CMI researchers from Idaho National Laboratory conducted the research for this highlight.
Innovation
Electrochemically mediated leaching of Co from legacy cobalt mine tailings with immobilization of As.
Achievement
- 86% of Co and 87% of As were extracted from a legacy mine tailing containing 1.3% Co, 1.8% Cu, and 5.3% As.
- Operation of the system for 36 hours allowed to isolate 67% of the leached Cu from the leachate to form Cu3As alloy at the cathode.
- Over 81% of the remaining As was immobilized as scorodite with a follow-up electrochemical processing.
Significance and Impact
Low-temperature recovery of Co from mine tailings and immobilization of As potentially opens an environmentally friendly pathway for domestic Co production.
Hub Target Addressed
Unlocking unconventional resources.