DOWEX Resins for Separation of Nickel from Liquid Media

Nickel - Ni Nickel is generally found as the multi-valent cation, Ni (II), and less often as the mono-valent ion, Ni (I). Both ionic forms can generally be sorbed by strong or weak acid cation exchange resins. For the more demanding applications, chelating resins from Dow may offer significant benefits to the user.

Applications

Mining and Mineral Processing: Today, DOWEX™ M4195 chelating resin is used to facilitate the difficult separation of nickel from cobalt in cobalt refining facilities at INCO in Port Colbourne, Ontario, and Anglo Vaal's new state-of-the-art Chambishi Metals Plc, cobalt refinery in Zambia, Africa. Chambishi Metals Plc will process their slag dump over the next 30 years with the new $100 million cobalt plant. Chambishi Metals will produce between 2,000 and 4,000 tons of cobalt and more than 5,000 tons of copper a year from the slag dumps. See the references below for details on the seperation of nickel from cobalt refining streams.

DOWEX M4195 chelating resin is uniquely suited for recovering nickel from very acidic process streams. Several proprietary nickel-processing techniques are under development and are expected to have significant impact on the nickel mining industry.

Plating: Nickel is often a problem metal in precious metal and trivalent chromium plating operations. The unique ability of DOWEX M4195 chelating resin to selectively sorb Ni (II) from strongly acidic media makes it perfect for applications like removal of Ni from acidic plating baths and from bright-dip rinse applications in aluminum finishing processes. Strong base anion exchange resins may be effective in removal of nickel from very strong acid solutions (42KB PDF).

Water/Wastewater: Removal of nickel from water and organic solvents is fairly common using strong acid cation resins. For waters with low levels of salt content, a strong acid cation resin such as DOWEX G-26 (H) resin would be a good starting point. In addition weakly acidic cation exchange resins like DOWEX MAC-3 resins are often quite selective for multi-valent ions such as Ni (II). If the wastewater is highly acidic, DOWEX M4195 chelating resin is your resin-of-choice.

DOWEX Ion Exchange Resins

Product	Description	Type	Matrix	Total Exchange Capacity* eq/l (kgr/ft3)	Available Forms
DOWEX G-26 (H)	Uniform particle size strong acid cation exchange resin for specialty demineralization and catalyst applications.	Strong Acid Cation	Styrene-DVB, Gel	2.0	H+
DOWEX MAC-3	A macroporous weak acid cation exchange resin used for water softening, dealkalization, and demineralization applications.	Weak Acid Cation	Polyacrylic, Macroporous	3.8 (83.0)	H+
DOWEX M4195	Chelating resin for copper, nickel, and cobalt processing.	Chelating Resin	Styrene-DVB, Macroporous		Bis-Picolylamine

References Nickel Mining 1. Recovery of nickel from bioleach solution, Duyvesteyn , et al., Patent US 5,626,648, BHP Minerals International Inc. (Reno, NV), 2. Method for recovering nickel from high magnesium-containing Ni-Fe-Mg lateritic ore, Duyvesteyn , et al., Patent US 5,571,308, BHP Minerals International Inc. (Reno, NV) Cobalt/Nickel Separation 1. Development of an ion exchange process to recover cobalt and nickel from primary lead smelter residues., Kennedy, D. C.; Becker, A. ; III; Worcester, A., A, Conference: Metals Specification, Separation, and Recovery, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 27 July -1 August, 1986 Lewis Publishers, Inc., 121 South Main St., PO Drawer 519, Chelsea, Michigan, 48118, USA, 1987 2. Cobalt recovery from copper leach solutions., Jeffers, T. H.; Harvey, M. R., Report, Rep. Invest. - US, Bur. Mines (1985), RI 8927, 16 pp. 3. Separation and recovery of cobalt from copper leach solutions, Jeffers, T. H., Journal, J. Met. (1985), 37(1), 47-50. 4. Separation of nickel from cobalt in sulfate medium by ion exchange., Rosato, L.; Harris, G. B.; Stanley, R. W., Journal, Hydrometallurgy (1984), 13(1), 33-44. 5. Selective absorption of copper, nickel, cobalt and other transition metal ions from sulfuric acid solutions with the chelating ion exchange resin, XFS 4195., Grinstead, Robert R., Patent US 4451375 A 840529, US 83-526303 830825, The Dow Chemical Company, USA, 3 pp. 6. Ammoniacal elution of copper from ion exchange resins., Byleveld, Eduard, Patent US 4371506 A 830201, US 81-274865 810618, Himsley Engineering Ltd., Can. US, 8 pp.