TECHNOLOGY FOR PROCESSING MARINE NODE POLYMETALLIC

Abstract

The technology acid is one of the most prospective for the prosecution of marine polymetallic nodules. Depending on operating conditions and reagents used can achieve a high recovery of Ni, Co, Cu, Zn and Mn or only in the Ni, Co and Zn.
Taking into account the high cost that will nodular company's future, it is of great interest - achieving economic use of raw materials in the facilities available to produce minerals from the land. The technology of the factory Moa, in the Republic of Cuba, which is used to process laterites niquelíferas presents a high operational efficiency and technology. An important part of the facilities of this industry could be adapted to process the marine polymetallic nodules and achieve a high recovery of non-ferrous metals and manganese. This article contains a summary of the main findings of research conducted on laboratory-scale processing of a sample of marine polymetallic nodules from the Pacific Ocean, according to the technology designed for this purpose, which includes acid leaching at atmospheric pressure with sulfur dioxide and air and in the treatment of liquor resulting from this process (in accordance with the existing unit operations today in the factory Moa for the treatment of leaching liquor).