Mining and Metal Recovery

For many years, the largest commercial application for Alamine^® or Aliquat^® Reagents was in uranium production. However, any metal capable of forming anionic complexes in aqueous solutions is a candidate for extraction by an Alamine^® or Aliquat^® extractants. Numerous references exist describing the use of amines as extractants.

Here are some examples of how our products can be used for mining and metal recovery:

• Uranium Recovery: Alamine^® 336 is used for uranium recovery from sulfuric acid leach liquors and will also recover uranium from sulfuric acid resin eluate solutions. Alamine^® 304 is useful for uranium and molybdenum extraction from acidic leach liquors.
  
  
• Cobalt Extraction: Alamine^® 300 will extract cobalt from chloride leach solutions.
  
  
• Cobalt-Nickel Extraction: Alamine^® 308 is often used for the separation of cobalt from nickel by solvent extraction techniques. Alamine^® 336 can also be used for cobalt-nickel separations from hydrochloric acid.
  
  
• Reprocessing of Spent Catalysts: Alamine^® 336 and Aliquat^® 336 find applications in the recovery of cobalt, molybdenum, vanadium, nickel and other metals from spent catalysts. Most processes are proprietary.
  
  
• Rare Earth and Noble Metals: Alamine^® and Primene^® Reagents are used to some extent in the recovery and purification of rare earth and noble metals. In some cases, the Alamine^® or Aliquat^® Products will effectively extract the desired metal, but it is impossible to strip the resulting complex. If the metal in question is valuable enough, the reagent can be sacrificed and the metal recovered by combustion. A new product, Aliquat^® XI-78, is under development which may strip more easily.
  
  
• Iron Removal: There are some reports that Alamine^® or Aliquat^® Reagents are applied for purification of solutions by selective removal of iron, for example in the production of aluminum chloride.