As the demand on resources is increasing worldwide, the process of recycling material has become more important. The specific recycling of metals used in car batteries, and more specifically in the large batteries used in hybrid electric vehicles, is a rising concern where the industrially implemented recycling processes concerning these batteries that exist today are often highly pollutant and energy consuming. In the present study, an alternative hydrometallurgical recycling process of the previously and to some extent presently widely used battery type for hybrid electric vehicle applications, namely the Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery, has been investigated. The focus was to evaluate different routes of recovering Ni, Co, Mn, Zn, Al and residual Y from a NiMH battery leach solution as obtained in a priorly conducted leaching study. Three different possible products were chosen for closer investigation, a mixed metal hydroxide where all of the metals would be precipitated together, a new NiMH cathode material where a controlled precipitation of Ni, Co and Zn together would be implemented and last a pure Ni salt product where a selective separation of Ni from the other metals would be required. Two of the three products, the mixed metal hydroxide and the pure Ni salt, were found suitable for the specific system and it was concluded that a pure Ni salt production would be most justifiable. The separation of Ni from the other metals present in the solution was here proposedly achieved by an extraction process using supported liquid membranes. A mathematical model was used in Matlab in order to evaluate the separation efficiency and to determine the optimum process conditions for the extraction process and a hydroxide precipitation experimental study was conducted in order to determine both the process streams in the production of a mixed metal hydroxide and the solution behavior during the pH increase in the Ni salt production extraction process. The results suggested a low loss of valuable metals and due to this, both the process of producing a mixed metal hydroxide and the process of producing a pure Ni salt could be found to be economically justifiable. / I samband med den ökande efterfrågan på råmaterial världen över så har processer för att återvinna material blivit mer och mer viktiga. Den specifika återvinningen av metaller som använts i bilbatterier, och än mer specifikt återvinningen av de stora batterier som används i hybridbilar är just nu en ökande oro då de rådande återvinningsprocesser som används idag ofta är högst energikrävande och har en stor förorenande inverkan på naturen. I denna studie har en alternativ hydrometallurgisk återvinningsprocess granskats i syfte att återvinna de metaller som används i nickelmetallhydridbatterier (NiMH) som brett har använts för just hybridbilsapplikationer. Fokus har legat på att utvärdera olika möjligheter att återvinna Ni, Co, Mn, Zn, Al och överbliven Y från en laklösning som är ett resultat av en tidigare genomförd lakstudie angående NiMH-batterierna. Tre möjliga produkter valdes för närmare granskning, en blandad metallhydroxid där alla metaller samutfälls ur lösningen, en ny NiMH-katod där en kontrollerad samutfällning av Ni, Co och Zn implementeras och sist ett rent nickelsalt där a selektiv separation av Ni från de övriga metallerna är nödvändig. Två av de tre produkterna, den blandade metallhydroxiden och det rena nickelsaltet, befanns vara lämpliga för det specifika systemet och slutsatsen drogs att en nickelsaltsproduktion var mest berättigad. Den föreslagna separationstekniken för att separera Ni från de andra metallerna i lösningen var en extraktionsprocess användandes av en vätskemembranteknik. En matematisk modell användes med hjälp av Matlab för att utvärdera separationseffektiviteten och för att bestämma optimala processförhållanden. En experimentell hydroxidutfällningsstudie genomfördes även för att bestämma både procesströmmarna i en produktion av en blandad metallhydroxid och för att undersöka lösningens beteende under pH-ökningen i den föreslagna produktionsprocessen av ett nickelsalt. Enligt resultaten är förlusten av värdefulla metaller låga i båda processerna och i enlighet med detta kunde både produktionsprocessen av en blandad metallhydroxid och av ett rent nickelsalt befinnas ekonomiskt hållbara.

Nenhuma / Este trabalho apresenta um estudo da separação dos elementos terras raras (ETR) cério (Ce) e térbio (Tb) através de técnicas hidrometalúrgicas. Para a realização do estudo, a INB Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil S.A., forneceu duas amostras; um licor sulfúrico proveniente do processamento da monazita contendo principalmente os ETR leves (La, Ce, Pr e Nd) e um carbonato dos ETR pesados contendo Tb, Dy, Ho, Er e Y também originado do processamento do licor da monazita. O estudo de separação do cério foi realizado em meio clorídrico. Para a preparação do licor clorídrico os ETR presentes no licor sulfúrico foram precipitados na forma de sulfato duplo de terras raras e sódio que foi convertido em hidróxido terras raras e então dissolvido em HCl. O estudo de obtenção do Ce de elevada pureza foi dividido em duas etapas: precipitação seletiva do cério e purificação do precipitado obtido. A separação do cério pela técnica investigada compreende dois fenômenos: a oxidação do Ce (III) a Ce (IV) e a precipitação Ce (IV) como hidróxido. Os oxidantes investigados foram: H2SO5, H2O2 e KMnO4. Devido ao fato do KMnO4 ser mais estável em meio básico, este foi utilizado em solução contendo Na2CO3 evitando assim sua degradação e auxiliando no controle do pH de precipitação do Ce(OH)4. Entre estes oxidantes, o KMnO4 se mostrou mais eficiente na oxidação do Ce. Após a escolha do agente oxidante, investigou-se as seguintes variáveis de processo: pH final, excesso de KMnO4, tempo de reação e razão molar KMnO4/Na2CO3. Os resultados indicaram a necessidade de um excesso de 30 % de KMnO4 para se ter a completa oxidação do Ce (III) a Ce (IV). Neste caso o Ce(OH)4 precipita juntamente com o MnO2. A purificação do cério foi realizada pela dissolução da mistura de dióxido de manganês e hidróxido de cério com solução de HCl e precipitação seletiva do cério mediante adição de solução de ácido oxálico ou de hidróxido de amônia. Ambos, ácido oxálico e hidróxido de amônia, mostraram-se eficientes na purificação do cério a partir da mistura de Ce/Mn. Após a purificação, os produtos obtidos apresentaram uma pureza entre 99 e 99,5 % de CeO2 com uma recuperação de cério superior a 98 %. A separação do térbio dos outros ETR pesados foi realizada usando a técnica de extração por solventes. Foram realizados experimentos descontínuos e contínuos. Nos experimentos descontínuos, investigou-se as seguintes variáveis de processo: tipo e concentração do agente extratante, acidez da fase aquosa, relação volumétrica entre as fases, tempo de contato e concentração do agente reextratante (solução de ácido clorídrico). Dez extratantes foram investigados: três ácidos organofosforados (DEHPA, IONQUEST801 e CYANEX272); uma mistura de DEHPA / TOPO (ester neutro), três extratantes quelantes (LIX63, LIX984N e LIX612N) e três extratantes básicos - aminas (ALAMINE336, ALIQUAT336 e PRIMENEJMT). Os extratantes organofosforados e extratantes quelantes foram investigados em meio clorídrico e sulfúrico, o desempenho das aminas foi avaliado em meio sulfúrico e a mistura de DEHPA / TOPO em meio clorídrico. Os melhores fatores de separação para os elementos adjacentes foram obtidos com DEHPA e IONQUEST801. Para DEHPA 1,0 mol L-1 em acidez inicial de 0,3 mol L-1 os fatores de separação foram: 2,5 Tb/Dy, 2,1 Dy/Ho, 1,9 Ho/Er, 2,0 Ho/Y e 1,1 Y/Er; para IONQUEST801 1,0 mol L-1 em 0,3 mol L-1 de H+ obteve-se 2,7 Tb/Dy, 2,4 Dy/Ho, 2,1 Ho/Er, 2,1 Ho/Y e 1,5 Y/Er. Os experimentos contínuos foram realizados em um circuito de misturadores decantadores composto das etapas de extração, lavagem, reextração e regeneração do solvente em sistema contracorrente utilizando IONQUEST801 como extratante. Dez experimentos contínuos foram conduzidos em 370 horas de operação, onde os ajustes pertinentes foram sendo realizados, até que a pureza e o rendimento desejados fossem alcançados. Após otimização das condições de processo, o circuito de extração por solventes foi constituído de 10 estágios na etapa de extração, 15 estágios na etapa de lavagem, 10 estágios na etapa de reextração e 2 estágios de regeneração do orgânico. No processo de separação do Tb apresentado, tanto o rendimento de separação como a pureza do produto obtido foram de aproximadamente 90 %. / This work presents a study of the separation of rare earth elements (REE) cerium (Ce) and terbium (Tb) through hydrometallurgic techniques. For the accomplishment of the study, the INB Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil S.A., supplied two samples: a sulphuric liquor from the monazite processing containing mainly the light REE (La, Ce, Pr and Nd) and a heavy REE carbonate containing Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Y also obtained from the processing of the monazite liquor. The study of the separation of Ce was carried out in a hydrochloric medium. In order to prepare the hydrochloric liquor, the REE present in the sulfuric liquor were precipitated as sodium and RE double sulphate which was converted into RE hydroxide which was then dissolved in HCl. The study of the accomplishment of high purity cerium was divided into two steps: selective precipitation of cerium and the purification of the precipitated obtained. The separation of Ce through the technique investigated comprises two phenomena: oxidation of the Ce (III) into Ce (IV) and the precipitation of the Ce (IV) as hydroxide. The oxidant agents investigated were: H2SO5, H2O2 and KMnO4. Amongst these oxidants, KMnO4 presented the best results. After choosing the oxidant agent, the following process variables were investigated: final pH, KMnO4 excess, reaction time and the molar ratios of KMnO4 / Na2CO3. KMnO4 was used in a mixture with Na2CO3 in order to keep the stability of the solution. The results indicated that 30 % of KMnO4 excess was necessary to full oxidation of Ce (III) into Ce (IV). In such case Ce(OH)4 was precipitated together with MnO2. The cerium purification was carried out by dissolution of mixture of ceric hydroxide and manganese dioxide with HCl and it was then selectively precipitated through the addition of oxalic acid or an ammonium hydroxide solution. Both oxalic acid and ammonium hydroxide proved efficient in the precipitation of the cerium present in the mixture of Ce/Mn. After purification the final products assayed between 99 and 99.5 % of CeO2. The cerium recovery yield was greater than 98 %. The separation of terbium from other heavy REE was carried out through the solvent extraction technique. Non-continuous and continuous experiments were done. In the noncontinuous experiment, the following process variables were investigated: type and concentration of the extractants, acidity of the aqueous phase, aqueous / organic volumetric ratio, contact time and the stripping agent concentration (chloridric acid solution). Ten extractants were investigated: three organophosphorus acids (DEHPA, IONQUEST801 and CYANEX272), a mixture of DEHPA/TOPO (neutral ester), three chelating extractants (LIX63, LIX984N and LIX612N) and three basic extractants - amines (ALAMINE336, ALIQUAT336 and PRIMENEJM-T). The organophosphorus extractants and chelating extractants were investigated in hydrochloric and sulphuric media, the performance of the amines was assessed in a sulphuric medium and the mixture of DEHPA/TOPO in hydrochloric medium. The best separation factors for the adjacent elements were obtained with DEHPA and IONQUEST801. For 1 mol L-1 DEHPA in an initial acidity of 0.3 mol L-1, the separation factor was 2.5 Tb/Dy, 2.1 Dy/Ho, 1.9 Ho/Er, 2.0 Ho/Y and 1.1 Y/Er; for 1 mol L-1 IONQUEST801 in 0.3 mol L-1 of H+ it was 2.7 Tb/Dy, 2.4 Dy/Ho, 2.1 Ho/Er, 2.1 Ho/Y e 1.5 Y/Er. The continuous experiment was carried out in a mixer-settler circuit comprising extraction, scrubbing, stripping and solvent regeneration steps in a counter-current system using IONQUEST801 as extractant. Ten continuous experiments were conducted in 370 hours of operation having their variables continuously adjusted in consecutive runs until the desired yields and grades were achieved. The optimum operational circuit was composed of 10 stages in the extraction step, 15 stages in the scrubbing step, 10 stages in the striping step and 2 organic regeneration stages. A terbium product attaining 90 % purity with a yield of 90 % was obtained.Te

The purpose of this study was to investigate the process optimization of combined high pressure acid leaching (HPAL) and mixed hydroxide precipitation (MHP) route for the extraction of nickel and cobalt from &Ccedil / aldag lateritic nickel ore. In order to extract nickel and cobalt values into pregnant leach solution (PLS), several process parameters of HPAL including acid load, temperature, leaching duration and particle size were investigated in comparative manner at constant solid concentration and agitation speed. After HPAL trials, it has been found that more than one combination of parameters offered higher than 90% extraction efficiencies for both nickel and cobalt. Among them, 0.325 kg/kg acid load, 250&deg / C, 1 hour duration and 100% -1 mm particle size was selected as the optimum conditions with 94.1% Ni and 94.0% Co extractions. A stock of PLS was prepared under the stated conditions that was treated by downstream operations in order to obtain MHP. Initially by two-stage iron removal of downstream operations major impurities iron, chromium and aluminum were nearly completely removed with acceptable nickel and cobalt losses from PLS. Then, the nickel and cobalt were precipitated by two-stage mixed hydroxide precipitation. In the first step of MHP, the optimum conditions were chosen as pH=7.10, 60&deg / C and 1 hour duration. The intermediate product obtained at these conditions contained 44.3% Ni, 3.01% Co with 3.06% Mn contamination. In summary, it was found that &Ccedil / aldag nickel laterite ore was readily leachable under HPAL conditions and PLS obtained was easily treatable in order to produce saleable MHP.

D. Tech. Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering / This study provides experimental data and new perspectives on selective precipitation of platinum group metals (PGMs) in the presence of base metals while at the same time reviewing the mass transfer characteristics and models associated with metal sulphides precipitation in liquid-liquid and gas-liquid systems. In this study, the objective was to investigate and validate the concept of selective precipitation of platinum from chloride media using sulphur-bearing liquids or gases.

Pressure oxidation of refractory gold ores containing carbonate minerals is conducted under neutral/alkaline conditions in order to promote fast kinetics, reduced reagent consumption and suppressing the formation of elemental sulphur and CO2 (which reduces the effectiveness of the process). In this work, both the addition of sodium carbonate and the presence of silica were investigated during the pressure oxidation of pyrite in the presence of calcium carbonate. It was found that the shift to an alkaline leaching environment favours the formation of soluble sulphate products over anhydrite (an industrial scale), but that the increase in kinetics is likely due to an increase in pH and carbonate/bicarbonate concentrations. The presence of silica in the autoclave induces the formation of an in situ iron oxyhydroxide silicate coating and a significant reduction in pyrite oxidation, which was minimized by addition of sodium carbonate.

Pressure oxidation of refractory gold ores containing carbonate minerals is conducted under neutral/alkaline conditions in order to promote fast kinetics, reduced reagent consumption and suppressing the formation of elemental sulphur and CO2 (which reduces the effectiveness of the process). In this work, both the addition of sodium carbonate and the presence of silica were investigated during the pressure oxidation of pyrite in the presence of calcium carbonate. It was found that the shift to an alkaline leaching environment favours the formation of soluble sulphate products over anhydrite (an industrial scale), but that the increase in kinetics is likely due to an increase in pH and carbonate/bicarbonate concentrations. The presence of silica in the autoclave induces the formation of an in situ iron oxyhydroxide silicate coating and a significant reduction in pyrite oxidation, which was minimized by addition of sodium carbonate.

L’agromine est une filière destinée à valoriser des métaux dispersés dans des sols ou autres matrices, à l’aide de plantes hyperaccumulatrices (HA). La première étape consiste à cultiver ces plantes pour obtenir des rendements élevés en métaux et la seconde, à produire des composés métalliques d’intérêt à partir de la biomasse. L’agromine a surtout été développée pour valoriser le nickel (Ni). Jusqu’à présent, la biomasse était brûlée pour concentrer le métal et éliminer les matières organiques. L’enjeu de cette recherche est de concevoir des procédés de récupération du Ni par extraction directe depuis la biomasse, sans brûler la plante. Il s’agit de comprendre les processus impliqués lors de l’extraction du Ni de la biomasse sèche à l’aide d’un solvant et déterminer les formes chimiques des espèces en solution. A partir de là seront mises en œuvre des opérations de séparation adaptées, pour isoler le Ni sous une forme intéressante pour des applications ultérieures. Les expériences de lixiviation à l’eau à 20 °C, menées avec deux HA contrastées, ont démontré qu’il était possible de transférer en solution jusqu’à 80% du Ni présent dans les tissus des plantes. Celui-ci est accompagné des ions majeurs et de composés organiques. L’analyse des composés et la modélisation des équilibres chimiques en solution ont montré que le Ni était complexé à plus de 95% par des ligands organiques, acides carboxyliques, porteurs du Ni dans la plante, ainsi que des complexants plus forts. A partir de ces résultats, des procédés de séparation ont été sélectionnés : la précipitation sélective et l’adsorption sur résine complexante. Ils ont permis de récupérer respectivement 75 et plus de 95% du nickel sous forme sulfure ou composé carboxylique. En revanche, la purification à l’aide de décanoate n’a pas permis d’isoler le Ni. Ainsi, ce travail a permis de mieux comprendre l’extraction du Ni directement à partir de plantes, la spéciation du Ni en solution multiconstituant en présence de ligands organiques, et de valoriser le nickel par des voies jusqu’alors inexplorées avec ce type de matière première / Agromining is a chain allowing the recovery of metals dispersed in soils or other matrices, using hyperaccumulator plants (HA). The first step is to grow these plants to achieve high yields of metals and the second to produce metal compounds of interest from the plant biomass. Agromining has mainly been developed to value nickel (Ni). Until now, biomass was burnt to concentrate the metal and remove organic matter. The challenge of this research is to design processes for Ni recovery by direct extraction from biomass, without burning the plant. It will allow a better understanding of the processes involved in the extraction of Ni from dry biomass using a solvent and the determination of the the speciation in the solution. Then, appropriate separation operations will be implemented to isolate the Ni in an interesting form for subsequent applications.Water leaching experiments, run at 20 ° C with two contrasted HAs, demonstrated that up to 80% of Ni could be transferred from the plant tissues to the solution. Ni is accompanied by major ions and organic compounds. The analysis of these compounds and the modeling of the chemical equilibria in solution showed that more than 95% of Ni was complexed by organic ligands, carboxylic acids (Ni carriers in the plant) as well as stronger complexing agents. From these results, separation processes were selected: selective precipitation and adsorption on complexing resin. They made it possible to recover respectively 75 and more than 95% of the nickel in sulphide or carboxylic compound forms. In contrast, purification with decanoate did not isolate the Ni.Thus, this work has made it possible to better understand the extraction of Ni directly from plants, the speciation of Ni in a multicomponent solution in the presence of organic ligands, and to valorize nickel by ways previously unexplored with this type of material

À ce jour, la récupération de métaux précieux contenus dans les déchets d’équipements électriques et électroniques (DEEE) se fait par des procédés présentant un niveau de dangerosité certain du fait de l’utilisation de cyanure ou d’eau régale qui impactent l’environnement avec une toxicité notoire pour l’homme dans le cas des cyanures. C’est dans la perspective de répondre à ces enjeux environnementaux que le projet PEPITE a été construit en associant un industriel (RECUPYL®) le LEPMI avec le soutien de L’ADEME. L’objet du projet vise à récupérer les métaux précieux contenus dans les DEEE par un procédé utilisant des liquides ioniques (LIs). Les travaux ont permis de compiler une base de connaissance très utile sur les propriétés physicochimiques des liquides ioniques retenus. Nous avons également pu bâtir un schéma de traitement aussi efficace mais sans rejet de gaz toxiques ou d’effluents. Les résultats de nos travaux ont conduit à l’émergence d’une nouvelle voie de recyclage par chimie verte grâce à l’application des liquides ioniques. Enfin, cet avantage environnemental s’accompagne d’une viabilité économique en regard des procédés actuels. / To date, the recovery of precious metals contained in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) reported a significant level of danger due to the use of cyanide or aqua regia extremely harmful and dangerous to the humans and the environment. This is in view to respond to environmental and economic issues that RECUPYL® society, LEPMI laboratory and the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) developed the PEPITE project. It aims to recover the precious metals contained in WEEE by a hydrometallurgical process using ionic liquid electrolytes (ILs). This work led us to establish a knowledge base and to make measurements on the physico-chemical properties of LIs. We were able to develop a process flow sheet without release neither toxic gases nor effluents. The research work undertaken has led to significant results and demonstrated that there is a real solution for the recovery of precious metals in ionic liquid electrolyte.

En raison du risque d’un approvisionnement insuffisant en ressources primaires des terres rares et des impacts environnementaux générés par les zones minières, le concept de l’agromine paraît être une solution très prometteuse. Il permet d’extraire des métaux lourds à partir de sols pollués ou de friches industrielles, par une méthode respectueuse de l’environnement, grâce à la culture de plantes hyperaccumulatrices. Une fois la culture réalisée, des procédés hydrométallurgiques sont développés afin d’extraire des plantes les métaux ayant une valeur économique importante. Le présent travail vise à développer des procédés hydrométallurgiques pour l’extraction des terres rares à partir d’une plante hyperaccumulatrice appelée Dicranopteris dichotoma. Cette fougère est connue pour sa capacité à accumuler les terres rares, notamment les légères, dans sa partie aérienne. Différentes voies d’extraction, puis de séparation des terres rares des autres éléments, ont été étudiées. Dans un premier temps, des lixiviations de la biomasse sèche ont été mises en oeuvre. Les rendements de lixiviation selon la nature de l’extractant ont ainsi pu être comparés. Pour cette voie, une précipitation est ensuite effectuée, suivie d’une calcination pour obtenir les oxydes de terres rares. Dans un second temps, la lixiviation de la biomasse sèche a été intensifiée par un procédé d’échange d’ions au cours duquel les terres rares sont fixées sur la résine. Après avoir percolé sur la résine des solutions qui permettent d’éliminer des impuretés, l’élution permet d’obtenir une solution concentrée de terres rares. Enfin, une troisième voie d’extraction est réalisée à partir des cendres de D. dichotoma, après une étape de combustion. Cette voie repose sur une lixiviation alcaline des cendres permettant l’élimination des impuretés solubles dans ce milieu. Une dissolution du résidu est ensuite effectuée, suivie d’une précipitation sélective des terres rares. Les trois voies étudiées s’avèrent en fait complémentaires et la combinaison de certaines étapes peut s’avérer prometteuse, notamment pour éliminer certaines impuretés. L’étude de ces procédés et de leur combinaison mérite d’être poursuivie afin d’améliorer les rendements d’extraction et la pureté du produit final. Il s’agira ensuite de développer un procédé à l’échelle pilote puis industrielle / Due to the risk of primary resource supply of rare earths and the environmental impacts generated by mining areas, the concept of agromining seems to be a very promising solution. It allows the extraction of heavy metals from polluted soils or industrial wastelands, by an environmentally friendly method, thanks to the cultivation of hyperaccumulating plants. Once the culture is completed, hydrometallurgical processes are developed in order to extract from plants the metals having a significant economic value. The present work aims to develop hydrometallurgical processes for the extraction of rare earths from a hyperaccumulator plant called Dicranopteris dichotoma. This fern is known for its high ability to accumulate rare earths, especially light ones, in its aerial part. Different extraction and separation ways of rare earths from other elements have been studied. At first, leaching of dry biomass was implemented. The leaching yields according to the nature of extracting solutions could thus be compared. For this approach, precipitation is then performed, followed by calcination step to obtain rare earth oxides. In a second approach, the leaching of dry biomass was intensified by an ion exchange process during which, the rare earths are fixed on the resin. After percolating solutions on the resin in order to eliminate impurities, an elution step leads to obtain a concentrated solution of rare earths. Finally, a third extraction process is carried out from the ashes of D. dichotoma, after a combustion step. This approach is based on an alkaline leaching of the ash allowing the elimination of soluble impurities in this medium. The residue is then dissolved, followed by rare earths selective precipitation. These three approaches studied, are actually complementary and the combination of certain steps can be promising, especially to eliminate some impurities. The study of these processes and their combination deserves to be pursued in order to improve the extraction yields and the purity of final product. It will then develop a pilot scale and industrial process

L'objectif de cette thèse est de bâtir un modèle prédictif d'une unité industrielle continue de dissolution de minerai de nickel/ et précipitation de fer simultanées. La méthodologie adoptée consiste dans un premier temps à réaliser des expériences en réacteur fermé ou semi-fermé pour identifier et modéliser séparément les différents phénomènes en jeu, puis dans un second temps à construire un modèle d'unité continu les rassemblant tous. Ce travail a permis certaines avancées tant sur le système retenu que sur les méthodes et modèles adoptés. Tout d'abord la thermodynamique des solutions Na-Fe(III)-H2SO4 aux alentours de 100°C a été clarifiée et la constante de solubilité de la natrojarosite Na0,84H0,16Fe2,90(SO4)2(OH)5,7 a été déduite. Ensuite les paramètres influant sur les précipitations des jarosite de sodium et potassium ont été mis en évidence et leur cinétiques de croissance ont pu être déterminées grâce à l'utilisation originale de la méthode des caractéristiques. Puis les cinétiques de dissolution des minerais ont été obtenues, en prenant en compte différentes phases du minerai et leurs granulométries. Après avoir déduit tous les paramètres nécessaires, un modèle original, permettant de simuler une cascade de réacteur de dissolution/précipitation avec recyclage a été construit puis validé. Cet outil de conception, couplé à une étude technico-économique peut permettre d'optimiser le procédé. / The goal of this thesis is to build a predictive model for a continuous industrial unit combining simultaneously nickel ore dissolution and iron precipitation. A two steps method was used. First experiments in batch or semi-batch reactors were done in order to understand and model separately the different phenomenon that take place. Then all the equations and associated constants were used to build a model. This work allowed some advances both on the system studied and on the methods used. First thermodynamics of Na-Fe(III)-H2SO4 solutions in the 70-100°C temperature range was clarified and natrojarosite solubility constant Na0,84H0,16Fe2,90(SO4)2(OH)5,7 was deduced. Secondly parameters acting on sodium and potassium jarosite precipitation were highlighted and their growth kinetics were deduced through an original use of caracterisctics method. Then ore dissolution kinetics were found, taking into account different ores phases and their granulometry. After deducing all the necessary parameters, an original model allowing to simulate a cascade of dissolution/precipitation reactors with recyling loop was build and validated. This conception tool, coupled with a technico-economic study allows the optimisation of such a process.