Solubility in ammoniacal ammonium salt solutions of copper, nickel, and cobalt components of a waste product produced at Inco's Port Colborne Cobalt Refinery (Ontario)

The feasibility of using different ammoniacal salt solutions, for the dissolution of the nickel, copper, and cobalt components of an industrial waste from the INCO Port Colborne, Ontario cobalt refinery was investigated.; The solubilization of the components was examined for various reagents on an aged sample provided, which represents the 25 year accumulation of the waste at the facility.; Several types of the waste were processed differently and then were compared to see if processing conditions affected the solubility of the different components.; It was not possible to solublize all of the metals from the waste however, it was shown that the processing conditions and age of the material make a difference in the solubilities of the different components. The maximum solubilities of the unfiltered material were; copper, nickel and cobalt, 98, 88, 76 percent respectively.; It was demonstrated that the three metals could be electrolyticly removed from the leachate.