Process for chlorinating resources containing recoverable metals

1. A process for chlorinating ore, slag, mill scale, scrap, dust and other resources containing recoverable metals from the groups 4-6, 8-12, and 14 in the periodic table, said process comprising:

a) forming a liquid fused salt melt consisting essentially of aluminum chloride and at least one other metal chloride selected from the group consisting of alkali metal chlorides and alkaline earth metal chlorides, wherein the aluminum chloride content in the liquid salt melt is at least 10% by weight;

b) introducing said recoverable metal resources into said liquid salt melt;

c) reacting the aluminum chloride as chlorine donor with said recoverable metal resource to form metal chlorides, which are dissolved in the salt melt; and

d) recovering the formed metal chlorides from the salt melt.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal containing resource is a sulfide ore.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the sulfide ore includes at least one metal chosen from the group Cu, Mo, Fe, Zn, Ni, Co; in a total content of at least 0.5% by weight.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal containing resource is ocean floor nodule ore.

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the ocean floor nodule ore includes at least one metal chosen from the group Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Pb, V, Cr, rare earth metals; in a total content of at least 1% by weight.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal containing resource is mill scale of high alloyed tool steel, high speed steel or stainless steel.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mill scale includes at least one metal chosen from the group Fe, Ni, Cr, V, Co, W, Mo; in a total content of at least 2% by weight.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal containing resource is cemented carbide containing more than 70% by weight of tungsten.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal containing resource is dust that has a combined amount of chromium and nickel of more than 5% by weight.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal containing resource is sulfide ore, slag mill scale of high alloyed tool steel, high speed steel or stainless steel, cemented carbide containing more than 70% by weight of tungsten, or dust having a combined amount of chromium and nickel of more than 5% by weight, said process further comprising adding gaseous carbon dioxide to the salt melt during the chlorination process.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal containing resource is sulfide ore, ocean floor nodule ore, slag, or mill scale of high alloyed tool steel, high speed steel or stainless steel, said process further comprising adding (to the recoverable metal resources) more than 10% of a boron containing compound selected from the group consisting of boric acid and sodium borate.

12. The process according to claim 2 , further comprising obtaining as elemental sulfur the sulfur present in the sulfide ore.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the salts of the liquid salt melt consist essentially of aluminum chloride, sodium chloride and potassium chloride.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the aluminum chloride content in the liquid salt melt is in the range of 10-60% by weight.

15. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising carrying out the chlorination reaction under protective atmosphere.

16. The process according to claim 15 , wherein the protective atmosphere is nitrogen and/or argon.

17. The process according to claim 13 , wherein the protective atmosphere is chlorine gas or a mixture of chlorine and at least one of nitrogen and argon.

18. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising milling the metal containing resource to fine powder before introducing and mixing it with the molten salt.

19. The process according to claim 18 , wherein D90 is less than 2 mm.

20. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising dehydrating the metal containing resource before introducing and mixing it with the molten salt.

21. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising performing the chlorination of the recoverable metal within a temperature range of 150° C. to 1000° C.

22. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising performing the chlorination of the recoverable metal within a temperature above 600° C.

23. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the aluminum chloride content in the liquid salt melt is in the range of 15-40 wt %.