Preparation of a cobalt-containing catalyst

1. A process for the preparation of a cobalt-containing catalyst or catalyst precursor, comprising:

(a) mixing:

(1) water;

(2) a first aqueous solution comprising carbonate and hydroxide ions;

(3) a second aqueous solution comprising cobalt ions and ions of at least one promoter metal compound, selected from the group consisting of manganese, vanadium, rhenium, ruthenium, zirconium, titanium or chromium;

to form a mixture;

(b) obtaining from the mixture obtained in step (a) a precipitate consisting of needle shaped crystalline Co(OH)(CO 3 ) 0.5 and X(OH)(CO 3 ) 0.5 H 2 O wherein X is selected from the group consisting of manganese, vanadium, rhenium, ruthenium, zirconium, titanium or chromium, the precipitate having a surface area of at least 80 m 2 /g;

wherein the pH of the mixture of step (a) during mixing is maintained within the range of 6.5 to 8.5 and the temperature of the water, first and second aqueous solution and the mixture obtained in step (a) is maintained within the range of 50 and 85 degrees Celsius; and

(c) co-mulling of a carrier material and the precipitate to obtain a co-mulled material wherein prior to the co-mulling the precipitate is washed.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein in step (a) the first and second aqueous solutions are admixed to the water.

3. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

(d) shaping and drying of the co-mulled material obtained in step (c) to obtain a shaped material.

4. The process according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of calcining or drying of the shaped material obtained in step (d).

5. A Fischer-Tropsch catalyst comprising a carrier material and crystalline Co(OH)(CO 3 ) 0.5 H 2 O and X(OH)(CO 3 ) 0.5 H 2 O wherein X is selected from the group consisting of manganese, vanadium, rhenium, ruthenium, zirconium, titanium or chromium, wherein the crystals are needle shaped and have a surface area of at least 80 m 2 /g dry precipitate.

6. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst according to claim 5 wherein the carrier material is a refractory metal oxide or precursor thereof.

7. A process for producing normally gaseous, normally liquid and optionally normally solid hydrocarbons at ambient conditions of 20° C. and 1 bar from synthesis gas which process comprises the steps of:

(i) providing the synthesis gas to a reactor comprising the catalyst; and

(ii) utilizing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst of claim 6 , catalytically converting the synthesis gas of step (1) at temperature in the range from 125 to 350° C. and pressure from 1 to 200 bara to obtain the normally gaseous, normally liquid and optionally normally solid hydrocarbons.

8. A process for producing normally gaseous, normally liquid and optionally normally solid hydrocarbons at ambient conditions of 20° C. and 1 bar from synthesis gas which process comprises the steps of:

(i) providing the synthesis gas to a reactor comprising the catalyst; and

(ii) utilizing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst of claim 7 , catalytically converting the synthesis gas of step (i) at temperature in the range from 125 to 350° C. and pressure from 1 to 200 bara to obtain the normally gaseous, normally liquid and optionally normally solid hydrocarbons.

9. A precipitate consisting of crystalline Co(OH)(CO 3 ) 0.5 and X(OH)(CO 3 ) 0.5 H 2 O wherein X is selected from the group consisting of manganese, vanadium, rhenium, ruthenium, zirconium, titanium or chromium, wherein the crystals are needle shaped and have a surface area of at least 80 m 2 /g dry precipitate.

10. A Fischer-Tropsch catalyst precursor comprising a carrier material and crystalline Co(OH)(CO 3 ) 0.5 H 2 O and X(OH)(CO 3 ) 0.5 H 2 O wherein X is selected from the group consisting of manganese, vanadium, rhenium, ruthenium, zirconium, titanium or chromium, wherein the crystals are needle shaped and have a surface area of at least 80 m 2 /g dry precipitate.