New Cytec metal extraction solutions

Cytec Industries, through its metal extraction business, has announced the introduction of four innovative technologies for solvent extraction of metals. The first two innovations help mining companies protect against the degradation of their solvent extractant - particularly degradation that is caused by exposure to high nitration or oxidative conditions.

This is a significant challenge for mining companies, many of which have more than US$1million invested in extractants that their process uses over and over again. Companies using the Cytec products can get substantial cost savings by reducing extractant replacement costs and improving the operational reliability of a processing facility. This new series of products, including the ACORGA NR solvent extraction reagent and the ACORGA OR solvent extraction reagent, expand the company’s line of products for copper solvent extraction.

The third innovation allows mining companies to extract valuable molybdenum from their copper solvent extraction process. Molybdenum exists at varying levels in most ore processed for copper extraction. By extracting it during their copper solvent extraction process, mining companies can gain an additional revenue stream from their existing operations. Cytec’s CYANEX 600 extractant allows selective extraction, purification and concentration of molybdenum from low concentration acidic streams. Finally, Cytec has developed a new modelling technique for the separation of cobalt from nickel via solvent extraction. This new software technology allows Cytec to very quickly evaluate and simulate many potential operational scenarios to optimise the design of a future operation or improve the efficiency of an existing operation. These significant improvements will allow cobalt/nickel extraction operations to have higher profitability and improved efficiency.