Yellow Tungsten Oxide and Tungsten Metal Powder from Fleavy Alloy Scraps

1.

Title of Product/Design/Equipment

Yellow Tungsten Oxide and Tungsten Metal Powder from Fleavy Alloy Scraps

2.

IPR Status

Patent/Abroad IPR Details

Patent Filed

3.

Application/Uses

Tungsten recovery from Scrap

4.

Salient Technical Features including Competing Features

Recovery of high pure products (YTO, W-metal powders & other metal salts/powders) from waste/end-of-life WC-hard metal tool bits/drill bits/inserts etc., and heavy metal alloy scraps/swarf.The salient features of the process are:

• Purity of YTO & W-powder is >99.9%
• High pure cobalt salt is a by-product
• Process recovers all the metals from WC scraps with >95% recovery efficiency.
• Processing cost ~ Rs. 400/kg of tungsten powder (excluding scrap cost).

5.

Level/Scale of Development

Process demonstrated at 1 kg/batch scale

6.

Environmental Considerations

No solid/liquid effluent generated.

~0.25MT of C02/MT of W-powder.

Storage & handling of flammable H2 gas.

7.

Status of Commercialization

The process has been licensed to

M/s Bharat Futuristic Corporation, Bangalore and

M/s Minestone Minerals Ltd., Mangalore

8.

Major Raw Materials to be Utilized

(i) WC scraps, (ii) commercial mineral acids, (iii) EXCEL Grade N2& H2 gasses.

9.

Major Plant Equipment and Machinery Required

(I) FRP/rubber-lined leaching reactors with heating & condensation facilities, (ii) high temperature oxidation furnace(~1000°C Max), (iii) Filter press with PP/FRP MOC with suitable slurry handling pumps, (iv) Pusher type reduction furnace (~1000°C Max), and (v) Drying oven (150°C, Max).

10.

Techno-Economics

For a 5MT/month capacity plant; Capital 85.0 Lakhs (excluding land & shed) & Recurring Expenditure Rs. 18.0 Lakhs/month (excluding scrap cost).

11.

Technology Package

Complete flow-sheet with mass balance, Equipment details, Process description, Equipment flow-diagram, Cost estimate & Product specification. Assistance in setting up the plant on separate terms.