By-product recovery of nickel and cobalt from tungsten scrap

Abstract

Tungsten scrap generated industries usually contains about 5% nickel. 0.2-0.5% cobalt and 85-90% tungsten. Recovering of nickel, cobalt and tungsten from tungsten alloy scrap was investigated using nitric acid curing method. The scrap sample was subjected to curing in nitric acid solution for specific time at ambient temperature where over 99% nickel, 90% cobalt were gone in solution leaving more than 99% tungsten of 99% purity in the residue. Different process variables like amount of acid, curing time are optimised and the results are communicated in this paper.