Method for preparing a leach feed matertial

1. A method for preparing a leach feed material, the method comprising the steps of:

passing an ore or concentrate containing vanadium and iron to a reduction step to form a reduced ore or concentrate; and

passing the reduced ore or concentrate to a ferric leach step, conducted with ferric chloride in a concentration of between 20 to 40% w/w, to produce a ferric leachate containing iron and a ferric leach residue containing vanadium,

whereafter the ferric leach residue is used as a leach feed material for extracting and recovering vanadium.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ore or concentrate contains titanium in addition to vanadium and iron.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reduction step is conducted using:

a. a carbon reductant; or

b. coke.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the concentration of coke, expressed as a ratio to the stoichiometric amount of carbon required for iron reduction, is between:

a. about 0.8 to 6.5; or

b. about 0.8 to 1.2.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the stoichiometric ratio of carbon is 0.153 (mass of carbon:mass of concentrate).

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reduction step is conducted at a temperature range of between:

a. about 900° C. to 1200° C.; or

b. about 1000° C. to 1100° C.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the residence time of the reduction step ranges between

a. about 1 to 3 hours; or

b. about 2 hours.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reduction step is conducted using reformed natural gas.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the percentage of metallised iron in the reduced ore or concentrate is between about 50 to 100%.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of ferric chloride ranges between:

a. about 25 to 35% w/w; or

b. about 35% w/w.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ferric leach step is conducted at a temperature ranging between:

a. about 25° C. to 100° C. under atmospheric pressure; or

b. about 60° C. to 80° C. under atmospheric pressure.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the residence time of the ferric leach step ranges between:

a. about 1 to 5 hours; or

b. about 1 to 3 hours.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein solids content during the ferric leach step ranges between:

a. about 5 to 20% w/w; or

b. about 8 to 14% w/w.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of:

passing the ferric leach residue to a hydrochloric acid leach step to produce an acid leachate containing vanadium and an acid leach residue.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the acid leach residue contains titanium.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the concentration of HCl acid ranges between:

a. about 15% to 32% (w/w); or

b. about 15% to 20%.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the acid leach step is conducted under atmospheric pressure at a temperature ranging between:

a. about 25° C. to 100° C.; or

b. about 60° C. to 80° C.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the acid leach step conducted under pressure is conducted at a temperature ranging between:

a. about 120° C. to 160° C.; or

b. about 140° C. and 160° C.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the residence time of the acid leach step conducted under atmospheric pressure ranges between:

a. about 0.5 to 10 hours; or

b. about 6 and 8 hours.

20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the acid leach step conducted under pressure has a residence time ranging between:

a. about 0.5 to 4 hours; or

b. about 0.5 to 2 hours.

21. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the solids content during the acid leach step ranges between:

a. about 10 to 30% w/w; or

b. about 15 to 20% w/w.

22. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the free acid concentration at the end of the acid leach step ranges between about 10 to 40 g/L.