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Global Outlook on the Availability of Critical Metals and Recycling Prospects from Rechargeable Batteries
Published in Abhilash, Ata Akcil, Critical and Rare Earth Elements, 2019
Pratima Meshram, B.D. Pandey, Abhilash
The common cobalt-bearing minerals found in economic deposits include erythrite, skutterudite, cobaltite, linnaeite, carrollite, and asbolite (asbolane). Cobalt is also found in chemical compounds often associated with sulfur and arsenic (Table 2.2). Though some cobalt is produced from metallic-lustered ores like cobaltite (CoAsS) and linnaeite (Co3S4), it is industrially produced as a byproduct of copper, nickel, and lead. While nickel laterites are mostly processed directly, other Co-bearing ores are beneficiated (by flotation or gravity methods) to produce concentrates, which are hydrometallurgically processed to extract cobalt (Shedd, 2004). Cobalt present as a byproduct of copper is concentrated (sulfides) and converted to oxides by roasting. The oxide is leached in sulfuric acid dissolving metals more reactive than copper, particularly Fe, Co, and Ni as sulfates. After removing iron as iron oxide, cobalt is precipitated as Co(OH)3, which is roasted and then reduced to cobalt metal with charcoal or hydrogen gas (Panayotova and Panayotov, 2014).
Base Metals Waste Production and Utilization
Published in Sehliselo Ndlovu, Geoffrey S. Simate, Elias Matinde, Waste Production and Utilization in the Metal Extraction Industry, 2017
Sehliselo Ndlovu, Geoffrey S. Simate, Elias Matinde
Cobalt ores exist mainly as mixed sulphides, either in copper or nickel oxides/sulphide mixtures (CDI, 2006a; BGS, 2009; Crundwell et al., 2011; European Commission, 2014a). The most common cobalt minerals found in economic deposits include (BGS, 2009) (1) erythrite (Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O), (2) skutterudite ((Co,Ni)As3), (3) cobaltite (CoAsS), (4) carrollite (Cu(Co,Ni)2S4), (5) linnaeite (Co2+Co23+S4) and (6) asbolite ((Ni,Co)2−xMn4+(O,OH)4 · nH2O). In general, cobalt can easily substitute for transition metals in many mineral and chemical compounds, and is commonly found in the place of iron and nickel as they share similar properties (particularly through nickel and iron replacement in pentlandite (Ni,Fe,Co)9S8) (BGS, 2009; Crundwell et al., 2011). As a result, cobalt is mostly produced as a by-product from the production of other base metals, mainly in the production of nickel and copper. And as such, the production of cobalt is largely discussed together under the production processes of nickel (BGS, 2009).
A Comprehensive Review on Cobalt Bioleaching from Primary and Tailings Sources
Published in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, 2023
Alex Kwasi Saim, Francis Kwaku Darteh
Cobalt (Co) is a transition metal that has become very essential for clean technologies in recent years (Sun et al. 2019; van den Brink et al. 2020). Batteries, fuel cells, motors, robotics, drones, 3D printing, and digital technologies are all cobalt-dependent vital technologies (Botelho Junior et al. 2021). It is estimated that global Co consumption in five years will increase by nearly 30%, owing primarily to rechargeable batteries (Djoudi, Le Page Mostefa, and Muhr 2021; Meshram, Virolainen, and Sainio 2022). Because of its irreplaceable functionality in many forms of contemporary technology, as well as the present high-risk status linked with its supply, Co has been listed as a ‘critical raw material’ by the European Commission and the US (Mauk et al. 2021). Cobalt is found in a range of primary (e.g. cobaltite, carrollite, and erythrite) and secondary (e.g. erythrite, heterogenite) minerals in the ore and mine waste (Ziwa, Crane, and Hudson-Edwards 2021). However, Co is nearly entirely mined as a by-product of copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) mining. For instance, approximately 1,800 tpa of Co is produced as a by-product of one of the largest known sulfide Ni resources in Finland (Riekkola-Vanhanen 2021).