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Improving Cobalt Quality Through Drying, Burning, and Grinding
Cobalt grade increased from 5.8% to 11.4% after drying and thermal processing. Further controlled treatment is targeted to increase the concentration to approximately 15%.
Cobalt Grade Improvement from 5.8% to 11.4% with a Target of 15%
PT Metal Multi Energi continues to develop its cobalt-bearing material processing methods to achieve improved quality and better suitability for metal recovery industries.
The initial material is moist, soil-like, or granular in form and still contains water and non-metallic components. These conditions can affect the reported cobalt percentage because the total material weight includes moisture and other substances that do not contribute to the recoverable metal value.
According to the Sucofindo analysis report for Dried Material or Sample 1, the material showed a cobalt content of 5.8% and a moisture content of 32.2%. Cobalt was tested using the US EPA SW 846-3050 B and 7200 methods, while moisture content was tested using the AOAC method.
This result provided the basis for further processing. The purpose of the treatment is not to create additional cobalt but to reduce moisture, residues, and volatile components. As these non-metal components are removed, the cobalt becomes more concentrated within a lower final material weight.
Drying and Thermal Processing
The first stage involves drying the material to reduce its moisture content. The material can then undergo burning or controlled thermal treatment using an appropriate temperature and processing duration.
The burning process helps remove remaining moisture and some volatile components contained in the material. After thermal treatment, the material may be crushed or ground to produce a more consistent particle size.
