Renewable isoparaffins as diluent in hydrometallurgical liquid-liquid extraction process
The present disclosure relates to hydrometallurgical technologies wherein liquid-liquid extraction, also called solvent extraction, is used to separate and concentrate metal ions. Exemplary embodiments relate to solvent extraction of copper and a diluent useful in copper solvent extraction. A bio-based composition can fulfil physico-chemical properties that are desired for solvent extraction. Moreover, a composition is disclosed, which in addition to providing more environmental friendly alternative, can also improve the solvent extraction process of copper.
1. A biobased composition for liquid-liquid extraction of metals, the biobased composition comprising:
5 vol-%-40 vol-% metal extraction reagent; and
60 vol-%-95 vol % diluent, wherein the diluent includes:
10 wt %-100 wt % of a first organic diluent containing hydrocarbons having 80 wt %-98 wt % C 15 -C 20 hydrocarbons with at least 60 wt % isoparaffins from a total amount of the hydrocarbons; and
optionally, 0 wt %-90 wt % of a second organic diluent component having more than 10 wt % naphthenes;
wherein a 14 C isotope content of the first organic diluent is more than 90%.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the first organic diluent comprises:
0 wt %-5 wt % naphthenes, and 95 wt %-100 wt % paraffins.
3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the first organic diluent comprises:
paraffins, wherein of the paraffins 5 wt %-15 wt % is C 15 hydrocarbons, 10 wt %-35 wt % is C 16 hydrocarbons, 10 wt %-30 wt % is C 17 hydrocarbons, 25 wt % 45 wt % is C 18 hydrocarbons, more than 0 wt %-5 wt % is C 19 hydrocarbons and more than 0 wt %-5 wt % is C 20 hydrocarbons.
4. The composition of claim 2 , comprising:
0 wt %-2 wt % naphthenes, and 98 wt %-100 wt % paraffins.
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein a total amount of isoparaffins in the first organic diluent is at least 85 wt %.
6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the first organic diluent comprises:
C 15 hydrocarbons having 5 wt %-20 wt % n-paraffins and 80 wt %-95 wt % i-paraffins;
C 16 hydrocarbons having 0.5 wt %-15 wt % n-paraffins and 85 wt %-99.5 wt % i-paraffins;
C 17 hydrocarbons having 3 wt %-15 wt % n-paraffins and 85 wt %-97 wt % i-paraffins;
C 18 hydrocarbons having 0.1 wt %-10 wt % n-paraffins and 90 wt %-99.9 wt % i-paraffins;
C 19 hydrocarbons having 0.1 wt %-15 wt % n-paraffins and 85 wt %-99.9 wt % i-paraffins; and
C 20 hydrocarbons having 0.1 wt %-10 wt % n-paraffins and 90 wt %-99.9 wt % i-paraffins.
7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of metal extraction reagent is 15 vol-%-25 vol-% of the composition.
8. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the amount of first organic diluent is 10 wt %-90 wt %, and the amount of second organic diluent is 10 wt %-90 wt % of the diluent.
9. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the amount of first organic diluent is 10 wt %-30 wt %, and the amount of second organic diluent is 70 wt %-90 wt % of the diluent.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of first organic diluent is 10 wt %-90 wt %, and the amount of second organic diluent is 10-90 wt % of the diluent.
11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of first organic diluent is 10 wt %-30 wt %, and the amount of second organic diluent is 70 wt %-90 wt % of the diluent.
12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the metal extraction reagent is hydroxyoxime.
13. The composition of claim 1 , comprising 10 wt %-50 wt % naphthenes.
14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the 14 C isotope content of the first organic diluent is more than 99%.
15. A method of extracting metals with a biobased composition, the method comprising:
liquid-liquid extracting a metal with the biobased composition having a metal extraction reagent and a first organic diluent containing 80 wt %-98 wt % C 15 -C 20 hydrocarbons having at least 60 wt % isoparaffins from a total amount of hydrocarbons,
wherein a 14 C isotope content of the first organic diluent is more than 90%.
16. The method of extracting metals with a biobased composition, according to claim 15 , wherein the metal is copper.