Enrichment of valuable metals from the sulfuric acid leach liquors of nickeliferous oxide ores

The enrichment of valuable metals from sulfuric acid leach liquors of various nickeliferous oxide ores has been investigated. Suitable enrichment processes based on sulfide precipitation and the Na-jarosite process have been tested and proved to be effective for recovering Ni, Co, and Cu from high-magnesium and high-iron pregnant liquors. Once the major impurities of magnesium and iron had been separated from the valuable metals, the resulting concentrated sulfate solutions mainly containing valuable metals (Ni, Co, and Cu) could be used for further metal separations by solvent extraction methods. It is hoped that such sequences may also be applied for the recovery and enrichment of valuable metals from dilute pregnant leaching liquors.