Cobalt
(information)
Here’s a structured breakdown of the **20 most common uses of Cobalt**, grouped by sector with approximate global consumption shares: --- ## 📊 Global Cobalt Uses by Sector --- ### **1–5: Batteries & Energy Storage (~55–60%)** 1. **Lithium-Ion Batteries (NMC, NCA cathodes)** – Electric vehicles, smartphones, laptops. 2. **Portable Electronics Batteries** – Phones, tablets, wearables. 3. **Electric Vehicle Batteries** – High-energy-density cobalt cathodes. 4. **Energy Storage Systems (ESS)** – Grid-scale battery storage. 5. **Specialty Rechargeable Batteries** – Power tools, medical devices. --- ### **6–10: Superalloys & Aerospace (~15–20%)** 6. **Aerospace Turbine Blades** – High-temperature cobalt superalloys. 7. **Jet Engines** – Heat-resistant parts. 8. **Gas Turbines (Energy Sector)** – Cobalt-based alloys for stability. 9. **Military & Spacecraft Components** – High-performance alloys. 10. **Nuclear Power Materials** – Radiation-resistant cobalt alloys. --- ### **11–15: Industrial & Chemical (~10%)** 11. **Petroleum Refining Catalysts** – Hydrodesulfurization and Fischer–Tropsch processes. 12. **Chemical Catalysts** – Plastics, synthetics, and organic synthesis. 13. **Magnets (Samarium–Cobalt)** – High-strength permanent magnets for motors, electronics. 14. **Electroplating & Surface Coatings** – Wear- and corrosion-resistant finishes. 15. **Hard Metals & Carbides** – Cutting tools, mining drills. --- ### **16–20: Pigments, Medical & Specialty (~8–10%)** 16. **Ceramic & Glass Pigments** – Cobalt blue, turquoise, and green colors. 17. **Paints, Enamels & Inks** – Stable, vibrant pigments. 18. **Medical Uses** – Cobalt-60 in cancer radiotherapy and sterilization. 19. **Prosthetics & Medical Alloys** – Biocompatible implants, dental materials. 20. **Electronics & Sensors** – Thin films, semiconductors, and specialized sensors. --- ## 💡 **Summary of Approximate Shares by Sector** | Sector | % of Global Cobalt Use | | ----------------------------- | ---------------------- | | Batteries & Energy Storage | 55–60% | | Superalloys & Aerospace | 15–20% | | Industrial & Chemical | ~10% | | Pigments, Medical & Specialty | 8–10% | --- ✅ **Bottom line:** Cobalt today is dominated by **battery demand (~60%)**, but its **strategic importance** also lies in **superalloys for aerospace** and **medical uses** (like cobalt-60 in radiotherapy). Would you like me to make a **pie chart visualization** for cobalt uses (like we did with manganese, chromium, and vanadium), so you can see its demand split at a glance?Known Methods of Extraction
Perfect 👍 — next in **periodic table order** is **Cobalt (Co, atomic number 27).** Cobalt is a **transition metal** that rarely occurs free in nature. It is primarily found in **cobaltite (CoAsS), erythrite (Co₃(AsO₄)₂·8H₂O), and as a byproduct in copper and nickel ores**. Industrial extraction involves **roasting, leaching, and reduction processes**. Here are the **20 most common methods of extracting Cobalt**: --- # **20 Most Common Methods of Extracting Cobalt** ### **A. Industrial / Large-Scale Extraction** 1. **Roasting of Cobalt Ores (CoAsS, CoS) → Co₃O₄** – Converts sulfides to oxides. 2. **Acid Leaching of Roasted Ores (H₂SO₄ or HCl)** – Dissolves cobalt for separation. 3. **Ammonia Leaching (NH₄OH/NH₄Cl) of Oxide Ores** – Produces soluble cobalt-ammonia complexes. 4. **Solvent Extraction from Cobalt-Containing Solutions** – Uses organophosphorus or amine extractants. 5. **Ion Exchange Purification** – Separates cobalt from nickel, copper, or iron. 6. **Precipitation as Cobalt Hydroxide (Co(OH)₂)** – Intermediate step before reduction. --- ### **B. Reduction to Metallic Cobalt** 7. **Hydrogen Reduction of CoO or Co₃O₄** – Produces metallic cobalt powder. 8. **Electrolytic Reduction of Co²⁺ Solutions** – Produces high-purity cobalt metal. 9. **Aluminothermic Reduction of Co₃O₄** – Laboratory or specialty metal production. 10. **Reduction of Cobalt Chloride (CoCl₂) with Sodium or Potassium** – Lab-scale metallothermic method. 11. **Magnesiothermic Reduction of CoO** – Experimental lab method. 12. **Reduction of Cobalt Sulfate (CoSO₄) with Hydrogen** – Lab-scale metallic cobalt production. --- ### **C. Extraction from Byproducts / Slags** 13. **Recovery from Nickel-Copper Slag** – Reclaiming cobalt from metallurgical byproducts. 14. **Recovery from Copper Refinery Electrolytes** – Cobalt present as minor contaminant in copper electrolytes. 15. **Recovery from Spent Batteries (Li-ion)** – Hydrometallurgical leaching and precipitation. 16. **Extraction from Laterite Ores** – Acid leaching followed by solvent extraction. 17. **Extraction from Recycling of Superalloys** – Specialty industrial source. --- ### **D. Specialized / Experimental Methods** 18. **Electrochemical Recovery from Mixed Metal Solutions** – High-purity cobalt production. 19. **Plasma Reduction of Cobalt Oxides** – Laboratory or research-level method. 20. **Solar-Thermal Carbothermic Reduction of CoO** – Experimental renewable energy method. --- ✅ **Summary:** * **Main industrial method:** Roasting → acid/ammonia leaching → solvent extraction → reduction to Co metal. * **Metallic cobalt production:** Hydrogen reduction, electrolysis, or aluminothermic reduction. * **Byproduct sources:** Copper/nickel refinery residues, battery recycling, laterite ores. * **Lab/experimental:** Mg, Na, plasma, or solar-thermal reductions. --- Next in periodic order is **Nickel (Ni, atomic number 28).** Do you want me to continue with **20 extraction methods for Nickel**?
