Use of raw manganese nodules for oxidation leaching of reductively roasted manganese nodules

DETAILED DESCRIPTION We claim: 1.
A process for treating a manganese ore containing copper and nickel base metal values to enable the copper and nickel base metal values in the ore to be recovered comprising the steps of calcining the ore to convert the MnO.
sub.
2 to intermediate oxides of manganese, reducing the calcined ore to convert the intermediate oxide of manganese to MnO, leaching the reduced ore with an ammoniacal-ammonium carbonate leach solution to produce a leach solution containing copper and nickel metal values, and oxidizing metal values in the leach solution with raw manganese nodules to convert metal values in the leach solution to a higher oxidation state and to enable the metal values in the raw nodules to be leached in the leach solution.
2.
The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein prior to the calcining step the ore is dried to remove a substantial portion of free moisture contained in the ore.
3.
A process for reducing MnO.
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2 in a manganese ore containing copper and nickel base metal values to enable the copper and nickel base metal values in the ore to be leached comprising the steps of: a.
introducing the ore into a fluid bed dryer and drying the ore in the drier at a temperature between the range of 200.
degree.
-300.
degree.
F for a period of time sufficient to liberate free moisture from the ore; b.
introducing the ore dried in step (a) into a fluid bed calciner and calcining the ore to convert the MnO.
sub.
2 to intermediate oxides of manganese; and, c.
introducing the ore calcined in step (b) into a fluid bed reducer and reducing the intermediate oxides of manganese in the ore to MnO; d.
introducing the reducer product from the fluid bed reducer into an ammonia-ammonium carbonate leach liquor containing cupric copper to oxidize the metals in the reducer product to a higher oxidation state in which they become solubilized in the leach liquor while the cupric copper is reduced to cuprous copper; and, e.
oxidizing the cuprous copper produced in step (d) with raw manganese nodules to convert the cuprous copper to cupric copper and to enable the metal values in the raw nodules to be leached