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By Yasuo Kudo, Wu, Hayato Sato, Hiroshi Nakazawa, Shouming

"In order to recover copper from a waste nickel condenser powder, bioleaching experiments were carried out using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans in a shaking flask. The content of nickel and copper in the waste nickel condenser powder in this study were 8.0% and 3.5%. X ray analysis showed the peak of barium titanate. In the preliminary study using metal nickel and copper powders , the dissolutions of nickel and especially copper were accelerated with the addition of ferric iron in the bioleaching of nickel and copper powders while not in the absence of ferric iron. Ferric iron oxidizes both metals, and Thiobacillusferrooxidans oxidizes ferrous iron resulting from the oxidation of metals, whereby the dissolutions of metals proceeds. The dissolution rates of nickel and copper increased with increase in the concentration of ferric iron in the bioleaching of the waste nickel condenser powder.1. IntroductionNickel condensers rejected from manufacturing plants are crushed and landfilled. Waste nickel condensers contain nickel and copper and could be considered as nickel and copper ores. Since the capacity of landfills is diminishing, it is required to recycle metals of waste nickel condensers in order to reduce the amount of wastes landfilled. Conventionally, metals in the waste were recovered by dry metallurgy after the incineration.Nickel has been refined by solvent extraction - electrowinning method (SX-EW method). Recently the amount of copper refined by SX-EW method has increased (Takahashi, et al. 1994). This method is cleaner and consumes less energy than conventional methods. Nickel dissolved well in acid solutions, but copper is not. If copper is leached efficiently from a waste nickel condenser powder, SX-EW method will be applied to recover copper from them"

Jan 1, 2000

By David Hughes

The paper covers the utilization of on-line analysis in process control of solvent extraction in nickel leach solvent extraction processes in Finland and Australia and in copper heap-leach and solvent extraction in Chile. The goals of and requirements for controlling the solvent extraction stages of the processes are reviewed. The applications at three plants are compared. The development of the technology used is reviewed and design considerations are discussed. Requirements for on-line control and analyzer performance are compared. A new generation of analyzers and its effect on the set-up process of a project is introduced.

Jan 1, 2003

By O. Morfín

The most probable source of Pb contamination in the perennial reach of Aravaipa Creek, Arizona, has been determined using Pb isotope ratios and total metals analyses of samples collected from the ephemeral and perennial reaches and mine wastes located in the Aravaipa Mining District . Previously, elevated levels of Pb, Cd and As in fish in the perennial reach of Aravaipa Creek, a protected wilderness area,, were assumed to be due to off-site transport from abandoned flotation tailings piles located at Klondyke, Arizona upstream of the wilderness area.Our work replaces this inference with isotopic data that allows us to confirm this hypothesis. The Pb/Zn deposits of the district were mined between the late 1890s and the late1960s, with the most significant ore production coming from one deposit in a rhyolite dike swarm on the Western front of the Santa Teresa Mountains, a granitic pluton of Cretaceous-Tertiary age (~65 ma). Mineralogy has been well constrained across the length of the lode system: Pb and Zn sulfides predominate in the NW sector, and a mixed suite of hypogene/supergene Pb sulfide and Pb oxide minerals comprises the majority of its SE corner. Total metals analyses and comparison of metals ratios serve to constrain the source and transport of certain metals within different parts of the system. Pb isotope ratios in samples, obtained by ICP-MS analysis, define two distinct contributors. The first end-member (208Pb/204Pb = 38.513 to 38.721 and 207Pb/204Pb= 15.550 to 15.598) is characteristic of the mixed, oxide/sulfide ores at the SE end of the deposit. A second end-member (208Pb/204Pb = 38.855 to 38.946 and 207Pb/204Pb = 15.610 to 15.625) characterizes samples taken from the NW, purely Pb sulfide end of the lode. Pb isotope ratios from perennial reach sediments are closely correlated with ratios given by samples from the Klondyke tailings site and by Pb sulfide samples from the NW sector, the primary source of ores processed at Klondyke.

Jan 1, 2003

The direct removal of lead ions from D2EHPA-kerosene using metallic zinc as the reducing agent was evaluated. The electrochemical process, called galvanic stripping, is a potential alternative stripping technique when standard chemical methods are not adequate. Four parameters found to be important in the rate of lead removal were studied in a factorially designed experiment. The variable evaluated included D2EHPA concentration, temperature, zinc surface area and solution agitation. Temperature and surface area were found to be the most significant, while agitation and D2EHPA concentration had less influence on the reaction. An activation energy of 22.5 Kcal/mole was calculated indicating a chemically-controlled process. The reaction was also sensitive to the concentration of oxygen in the system. The zinc required was considerably in excess of stoichiometry, possibly due to the dissolution and redeposition of lead: In general, the results were encouraging and demonstrated that lead impurities could be removed from D2EHPA using cementation type reactions.

Jan 1, 1995

By Chikabumi Yamauchi, Mitsuru Tanahashi, Toshiharu Fujisawa

"Thermodynamic properties of impurities in molten silicon are of prime importance in developing economical production methods of solar grade silicon. In the present research work, thermodynamic properties of boron, the most difficult element to remove from molten silicon, were measured by chemical equilibration techniques at 1723 and 1773 K. Activity coefficients and self-interaction parameters of boron in molten silicon were determined by equilibrating the melt with solid BN under controlled nitrogen partial pressures. Interaction parameters between boron and nitrogen in molten silicon were also determined by equilibrating the molten Si-B alloys with solid Si3N4• Based on the data obtained, the stability diagram of the Si-B-N system was established.IntroductionPhotovoltaic power generation using a silicon solar cell is expected to be the most promising energy source, because it is inexhaustible, cleaner and more safety than conventional energy sources, such as thermal or atomic power generation. At present, expensive off-grade silicon for semiconductor (SEG-Si) is used for a solar cell production. However, if a large-scale photovoltaic energy conversion using silicon solar cell comes into wide use in the near future, silicon will be sure to be in short supply for the cell. Therefore, a development of a new large scale process for solar grade silicon (SOG-Si) production is definitely necessary, which can remove contained impurities from silicon.Among the impurities contained in silicon, boron is one of the most difficult ones to remove by a zone melting or an unidirectional solidification, because its segregation coefficient in silicon is close to unity (0.8). In addition, boron behaves as a p-type silicon semiconductor dopant and, therefore, its content in SOG-Si must be severely controlled. Although some attempts to remove boron by various metallurgical methods have been carried out [I -4], quantitative analysis has not been made due to lack in the information on the thermodynamic properties of boron in molten silicon. From this view point, the activity of boron in molten silicon was determined in the present study by chemical equilibration techniques at 1723 and 1773 K."

Jan 1, 1998

By M. Ide, K. Takemura, S. Taenaka, K. Shinzawa

"The laser characteristic is strongry dependent upon the stoichometry of forsterite (Mg2Si04) and YSO (Y2Si05) single crystals, because of change in the valency and occupied sites of doped Cr in the lattice so that mole ratios of Mg0/Si02 and Y203/Si02 in the above single crystals must be precisely analyzed. In this study ICP-AES was applied for analyzing the mole ratios. Emission intensities corresponding to Si and Mg or Si and Y were measured at the same time with internal standard method. Preparation of sample solutions, measurement conditions of ICP-AES and interferences by coexisting components were discussed, resulting in excellently precise detennination of stoichometry of the above single crystals.IntroductionIn conventional stoichiometric analysis of single crystals, the stoichiometry is detennined by analyzing each component separately with titrimetry and gravimetry techniques. On the other hand, by stoichiometric analyses using ICP-AES, emission intensities corresponding to components are measured at the same time with internal standard method. Consequently erros caused by variation of analytical condition are canceled out.Cr-doped Mg2Si04 and Y2Si05 syngle crystals are known as laser materials. The change of valency and occupied sites of doped Cr affect the characteristic of single crystal as aleser materials. The change of state of doped Cr.Stoichometric composition of Mg2Si04 is constructed by 2mole of MgO and 1mole of Si02, and Y2Si05 is constructed by 1mole of Y203 and 1mole of Si02. In this study, required analytical precision in component mole ratio is within an error of 0.0010 for Mg2Si04 (CV=0.05wt%), and within an error of 0.0030 for Y2Si05 (CV=0.05wt%) (Table I )."

Jan 1, 1998

By Byung-Su Kim

The recovery of elemental sulfur from sulfur dioxide has important implications for coal- burning power plants and nonferrous metal smelters. The thermodynamic analyses showed calcium sulfide to be suitable for recovering elemental sulfur from sulfur dioxide. At the temperatures of 1023 to 1153 K under the sulfur dioxide partial pressures of 5.0 - 60.1 kPa, elemental sulfur from sulfur dioxide was recovered by its reaction with calcium sulfide. The kinetics of this reaction were measured at the same conditions using a thermogravimetric analysis technique. This reaction scheme would be attractive if the coproduct calcium sulfate can be reduced to regenerate calcium sulfide. This is the topic of another paper. At 1073 K under the sulfur dioxide partial pressure of 25.8 kPa, 48 % of the original calcium sulfide was converted to calcium sulfate in an hour. Under the same conditions, 55 % of the regenerated calcium sulfide were converted to calcium sulfate in an hour even after third regeneration.

Jan 1, 1999

By Jaeheon Lee

Gold-copper alloys are shown to form during the cementation of gold on copper in a solution containing 0.25M [S2O32-] at 25oC. The alloy composition is strongly dependent on the initial Cu:Au ratio in solution and ranges from Au3Cu to AuCu3. XPS results for Au, Cu, S, and O are reported as a function of depth through an entire deposited film with an initial solution containing 20 ppm [Au] and 30 ppm [Cu]. The deposit contained about 20 atomic % gold and was predominantly Cu3Au. Underpotential deposition (UPD) theory is discussed as a mechanism for explaining the formation of these alloys. Several other systems that produce alloys during contact reduction/cementation are also discussed.

Jan 1, 2003

By Darryl Lovato, Ramiro Pereyra, Daniel S. Schwartz

"During an annual inventory of nuclear material, a plated steel container which contained plutonium oxide failed. The container had been packaged for temporary storage but had been overlooked and remained in storage for more than 23 years. Although it was determined that the failure occurred through the slip-top rim, a metallurgical evaluation was requested to help to determine the integrity of the container.Optical metallography and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the character and degree of corrosion in the container. The depth of corrosion, measured at approximately 10 µm, did not pose a threat to the integrity of the container. However, the corrosion morphology and chemistry did suggest that a galvanic cell had developed between the tin and steel from the condensation of water. The morphology also suggests that the attack of the steel took place over a series of cycles due to changes of the environment.IntroductionMetallographic analysis was requested as part of the investigation into the mechanism of the failure of a slip-top container (#38621) containing plutonium oxide (PuO2) powder. The container had leaked during a special nuclear material (SNM) annual inventory causing contamination and closure of the vault. A photograph of the container and interior container is shown on the right in Figure 1. An initial investigation established that the source of contamination was the consequence of the failure of multiple layers of containment. Initially by the deterioration of the interior plastic bottle and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bagout bag, and finally through the lid and steel container interface at a location where tape had not adhered properly [1]. Although the source of the breach was established, it was determined that metallographic analysis was important to establish the extent of deterioration of the steel container."

Jan 1, 2008

By Jinrong Zhang

Major components of soil were tested for their ability to attenuate cyanide. Feldspar, kaolinite, plagioclase and bauxite are found to degrade cyanide at an appreciable amount mainly through adsorption. A soil near a mining site in northern Nevada was studied in detail using a tall column. Many species of cyanide were anlyzed to determine the mechanisms of the reactions of cyanide with soil. Volatilization, adsorption, oxidation, precipitation and complexing were quantitatively identified, being 5 to 10, 11.7, 4.2, 7.3 and 4 per cent of the total cyanide added, respectively. It is found that the oxidation of cyanide to cyanate is due to the catalytic effect of nickel and copper leached from the soil. Precipitation of metal-cyanide complexes occurred at low pH values.

Jan 1, 1991

By P. S. Seryogin

R & D works supported by industrial-scale tests, which were carried out by joint efforts of the OAO Gipronickel Institute and MMC ?Kola? engineers, have accomplished with the production of 90?95% metallized nickel powder in tube furnaces (NPTF), with its ?active fraction? (AF) to be further used for decopperization of nickel electrolyte by cementation. Consistently positive results obtained in the course of the lab and industrial experiments have allowed the Severonickel Combine management to effectively replace all activated nickel powder (ANP), which was then employed for cementation, with the AF, having activity over 80%, and eventually shut down the entire operation of gaseous reduction. Ever since the developed technology has been implemented, its annual economic effect exceeds 2 ml. dollars.

Jan 1, 2006

A strategy is presented for a relatively. "low-tech" means for decontamination of streams . containing .low concentrations of toxic metals. Metal ion solutions were . circulate through fluidized beds of activated carbon which support bio-films ?of bacteria .that naturally excrete exopolysaccharides. The attached 'biomass is shown to significantly enhance nickel, cadmium and silver extraction from dilute solutions (5- l00mg/l). By heat treating (at 300º C) the metal/biomass/carbon particles, bio-sorbed silver was subsequently fixed to the carbon surface. This approach to metal decontamination may therefore also provide a route for dispersing and fixing catalytic metal particles over an activated carbon surface.

Jan 1, 1991

By Mingming Zhang

This paper describes the aluminum electrowinning in a batch recirculation cell system using 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and aluminum chloride (ionic liquids) as electrolyte at low temperatures. The technique proposed to deposit aluminum from ionic liquid electrolyte was a three-component electrolytic cell system. Ionic liquid electrolyte was circulated between electrolytic cell and electrolyte reservoir by ceramic piston pump. Two different anodes were used in the electrowinning and it was found the extruded carbon anode had better electrochemical stability and reusability. The cell performance variables studied were the current density and current efficiency as a function of aluminum ion concentration, electrolyte flow rate and applied cell voltage during batch recirculation operation. Results indicated that the current density was directly proportional to the applied cell voltage, initial electrolyte concentration and electrolyte flow rate. Under batch recirculation operation at applied voltage of 3.5 V and temperature of 80-90°C, 80-90% current efficiency of cathodic aluminum deposition can be achieved when flow rate is 20mL/min and initial concentration is 10 mol/L.

Jan 1, 2006

By M. Kobashi, T. Choh, N. Kanetake

"A new processing route, which enables the cost-effective and energy- saving fabrication of metal matrix composites, have been proposed. The pressureless infiltration of the reactive powder blend with molten aluminum was investigated in this work. The molten aluminum infiltrated into the [Ti + C] powder blend spontaneously, whereas the spontaneous infiltration into the TIC powder phase did not occur under the same experimental condition. The processing time was shortened and· the processing temperature was .lowered by adding the aluminum powder in the [Ti + C] powder. The differential thermal analysis revealed that the aluminum powder in the powder blend melted at 933K and then ignited the reaction between titanium and ·carbon. However there was an .optimum additional amount of aluminum in the powder blend. The TiC formed in situ had three-dimensionally continuous morphologyIntroductionThe squeeze casting process has been used as one of the processing routes for aluminum matrix composites. [1, 2]. Non-reactive metal-ceramic systems have been, generally, used in this technique in order to prevent the degradation of the ceramic phase. Materials obtained by this process basically consist of a continuous metal matrix and discontinuously dispersed ceramic particles. Reactive systems have begun to be introduced into the infiltration process· recently [3A]. Since the ceramics are synthesized in-situ, this process can provide a continuous ceramic matrix [5]. This is one of the outstanding features of this technique in that a bulk ceramic-can be synthesized at relatively lower temperatures in a short time. Another advantage is that the highly reactive combination of a ceramic with a molten metal is in many cases wettable [6], which enables a spontaneous infiltration."

Jan 1, 2000

By B. A. Paponetti

The following report discusses the bioleaching of chalcopyrite of italian origin catalyzed by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The developments vcr.ius time of the main .biochemical and chemical reactions involved in the production of soiuble and insoluble species were investigated focusing on the times at which they begin and bow long they last. The precipitates were characterized both in quantity and in quality relating the rate of the process to the precipitates fonnatiom. A material. balance has been made to verify the proposed mechanism.

Jan 1, 1991

A study was undertaken to remove the Se from waste solutions using a raw form of the biomass called Iota Chips derived from the seaweed, Eucheuma spinosum. Removal of Se from solutions was investigated as a function of time, pH, conc. of Se in solution (0.1 to 100 ppm) and lota Chips to liquid ratios of 10-2 to 10-5. For solutions containing initial conc. of 0.1 ppm Se, with the addition of Iota Chips at a solid to liquid ratio of 10-3, the Se conc. decreased to 0.03 ppm in about 3 hours. Iota Chips absorption capacity to the Se and its application to the treatment of the metallurgical processing effluents are discussed.

Jan 1, 1992

By Hee Dong Jang

Crystalline metal oxide nanoparticles such as lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) and indium tin oxide (ITO) were synthesized from sprayed droplets of aqueous precursor solution by flame spray pyrolysis. Complete thermal decomposition of the aerosol precursors was obtained at high flame temperature. Molar concentrations of the precursor solution, and the flow rate of combustion gas such as hydrogen, oxygen and air were varied to control particle size, size distribution and crystal structure. The crystalline nanoparticles synthesized were nearly spherical, and their average primary particle diameters ranged from 11 to 35 nm for LiCoO2 and from 8 to 15 nm for ITO.

Jan 1, 2006

By Leonardo Mota, Felipe Perissé Duarte Lopes, Marcelo Gomes da Silva, Sergio Neves Monteiro, Helion Vargas

"Natural fibers, as a class of material, are attracting the interest of engineering sectors owing to specific advantages such as comparatively reduced cost and lower density as well as environmental benefits associated with renewability and biodegradability. For industrial applications, thermal properties, among others, are required. These are major requirements, especially in the case of an insulating natural fiber. In the present work, thermal properties of the curaua were investigated by photothermal techniques, i.e., the open photoacoustic cell and a method based upon the monitoring of the temperature evolution as a function of time. This investigation, in tum, permitted to evaluate two important thermal properties: the thermal diffusivity and the specific heat capacity of the curaua fibers. Indirectly, by means of simple mathematical relations, the thermal conductivity was also obtained. The results were compared with other materials and characterize the curaua fiber as an efficient insulator.IntroductionMaterials are gaining attention in recent years owing to their benefits for the environment as compared to synthetics. Being biodegradable, yearly renewable and recyclable, the natural planted-based are considered fully sustainable [1]. In particular, their life-cycle, from growing to industrial processing, absorbs as much C02 as it is emitted and makes them neutral with respect to greenhouse gases responsible for global warming [2]. Typical examples of these environmentfriendly materials are the lignocellulosic fibers that have been used in simple items such as ropes, baskets, textile, modest roofing, etc, since the beginning of our civilization [3]. In the past few decades, these natural fibers have been extensively investigated [ 4-1 O] as a possible reinforcement phase of polymer composites in substitution for synthetic fibers. In fact, engineering application of lignocellulosic composites are today in the market, especially in the automobile industry [11-13]. Out of the hundreds available natural fibers, only part of them exhibits superior properties to be qualified for composite reinforcement."

Jan 1, 2011

By Motohiro Horiguchi, Kazuo Ichii, Toshio Oishi

"As a fundamental study to prepare copper-based alloys with rare earths (RE: La, Gd, Nd, Ce and Y) without any inclusions, the solubility of rare earth in liquid copper was experimentally determined. Liquid copper alloys were equilibrated with carbon and rare earth carbide in a graphite crucible in an argon atmosphere at 1523-1873 K.Solubilities of rare earth in liquid copper were determined by approaching the equilibrium values from both the lower and the ·higher concentrations than those expected· in the preliminary experiments. They were expressed as a function of temperature. Carbon in Cu-RE alloy was also analyzed and thermodynamically discussed.IntroductionOver the past several years, the demand for highly conductive and high strength copper-based alloys, such as Cu-Cr, Cu-Zr and Cu-Cr-Zr for use in electronic materials has increased.1 -7 These alloying elements are very reactive and easily oxidized to form oxide inclusions during melting. To avoid the oxide inclusions, it may be effective to utilize the strong reducing power of carbon in conditions under which no carbides form.In this study, to provide fundamental data for producing Cu-RE( rare earth) alloys without any inclusions, the solubility of rare earth in liquid copper in equilibrium with .carbon .was determined and discussed on the basis of the experimental results and the thermodynamic data.ExperimentalSample preparation for equilibrium experimentsOxygen-free copper (99.99%), lanthanum (99.9%), gadolinium (99.9%), neodymium (99.9%), cerium (99.9%) and yttrium (99.9%), and their oxides were used as starting materials.Each rare earth carbide was prepared by mixing rare earth oxide with carbon, which is a little more than the stoichiometric composition, pressing it into a tablet form and sintering at about 2000.K for 20 ks in a vacuum furnace using a graphite crucible. Powder X-ray analysis showed that only the carbon and rare earth carbide (REC2) was present in each sample.Cu-RE mother alloys (5-20 mass % RE) were prepared beforehand by mixing metallic rare earth with oxygen-free copper, and melting in an electric arc furnace."

Jan 1, 2000

By I. A. H. Schneiderl

Eichhornia crassipes approaches being a scourge in many parts of the world, .choking waterways and hindering transport upon them. At the same time it is known to readily abstract heavy metal ions from water and, thus, aids in the removal of heavy metals found in such waters. This paper considers the possibility of using specific parts of the plant as an inexpensive adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from contaminated chemical and mining industry waste waters. In particular the root of the plant was found to be an excellent accumulator of 'heavy metal ions including uranium from solution. It is. also suggested that dried roots of the plant ?might be placed in simple bags and used in a very low cost metal ion removal system.

Jan 1, 1995