Appeal No. 1997-0448
Application No. 08/327,980
Chiola discloses a process for separating molybdenum values from impurities comprising (a)
digesting a molybdenite concentrate in sulfuric acid to form a feed solution (b) which is then contacted
with an organic solvent comprising a tertiary amine dissolved in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent to
selectively extract at least a portion of the molybdenum values into the organic solvent, (c) contacting
the resultant organic extract with an aqueous stripping solution containing ammonium ions and
ammonium molybdate to remove at least some of the molybdenum from the organic extract and to form
an aqueous ammonium molybdate solution, and (d) separating the aqueous ammonium molybdate from
the organic extract.16
According to the examiner, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art “to
have replaced the ammonium compound of Barry with the alkali compounds of Vertes because the
substitution of art recognized equivalents as shown by Vertes would have been within the level of
ordinary skill in the art” (answer, page 4, para. 4). In addition, according to the examiner, it would
have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art “to extract the molybdenum of Barry with a tertiary
amine because Chiola teaches such from a similar sulfuric acid solution containing molybdenum as in
Barry” (answer, page 4, para. 6).
16See Chiola, col. 3, lines 3-22 and col. 4, lines 45-47.
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