The extraction of nickel from ammoniacal media and its separation from copper,cobalt and zinc using hydroxyoxime extractants I. SME-529

Nickel extraction from ammoniacal media, containing, initially, 0.03 mol dm^?3 of nickel, by 10% v/v Shell metal extractant 529 in MSB 210 or Shellsol A, has been studied as a function of pH, counter anions (nitrate or sulphate), ammonium salt concentration, temperature (10 to 50°C), and the presence of copper, cobalt and zinc. The extraction of copper as a function of pH was studied in the presence of nickel. The pH for maximum nickel extraction decreased from 8.2 to 7.4 as the ammonium sulphate concentration increased from 0.1 to 3.4 mol dm^?3. Nickel extraction was lower from sulphate than from nitrate media and with Shellsol A, and at higher temperature. The enthalpy and entropy of extraction were negative. The presence of copper, cobalt and zinc decreased nickel extraction. Separation factors between copper and nickel are reported as a function of pH and indicate that initial removal of copper is desirable.From a consideration of the equilibrium, the extraction of nickel (with MSB 210 diluent) at 25°C could be expressed by the equation:

$\text{log}\text{D}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ni</mtext>}}\text{= ?9.25 +}\text{log}\text{α}{}_0\text{+ 2}\text{log}\text{(C}{}_{\mathrm{HR}}\text{?2}\text{Ni}\text{]}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>org</mtext>}}\text{) + 2}\text{pH}$

where D_Ni represents nickel distribution coefficient, C_HR the total extractant concentration, Ni]_org the organic nickel concentration (both in mol dm^?3) and α₀, the fraction of uncomplexed nickel in the aqueous phase calculated from the overall stability constants of Ni(NH₃)_i²⁺ complexes and the formation constant of NiSO₄ ion pairs.The limiting slope of ?1 for long D_Ni versus log NH₃]_free plots indicated an average co-ordination number of 3 for nickel by ammonia in the aqueous phase.The uptake of SO₄^2?, NO₃^? and water by the organic phase was negligible. The uptake of ammonia was dependent upon pH and the ammonia content of the aqueous phase, and was negligible in the absence of metal.