Spent oxidized (500 ºC, 5 h) commercial NiW/Al2O3 catalysts were processed using two different routes: a) fusion with NaOH (650 ºC, 1 h), the roasted mass was leached in water; b) leaching with HCl or H2SO4 (70 ºC, 1-3 h). HCl was the best leachant. In both routes, soluble tungsten was extracted at pH 1 with Alamine 336 (10 vol.% in kerosene) and stripped with 2 mol L-1 NH4OH (25 ºC, one stage, aqueous/organic ratio = 1 v/v). Tungsten was isolated as ammonium paratungstate at very high yield (> 97.5%). The elements were better separated using the acidic route.

We report results of the efficiency of tungsten extraction from wolframite concentrate (containing 61.5 wt % WO3) from the Igarapé Manteiga mine (state of Rondônia, Brazil) through acid leaching with strong mineral acids at 100 ºC and 400 rpm for 2-4 h. HCl yielded insoluble matter containing the highest WO3 content (90 wt %). This solid was dissolved in concentrated NH3(aq) at 25 ºC and the insoluble matter filtrated. The filtrate was slowly evaporated. 70 wt % of the tungsten present in the starting concentrate material was recovered as ammonium paratungstate (APT).

This work presents a study on the separation of Fe(III) and Ti(IV) from sulfuric acid leaching solutions of ilmenite (FeTiO3) using liquid-liquid extraction with D2EHPA in n-dodecane as extracting agent. The distribution coefficients (K D) of the elements related to free acidity and concentration of Fe(III) and Ti(IV) were determined. Free acidity was changed from 3x10-2 to 11.88 mol L-1 and D2EHPA concentration was fixed at 1.5 mol L-1. Recovery of final products as well as recycling of wastes generated in the process were also investigated. The LLE process as a feasible alternative to obtain high-purity TiO2.

This work describes the use of clinoptilolite for removal of ammonium ions present in waters produced at the Campos' Basin. Samples were previously treated in order to remove organic compounds and metals. Experiments were run in fixed- and fluidized-bed systems, at room temperature. The fluidized-bed systems did not remove efficiently the ammonium ion. The best operational conditions were obtained with clinoptilolite particle size in the range 0.30-0.50 mm, under ascendant flow (3 mL min-1), in a fixed-bed system. The best zeolite performance was found when it was pretreated with 0.5 mol L-1 NaOH. Na+ was the most important interfering ion due to its high concentration in the water. Clinoptilolite lost partially its capacity to retain ammonium ions after several regeneration cycles with NaOH.

This work describes the liquid-liquid extraction of uranium after digestion of colofanite (a fluoroapatite) from Itataia with sulfuric acid. The experiments were run at room temperature in one stage. Among the solutions tested the highest distribution coefficient (D > 60) was found for 40%vol. DEHPA (di(2-ethyl-hexyl)phosphoric acid) + 20% vol. TOPO (trioctylphosphine oxide) in kerosene. Thorium in the raffinate was quantitatively extracted by TOPO (0.1% vol.) in cyclohexane. Uranium stripping and separation from iron was possible using 1.5 mol L-1 ammonium or sodium carbonate (room temperature, one stage). However, pH control is essential for a good separation.

This work describes a recovery process of cadmium from spent nickel-cadmium batteries by a new hydrometallurgical route based on the selective extraction in hydrochloric acid medium with tributylphosphate (TBP), alone or dissolved in kerosene. The best results were obtained when TBP concentration was at least 75 vol%. Nickel extraction was negligible under these conditions. It was isolated after processing the rafinate through an anionic ion-exchange column. Final wastes generated are basically sodium chloride solutions, with no turbidity, color or heavy metals present in significant amounts.

A extração de metais com solventes orgânicos é uma poderosa ferramenta para ajudar a separação de complexas misturas de metais presentes em baterias usadas e dispositivos eletroeletrônicos, evitando assim o uso de produtos tóxicos ou de rotas experimentais geradoras de uma grande quantidade de resíduos finais. Este trabalho descreve um processo de recuperação de cobalto presente em baterias níquel metal-hidreto (Ni-MH) usadas por meio de uma nova rota hidrometalúrgica. O elemento foi extraído de uma solução em meio clorídrico com Cyanex 272 (ácido 2,4,4-trimetil-pentil fosfínico) dissolvido em querosene. Os melhores resultados foram obtidos quando o pH estava ligeiramente alcalino (7,2) e a concentração de Cyanex em querosene era 5% vol. A recuperação do cobalto atingiu 99% m/m. Foi também possível recuperar um precipitado contendo lantanídios (La, Ce, Pr) e ítrio, que foi purificado pela dissolução em ácido clorídrico seguido de adição de oxalato de amônio. O níquel também foi isolado como um precipitado impuro após a recuperação do cobalto e dos lantanídios. Os residuos finais gerados ao longo do processo são principalmente soluções de cloreto de sódio, sem coloração, turbidez ou metais pesados em quantidades significativas.

Metals extraction with organic solvents is a powerful tool to aid separation of complex mixtures of elements present in spent batteries and electronic devices, thus avoiding the use of toxic chemicals or experimental routes which generate high amounts of final wastes. This work describes a recovery process for cobalt present in spent Ni-MH batteries by a new hydrometallurgical route. The element was extracted in a chloride-bearing medium with Cyanex 272 (2,4,4-trimethyl-pentyl fosfinic acid) dissolved in kerosene. The best results were obtained when pH was slightly alkaline (7,2) and Cyanex concentration in kerosene was 5% vol. Cobalt recovery reached 99 wt%. It was also possible to recover a crude precipitate containing lanthanides (La, Ce, Pr) and yttrium, which was purified by dissolving it in HCl followed by addition of ammonium oxalate. Nickel was also isolated as an impure precipitate after cobalt and lanthanides recoveries. Final wastes generated along the separation processes are mainly sodium chloride solutions with no color, turbidity or heavy metals present in significant amounts.