PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS (electrolytic C25); PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS

Introduced: September 1968

Description

C22B encompasses the extraction, production, and refining of metals from raw materials, including pretreatment processes such as ore beneficiation, roasting, and calcination. This subclass covers pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and electrometallurgical methods for obtaining both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as their purification and recovery from scrap or secondary sources. Typical technologies include smelting furnaces, leaching processes, electrolytic refining, and waste treatment for metal recovery. Related alloy production and thermal treatment of metals are classified separately under C22C and C22F respectively.

Title

Titles differ between systems:

IPC: PRODUCTION OR REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS

CPC: PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS (electrolytic C25); PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS

Full Title

Full titles differ between systems:

IPC:

PRODUCTION OR REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS

CPC:

PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS (electrolytic C25); PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS

Additional Content IPC

Glossary

Carburising darburising Treatment of a metal with an externally supplied source of carbon resulting in the chemical reaction or diffusion of the carbon into the metal. Decarburisation decarburization Treatment of a metal to remove carbon therefrom. Hydrometallurgy A generic term for processes involving solution in water or other liquid in which metalliferous material or metal is treated to prepare metal, to purify or to refine metal, or to prepare intermediate materials more suitable for use in preparing metal (e.g. extracting, leaching, beneficiating, etc.). Leaching Extraction by dissolving soluble constituents from insoluble materials. Either the extracted solution or the insoluble material may contain the desired metalliferous material from which metal is obtained. Pyrometallurgy A generic term for processes carried out at relatively high temperatures, usually in furnaces, in which metalliferous material or metal is treated to prepare metal, to purify or to refine free metal, or to prepare intermediate materials more suitable for use in preparing metal (e.g. smelting, roasting of ores, etc.). Reducing Changing from a higher to a lower oxidation state such as, for example, from the ferric to the ferrous state, viz.: Fe 3+ + e - → Fe 2+ or to the elemental state. Refining Purification of metal by removal of impurities therefrom. Roasting The treatment of an ore or concentrate with heat and causing partial or full oxidation of the reactive species present in the ore or concentrate to facilitate metal extraction. Slag slags A vitreous mass that separates from fused metals during smelting or refining of metalliferous material. Smelting Treatment of metalliferous material, typically a metal sulfide ore or concentrate, with sufficient heat to cause melting of the sulfide mineral(s) in the ore or concentrate such that a molten metal sulfide phase is formed.

Limiting references

Working metallic powder; manufacture of articles from metallic powder; making metallic powder or suspensions thereof Flotation of ores Processing of pig iron, e.g. refining, manufacture of wrought iron or steel; producing sponge iron by direct reduction , Electrolytic production or refining of metals

IPC and CPC are identically structured here. All 25 subcodes exist in both systems.

4 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.

Child Classifications

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C22B 1/00 Preliminary treatment of ores or scrap +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 11/00 Obtaining noble metals +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 13/00 Obtaining lead +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 15/00 Obtaining copper +4 CPC −4 IPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 17/00 Obtaining cadmium +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 19/00 Obtaining zinc or zinc oxide IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 21/00 Obtaining aluminium +4 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 23/00 Obtaining nickel or cobalt +2 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 25/00 Obtaining tin +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 26/00 Obtaining alkali, alkaline earth metals or magnesium since 1974 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 3/00 Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 30/00 Obtaining antimony, arsenic or bismuth since 1974 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 34/00 Obtaining refractory metals since 1974 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 35/00 Obtaining beryllium IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 4/00 Electrothermal treatment of ores or metallurgical products for obtaining metals or alloys (obtaining iron or steel C21B, C21C) since 1974 +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 41/00 Obtaining germanium IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 43/00 Obtaining mercury IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 47/00 Obtaining manganese +2 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 5/00 General methods of reducing to metals IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
C22B 58/00 Obtaining gallium or indium since 1974 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC

Top Applicants

Top Applicants (IPC)

Class C22,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

JFE STEEL JP 7,152
NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION JP 5,416
POSCO (POHANG IRON AND STEEL COMPANY) KR 4,530
JFE STEEL 3,986
CENTRAL SOUTH UNIVERSITY 3,086
NSSMC (NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL) JP 2,843
CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 2,702
ARCELORMITTAL LU 2,124
NSSMC (NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL) 2,075
KOBE STEEL JP 1,891

Top Applicants (CPC)

Class C22,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

JFE STEEL JP 7,620
NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION JP 5,769
POSCO (POHANG IRON AND STEEL COMPANY) KR 4,523
JFE STEEL 3,080
NSSMC (NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL) JP 2,999
ARCELORMITTAL LU 2,962
CENTRAL SOUTH UNIVERSITY 2,431
KOBE STEEL JP 2,100
CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 2,052
MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION JP 1,405