Reduction smelting of manganese nodules with a liquid reductant

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A method of recovering metal values from deep sea manganese nodules utilizes a liquid reductant such as bunker C oil as a reducing agent, As a result of efficient contact between the liquid reducing agent and the nodules, little prior preparation of the nodules is required to recover a high percentage of copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum. A new series of metal alloys is produced in the selective reduction of the nodules, the major phase being iron-rich nickel, one minor phase being 80-90%. copper and, the other minor phase being a combination of manganese molybdenum, nickel, cobalt and iron.