Nickel Leaching Agent Composition for Selective Mg Exclusion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for leaching nickel from oxidized ores often result in the simultaneous leaching of magnesium, leading to inefficiencies and contamination issues.
Innovation Solution
A leaching method using a liquid leaching agent composed of a hydrogen bond donor, a hydrogen bond acceptor contacted with hydrochloric acid, and a hydrophobic organic compound, which selectively extracts nickel from oxidized ores containing both nickel and magnesium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an acid-containing leaching agent is used to leach nickel from oxidized ore, then nickel extraction efficiency is improved, but magnesium is simultaneously leached causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The leaching process is segmented into two distinct stages: first, selective leaching of nickel using the deep eutectic solvent containing hydrochloric acid, followed by a separate purification stage. This segmentation allows nickel to be extracted while leaving magnesium behind, and then enables further purification if needed, resolving the contradiction between extraction efficiency and contamination prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The deep eutectic solvent acts as an intermediary substance with specific chemical properties that selectively interact with nickel oxides but not magnesium compounds. The solvent system, composed of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors in specific ratios, creates a chemical environment that facilitates nickel dissolution while excluding magnesium, thereby achieving selective extraction without simultaneous contamination
2Quantity of substance
If conventional leaching methods are used, then nickel can be extracted, but the leaching agent lacks selectivity between nickel and magnesium
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes key parameters of the leaching system by using a deep eutectic solvent with specific compositional ratios (hydrogen bond donor to acceptor between 1:4 and 4:1) and controlled acidity (hydrochloric acid concentration of 0.1-12 mol/L). These parameter changes create optimal conditions for nickel selectivity while maintaining high recovery rates, resolving the contradiction between quantity recovered and manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The leaching agent is designed as a composite deep eutectic solvent system combining multiple components (hydrogen bond donors such as carboxylic acids or alcohols, and hydrogen bond acceptors such as halide salts or quaternary ammonium salts) in specific proportions. This composite structure provides both the solvating power for nickel extraction and the selective properties to exclude magnesium, simultaneously achieving high nickel recovery and leaching selectivity
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
The method achieves selective leaching of nickel, minimizing magnesium contamination and enabling the production of high-purity nickel sulfate with reduced waste generation.
Implementation Method 1
a deep eutectic solvent, which is a liquid at 25° C. and comprises a hydrogen bond donor and a hydrogen bond acceptor
Implementation Method 2
an organic phase containing an organic acid and a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent including an acidic hydrogen bond donor and a hydrogen bond acceptor, as a leaching agent. Nickel oxidized ore is then brought into contact with the organic phase to leach Ni into the organic phase
Implementation Method 3
a liquid leaching agent containing a hydrogen bond donor, a hydrogen bond acceptor that has made contact with hydrochloric acid, and a hydrophobic organic compound
Implementation Method 4
a hydrogen bond acceptor that has made contact with hydrochloric acid
Implementation Method 5
back-extracting the nickel leachate using sulfuric acid to obtain an aqueous phase containing nickel sulfate
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method capable of selectively leaching Ni from an oxidized ore containing Ni and Mg. The method of leaching nickel from an oxidized ore according to the present disclosure includes the steps of: preparing a liquid leaching agent containing a hydrogen bond donor, a hydrogen bond acceptor that has made contact with hydrochloric acid, and a hydrophobic organic compound; and contacting an oxidized ore containing nickel and magnesium with the leaching agent.