PURIFICATION OF COBALT ANOLYTE USING THE NOVEL SOLVENT EXTRACTION SYSTEM

In present research, a novel extractant system (D2EHPA + naphthenic acid + pyridine- ester) was used to purify cobalt anolyte and a simulated industrial production were carried out. This novel extraction system can extract Cu and/or Ni against Co from chloride medium solutions at pH range of 2.5-4.5. About 2g/l nickel and 0.2g/l copper were removed from the cobalt chloride anolyte containing about 100g/l cobalt and 200g/l chloride ions respectively, the raffinate contains nickel and copper less than 0.03g/l and 0.0003g/l respectively and can be used to electrolyze high-purity cobalt. About 5.5t cobalt anolyte was purified in the simulation industrial experiment and kilogram quantities of cobalt of 99.98% purity and about 95% recovery have been produced.