Development of a Method for Cobalt Recovery from Cobalt Ore

Abstract

The mineralogical composition of the cobalt ore from the Dashkesan deposit is determined. The process of cobalt leaching with solutions of hydrochloric and sulfuric acids is studied. The leaching of cobalt with solutions of hydrochloric (7 and 20%) and sulfuric (up to 2 N) acids is incomplete, because the ore contains poorly soluble minerals of cobalt and silicate compounds (the recovery of cobalt with hydrochloric acid is 77.4% and that with sulfuric acid is 76.7%). Ore processing using sulfating roasting followed by leaching with water is proposed. The mechanism of sulfate formation, a sequence of the sulfation of the ore minerals at various temperatures, and the degree of recovery of the minerals are studied. The degree of recovery of cobalt reaches 85% for leaching of the ore sulfated at 700°C.