A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a process for
making nickel sulfate by converting nickel metal into nickel sulfate,
which may be converted to nickel hydroxide. Nickel metal is dissolved in
sulfuric acid and oxygen containing gas is introduced to produce a nickel
sulfate solution having nickel sulfate and water as illustrated in the
following chemical equation.
Ni+H.sub.2SO.sub.4+1/2O.sub.2.fwdarw.NiSO.sub.4+H.sub.2O The nickel
sulfate is filtered and sulfuric acid is continually added to maintain
stoichiometry within a reactor until the nickel metal is dissolved. The
sulfuric acid, oxygen containing gas and nickel metal may be heated to
facilitate the desired reaction. Then, the nickel sulfate may be utilized
to produce nickel hydroxide.