Nickel(II) extraction from chloride solutions using N-2-ethylhexylpyridine-3-formamide: A new reagent toward clean hydrometallurgy and a proposed flowsheet for chloride leach liquors of nickel laterites

Base metal hydrometallurgy in a chloride medium has considerable advantages, as metals can be recovered by solvent extraction through a neutral complex mechanism without extra reagent addition, leading to ready lixiviant recycling and significantly reduced wastewater discharge. However, the recovery of Ni(II) using this hydrometallurgical method is challenging because of the unavailability of appropriate extraction reagents. In this study, a new reagent, N-2-ethylhexylpyridine-3-formamide (MEH3), was used to efficiently extract Ni(II) from weakly acidic (pH > 2.5) or neutral chloride solutions in the form of neutral complexes without pH adjustment. Some other metal ions can also be extracted; the selectivity of the reagent for each metal decreased in the following order: Cu(II) > Zn(II) > Ni(II) > Fe(III) > Co(II) > Mn(II). The reagent had weak ability to extract other metal ions such as Ca, Al, Cr(III), Mg, and Li. The extraction of Ni(II) was positively correlated with the Cl⁻ concentration in the aqueous solution, indicating that Cl⁻ is a driving force for Ni(II) extraction. The Ni(II) loaded organic phase was stripped with water, and approximately 50 g/L of Ni(II) in the loaded strip liquor was obtained at an O/A ratio of 15:1. The Ni(II) extraction mechanism was further studied using crystal structure analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, and the maximum loading capacity. The results showed that a Ni(MEH3)₂Cl₂ complex was formed via Ni(II) extraction. In conclusion, the MEH3 system can selectively extract Ni(II) from a chloride solution without consuming alkaline reagents, and no new substances are produced, which is beneficial for the realization of mother liquor recycling and has a positive impact on clean hydrometallurgy.