissions by avoiding traditional coal-based reduction processes
Solution Approach 2:
The super-alkaline media acts as an intermediary that enables direct dissolution and recovery of metals from lower-grade ores without requiring carbon-intensive reduction steps. This intermediary chemical system facilitates the transition to green steelmaking by providing a viable pathway to produce high-grade iron ore feeds while maintaining economic feasibility
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the efficient conversion of ores into valuable chemical species with low energy consumption, providing a high-grade ore feedstock for downstream processing and reducing carbon emissions by avoiding inefficient traditional concentration processes.
Implementation Method 1
contacting ore with one or more metal bases, preferably a super alkaline media, at elevated temperature wherein the ore dissolves or chemically converts moieties in the ore to solvable species
Implementation Method 2
contacting ore with one or more metal bases, preferably a super alkaline media, at elevated temperature wherein the ore dissolves or chemically converts moieties in the ore to solvable species
Implementation Method 3
The solution thus formed can then be fed to a downstream extractive metallurgical process such as electrometallurgy to deposit metal
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of providing an ore concentrate solution suitable for beneficiation processing, the method including the step of contacting an ore with one or more metal bases at elevated temperature. The one or more metal bases at elevated temperature may form a super-alkaline media that partially or fully dissolves the ore. Typically, the one or more metal bases are alkali metal bases, preferably chosen from lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, rubidium hydroxide or caesium hydroxide, or alkaline earth bases, preferably chosen from calcium hydroxide, barium hydroxide or strontium hydroxide. The one or more metal bases at elevated temperature may form a super-alkaline media that partially or fully dissolves the ore.