PROCESS FOR TREATING MAGNESIUM-BEARING ORES

1 . A process for extracting magnesium metal from a magnesium-bearing material, said process comprising:

a. leaching the magnesium-bearing material with HCl as to obtain a leachate containing magnesium chloride; and

b. electrolyzing the magnesium chloride for extracting magnesium metal.

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the step of electrolyzing the magnesium chloride comprises using an electrolysis cell having a cathode and an anode wherein a source of hydrogen gas is delivered to the anode.

3 . The process of claim 2 , further comprising the step of dehydrating magnesium chloride contained in the leachate before the step of electrolyzing the leachate containing magnesium chloride to obtain magnesium metal.

4 . The process of claim 3 , wherein a two step fluidized bed is used for dehydrating the magnesium chloride.

5 . The process of claim 4 , further comprising a drying step in a fluidized bed dryer followed by gaseous HCl drying to extract anhydrous magnesium chloride.

6 . The process of claim 5 , wherein the dehydrated magnesium chloride is further dissolved in molten salt electrolyte.

7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein dry hydrochloric acid is added to proceed with the dehydration step.

8 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising recycling said gaseous HCl by contacting it with water so as to obtain a composition having a concentration of about 25 to about 45 weight % and using said composition for leaching.

9 . The process of claim 8 , wherein said magnesium-bearing material is leached with HCl having a concentration of about 20 to about 45 weight % at a temperature of about 60 to about 125° C.

10 . (canceled)

11 . The process claim 8 , wherein said recycled gaseous HCl so-produced is contacted with water so as to obtain said composition having a concentration between 25 and 36 weight %.

12 . (canceled)

13 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of passing the leachate on a chelating resin system to recuperate nickel chloride from said leachate.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The process of claim 13 , further comprising the step of electrolyzing the nickel chloride to obtain nickel.

16 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of hydrolysis at low temperature of about 155 to about 350° C. the leachate to extract hematite.

17 . The process of claim 16 , further comprising the step of passing the hydrolyzed leachate on a chelating resin system to recuperate nickel chloride from said hydrolyzed leachate.

18 . (canceled)

19 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of supplementing at least one of MgCO 3 , H 2 SO 4 , and MgSO 4 to the leachate and purifying said supplemented leachate to recuperate CaCO 3 and/or CaSO 4 .

20 . The process of claim 13 , further comprising the step of separating a liquid phase from a solid form of the leachate and concentrating said liquid phase to a concentrated liquid having an iron chloride concentration of at least 30% by weight; and then said iron chloride is hydrolyzed at a temperature of about 155 to about 350° C. while maintaining a ferric chloride concentration at a level of at least 65% by weight, to generate a composition comprising a liquid and precipitated hematite, and recovering said hematite.

21 . (canceled)

22 . (canceled)

23 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising a step of magnetic separation of the magnesium-bearing material before step a) of leaching to recover magnetite.

24 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of oxidizing reacted leachate and crystallizing said reacted leachate to recover Fe 2 O 3 and AlCl 3 .

25 . (canceled)

26 . (canceled)

27 . (canceled)

28 . (canceled)

29 . (canceled)

30 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the magnesium-bearing material is a magnesium-bearing ore.

31 . (canceled)

32 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the magnesium-bearing material is an asbestos mine tailing.

33 . (canceled)

34 . (canceled)

35 . (canceled)

36 . (canceled)