Extraction of valuable metals from low-grade nickeliferous laterite ore by reduction roasting-ammonia leaching method

Nickel and cobalt were extracted from low-grade nickeliferous laterite ore using a reduction roasting-ammonia leaching method.The reduction roasting-ammonia leaching experimental tests were chiefly introduced,by which fine coal was used as a reductant.The results show that the optimum process conditions are confirmed as follows:in reduction roasting process,the mass fraction of reductant in the ore is 10%,roasting time is 120 min,roasting temperature is 1 023-1 073 K;in ammonia leaching process,the liquid-to-solid ratio is 4:1(mL/g),leaching temperature is 313 K,leaching time is 120 min,and concentration ratio of NH3 to CO2 is 90 g/L:60 g/L.Under the optimum conditions,leaching efficiencies of nickel and cobalt are 86.25% and 60.84%,respectively.Therefore,nickel and cobalt can be effectively reclaimed,and the leaching agent can be also recycled at room temperature and normal pressure.

Transformation and leaching kinetics of silicon from low-grade nickel laterite ore by pre-roasting and alkaline leaching process

The mineralogical phase transformation of a low-grade nickel laterite ore during pre-roasting process and the extraction of silicon during alkaline leaching process were investigated.The results indicate that the reaction activity of nickel ores is effectively improved by pre-roasting at650°C for2h,because of the transformation of lizardite into magnesium olivine and protoenstatite.When finely ground ore samples(44-61μm)pre-roasted firstly react with sodium hydroxide solution(60g/L)with a solid/liquid ratio of1:5at140°C for120min,the extraction of silicon can reach89.89%,and the other valuable elements of magnesium,iron and nickel are accumulated in the solid residues.The leaching kinetics of nickel laterite ore can be described successfully by the diffusion through the product layer control model.The activation energy is calculated to be11.63kJ/mol and the kinetics equation can be expressed as1-3(1-x)2/3+2(1-x)=13.53×10-2exp[-11.63/(RT)]t.

Relationship between process mineralogical characterization and beneficiability of low-grade laterite nickel ore

Process mineralogy of low-grade laterite nickel ore in Indonesia was systematically characterized and the beneficiation process of mineral components such as limonite,serpentine and chromite was studied on the basis of process mineralogy.The results show that the low-grade laterite nickel ore is a typical weathering sedimentary metamorphic oxidized ore,with the main valuable elements of Ni,Co and Cr and the main mineral components of limonite,serpentine,chromite,etc.There is no independent carrier mineral of Ni and Co in the raw ore,and the occurrence states of Ni and Co are relatively dispersed.For the limonite in laterite nickel mine,the nickel bearing magnetite concentrate with nickel grade of 1.98%and recovery rate of 88.42%can be obtained by reduction roasting magnetic separation process.For the serpentine in laterite nickel mine,the cobalt bearing concentrate with Co grade of 0.17%and recovery rate of 23.17%can be obtained by positive and reverse flotation process.A chromium concentrate containing 35.17%Cr_(2)O_(3) and a recovery of 33.42%can be obtained by using the combined process of coarse and fine classification and gravity and magnetic.

Evolution of ferronickel particles during the reduction of low-grade saprolitic laterite nickel ore by coal in the temperature range of 900–1250℃with the addition of CaO–CaF_(2)–H_(3)BO_(3)

The method of producing ferronickel at low temperature(1250–1400℃)has been applied since the 1950s at Nippon Yakin Kogyo,Oheyama Works,Japan.Limestone was used as an additive to adjust the slag composition for lowering the slag melting point.The ferronickel product was recovered by means of a magnetic separator from semi-molten slag and metal after water quenching.To increase the efficiency of magnetic separation,a large particle size of ferronickel is desired.Therefore,in this study,the influences of CaO,CaF_(2),and H_(3)BO_(3) additives on the evolution of ferronickel particle at≤1250℃were investigated.The experiments were conducted at 900–1250℃with the addition of CaO,CaF_(2),and H_(3)BO_(3).The reduction processes were carried out in a horizontal tube furnace for 2 h under argon atmosphere.At 1250℃,with the CaO addition of 10 wt%of the ore weight,ferronickel particles with size of 20μm were obtained.The ferronickel particle size increased to 165μm by adding 10 wt%CaO and 10 wt%CaF_(2).The addition of boric acid further increased the ferronickel particle size to 376μm,as shown by the experiments with the addition of 10 wt%CaO,10 wt%CaF_(2),and 10 wt%H_(3)BO_(3).

Two-stage reduction for the preparation of ferronickel alloy from nickel laterite ore with low Co and high MgO contents

The preparation of ferronickel alloy from the nickel laterite ore with low Co and high MgO contents was studied by using a pre-reduction-smelting method. The effects of reduction time, calcination temperature, quantity of reductant and calcium oxide (CaO), and pellet diameter on the reduction ratio of Fe and on the pellet strength were investigated. The results show that, for a roasting temperature > 800 A degrees C, a roasting time > 30 min, 1.5wt% added anthracite coal, 5wt% added CaO, and a pellet size of similar to 10 mm, the reduction ratio of Fe exceeds 70% and the compressive strength of the pellets exceeds 10 kg per pellet. Reduction smelting experiments were performed by varying the smelting time, temperature, quantity of reductant and CaO, and reduction ratio of Fe in the pellets. Optimal conditions for the reduction smelting process are as follows: smelting time, 30-45 min; smelting temperature, 1550A degrees C; quantity of reductant, 4wt%-5wt%; and quantity of CaO, 5wt%; leading to an Fe reduction ratio of 75% in the pellets. In addition, the mineral composition of the raw ore and that during the reduction process were investigated by process mineralogy.

Coal-based reduction mechanism of low-grade laterite ore

A low-grade nickel laterite ore was reduced at different reduction temperatures. The morphology of metallic particles was investigated by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and energy dispersive spectroscopy （EDS）. Experimental results indicate that the metallic nickel and iron gradually assemble and grow into larger spherical particles with increasing temperature and prolonging time. After reduction, the nickel laterite ore obviously changes into two parts of Fe-Ni metallic particles and slag matrix. An obvious relationship is found between the reduction of iron magnesium olivine and its crystal chemical properties. The nickel and iron oxides are reduced to metallic by reductant, and the lattice of olivine is destroyed. The entire reduction process is comprised of oxide reduction and metallic phase growth.

Dechromization and dealumination kinetics in process of Na_2CO_3-roasting pretreatment of laterite ores

A novel process was proposed for the activation pretreatment of limonitic laterite ores by Na2CO3 roasting. Dechromization and dealumination kinetics of the laterite ores and the effect of particle size, Na2CO3-ore mass ratio, and roasting temperature on Cr and Al extraction were studied. Experimental results indicate that the extraction rates of Cr and Al are up to 99%and 82%, respectively, under the optimal particle size of 44–74μm, Na2CO3-to-ore mass ratio of 0.6：1, and temperature of 1000 ℃. Dechromization within the range of 600–800 oC is controlled by the diffusion through the product layer with an apparent activation energy of 3.9 kJ/mol, and that it is controlled by the chemical reaction at the surface within the range of 900–1100 ℃ with an apparent activation energy of 54.3 kJ/mol. Besides, the Avrami diffusion controlled model with on apparent activation energy of 16.4 kJ/mol is most applicable for dealumination. Furthermore, 96.8%Ni and 95.6%Co could be extracted from the alkali-roasting residues in the subsequent pressure acid leaching process.

Efficient enrichment of nickel and iron in laterite nickel ore by deep reduction and magnetic separation

The process of deep reduction and magnetic separation was proposed to enrich nickel and iron from laterite nickel ores.Results show that nickel-iron concentrates with nickel grade of 6.96%,nickel recovery of 94.06%,iron grade of 34.74%,and iron recovery of 80.44% could be obtained after magnetic separation under the conditions of reduction temperature of 1275℃,reduction time of 50 min,slag basicity of 1.0,carbon-containing coefficient of 2.5,and magnetic field strength of 72 kA/m.Reduction temperature and time affected the possibility of deep reduction and reaction progress.Slag basicity affected the composition of slag in burden and the spilling and enriching rate of nickel-iron from a matrix to form nickel-iron particles.Nickel-iron particles were generated,aggregated,and grew gradually in the reduction process.Nickel-iron particles can be effectively separated from gangue minerals by magnetic separation.

Microwave assisted atmospheric acid leaching of nickel from laterite ore

The recovery of nickel from laterite ore with sulphuric acid under the effect of microwave irradiation was studied.The experimental results indicated that the extraction rate of nickel was influenced by reaction time,sulphuric acid concentration,and temperature,especially by microwave power.The results obtained from the experiments of orthogonal arrays showed that the optimum conditions of sulphuric acid concentration,reaction time,microwave power,and temperature were 25 vol.%,1.5 h,600 W,and 90°C,respectively.Under the optimal conditions,the nickel recovery could reach approximately 90.8%,which was higher than that obtained by conventional water bath heating.Kinetic experiments showed that the leaching of nickel in a sulphuric acid medium was controlled by chemical reaction occurring on the surface of laterite ore.The apparent activation energy was 38.9 kJ/mol.Microwave heating technology is efficient,clean,and easy to control and facilitate continuous processing of materials.

Generation process of FeS and its inhibition mechanism on iron mineral reduction in selective direct reduction of laterite nickel ore

Numerous studies have demonstrated that Na2SO4 can significantly inhibit the reduction of iron oxide in the selective reduction process of laterite nickel ore. FeS generated in the process plays an important role in selective reduction, but the generation process of FeS and its inhibition mechanism on iron reduction are not clear. To figure this out, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analyses were conducted to study the roasted ore. The results show that when Na2SO4 is added in the roasting, the FeO content in the roasted ore increases accompanied by the emergence of FeS phase. Further analysis indicates that NaeS formed by the reaction of Na2SO4 with CO reacts with SiO2 at the FeO surface to generate FeS and Na2Si2Os. As a result, a thin film forms on the surface of FeO, hindering the contact between reducing gas and FeO. Therefore, the reduction of iron is depressed, and the FeO content in the roasted ore increases.

A green process for recovering nickel from nickeliferous laterite ores

A novel process was proposed for recovering nickel from nickeliferous laterite ores.First of all,silicon and magnesium were removed from lateritic ore by high concentration sodium hydroxide leaching and carbonation respectively,so as to enrich nickel. Then the method of ammonia carbonate leaching was adopted to recover nickel from the carbonized slag,and the remaining residue was used as a raw material for recovering iron.The effects of temperature,ammonia carbonate concentration,liquid/solid ratio and stirring speed on the recovery of nickel were examined.When the leached residue reacted with ammonia carbonate(6 mol·L- 1)in a ratio of liquid-to-solid of 5-1 at 60℃for 150 min at the stirring speed of 300 r·min- 1,approximate more than 95%nickel was recovered.During the whole process,there was no contamination produced and the chemical raw materials were recycled,thus the process was a green technology that having good social benefit.

Leaching of nickel laterite ore assisted by microwave technique

The application of microwave technique in the hydrometallurgy of nickel laterite ores was described.The mixture of nickel laterite ores and sulfuric acid was pre-treated by microwave irradiation.The dissolving of nickel was conducted in hot water at the atmospheric pressure.The effects of factors,such as microwave power,microwave irradiation time,and sulfuric acid dosage, were investigated.In microwave field,the migration of ionic species and/or rotation of dipolar species promote the liquid?solid reaction process due to the increased contact area of reactants and leaching reaction rate constant.Thanks to the strengthening action of microwave,the microwave-assisted leaching process has its advantages,such as higher extracting rate than conventional atmospheric leaching,and no need for high-pressure operation as high pressure acid leaching(HPAL).The ferric iron in leaching solution could be effectively removed by sodium jarosite process with a little loss of nickel in the jarosite precipitate.

Leaching of magnesium from desiliconization slag of nickel laterite ores by carbonation process

The leaching of magnesium from desiliconization slag of nickel laterite ores by carbonation process was studied.The influence of various parameters was investigated to optimize the conditions and determine the kinetics of the reaction.The results show that with increasing stirring speed,liquid-to-solid ratio and reaction time,and decreasing temperature,the leaching rate of magnesium enhances.The leaching process of the desiliconization slag in the range of 288-298 K is controlled by the surface chemical reaction model.The apparent activation energy is-20.45 kJ/mol,and the kinetics model is obtained.

Synthesis and characterization of Co_3O_4 prepared from atmospheric pressure acid leach liquors of nickel laterite ores

A chemical precipitation-thermal decomposition method was developed to synthesize Co3O4 nanoparticles using cobalt liquor obtained from the atmospheric pressure acid leaching process of nickel laterite ores. The effects of the precursor reaction temperature, the concentration of Co2＋, and the calcination temperature on the specific surface area, morphology, and the electrochemical behavior of the ob- tained Co304 particles were investigated. The precursor basic cobaltous carbonate and cobaltosic oxide products were characterized and ana- lyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, specific surface area analysis, and electrochemical analysis. The results indicate that the specific surface area of the Co3O4particles with a diameter of 30 rim, which were obtained under the optimum conditions of a precursor reaction temperature of 30℃, 0.25 mol/L Co2＋, and a calcination temperature of 350℃, was 48.89 m2/g. Electrodes fabricated using Co3O4 nanoparticles exhibited good electrochemical properties, with a specific capacitance of 216.3 F/g at a scan rate of 100 mV/s.

Slag Resistance of Refractories for Direct Reduction of Laterite Nickel Ores in Rotary Kilns

Aiming at prolonging the service life of refractories for direct reduction of laterite nickel ores in rotary kilns,the slag resistance of ten materials(corundum bricks,chrome corundum bricks,silicon nitride bonded silicon carbide bricks,high alumina silicon carbide bricks,high alumina bricks,magnesia chrome bricks,magnesium aluminate spinel bricks,spinel chrome corundum bricks,chrome corundum castables and magnesia alumina chrome composite spinel bricks)was evaluated by rotary slag tests,which simulate the service conditions in rotary kilns.The corroded residual bricks were analyzed by SEM and EDS.The results show that the magnesia alumina chrome composite spinel brick possesses the advantages of magnesium aluminate spinel bricks and chrome corundum bricks;MgO-rich spinel can absorb the penetrated ferric oxide,and forms a dense zeylanite layer,which prevents the penetration of the molten laterite nickel ores;therefore,it is an ideal lining of rotary kilns for direct reduction of laterite nickel ores.

Dissolution of lateritic nickel ore using ascorbic acid as synergistic reagent in sulphuric acid solution

The dissolution of nickel and cobalt from Caldag lateritic nickel ore using the combination of sulphuric and ascorbic acids was investigated. The use of other organic acids, namely citric, maleic and stearic acids, as synergistic reagents was studied for comparison. The results revealed that the use of ascorbic and citric acids markedly improved the dissolution of cobalt compared to the other two organic acids that only showed slight synergistic effect on the leaching rate. In terms of nickel dissolution, ascorbic acid is the most effective synergist, followed by citric, maleic and stearic acids in descending order. Under the most optimized conditions found in this study, i.e., using 1 mol/L of sulphuric acid with the presence of 4 g/L of ascorbic acid at 80 ℃and solid-to-liquid ratio of 1/10, more than 99% and 98% leaching rates of cobalt and nickel, respectively, can be achieved within 4 h of leaching. In addition, the leaching performance is relatively insensitive to the change of ascorbic acid concentration from 2 to 4 g/L which is highly desirable from operational perspective.

Kinetic study on leaching of nickel from Turkish lateritic ore in nitric acid solution

Dissolution kinetics of nickel from lateritic ore in nitric acid solution was investigated. Experimental parameters used were stirring speed(100-600 r/min), temperature(40-96 °C), nitric acid concentration(0.1-2 mol/L) and particle size(<106 μm). The shrinking core model was applied to the results of experiments investigating the effects of leaching temperature in the range of 40-90 °C and nitric acid concentration in range of 0.1-2 mol/L on nickel dissolution rate. The kinetic analysis shows that the nickel dissolution from lateritic ore could be described by diffusion model. The activation energy(E_a) for the dissolution reaction is calculated as 79.52 kJ/mol.

Characterization of fluidized reduction roasting of nickel laterite ore under CO/CO_(2)atmosphere

Fluidized reduction roasting is an efficient metallurgical technique.However,its application to nickel laterite ore has rarely been reported.In this paper,the effects of reduction temperature,reduction time,CO concentration,and material particle size on the roasting characteristics of ferronickel fluidization reduction were investigated.Combined with X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry(SEM-EDS)characterization,the mineral phases and microscopic morphology of nickel laterite ore and its roasted ores were analyzed in depth.The results indicated that under the condition of a CO/CO_(2)ratio of 1:1,a reduction temperature of 800℃,and a reduction roasting time of 60 min,a nickel-iron concentrate with a nickel grade of 2.10%and an iron content of 45.96%was produced from a raw material with a nickel grade of 1.45%,achieving a remarkable nickel recovery rate of 46.26%.XRD and SEM-EDS analysis indicated that nickel in the concentrate mainly exists in the form of[Fe,Ni],while the unrecovered nickel in the tailings is primarily present in the form of[Fe,Ni]and Ni_(2)SiO_(4)in forsterite.This study established a theoretical foundation for further exploration of fluidized reduction roasting technology.

Effect of additives on growth of ferronickel grains and metal-slag separation behavior

Na_(2)S,Na_(2)CO_(3),FeO,FeS and carbon were used to regulate the properties of slag or metal fractions,and their effects on metal growth and metal–slag separation behavior were investigated.The growth of ferronickel grains can be enhanced by adding these additives,and Na_(2)S was the most effective.Na_(2)S,Na_(2)CO_(3) and FeO mainly affected the properties of slag,while carbon and FeS affected the metal fraction.The onset temperature of metal–slag separation was 1297℃ for the sample without additive,which was decreased to 1123 and 1101℃ after adding 3.30 wt.%Na_(2)S and 4.47 wt.%Na_(2)CO_(3),respectively.The onset temperature of metal–slag separation was mainly controlled by the slag fraction.The average apparent activation energy of metal grain growth was 125.32 kJ/mol without additive,and it decreased obviously after adding different additives.Na_(2)S also had the most remarkable effect on the decrease in activation energy.

Direct smelting process for stainless steel crude alloy recovery from mixed low-grade chromite, nickel laterite and manganese ores

Stainless steel crude alloy recovery from direct smelting of low-grade chromite, nickel laterite and manganese ores was investigated. The mixed low-grade ores were directly smelted in an elevator furnace at smelting temperatures ranging from 1550 to 1600 ℃. Smelting experiments were conducted in a laboratory elevator furnace equipped with 8 U-shaped high- quality molybdenum disilicide heating elements. A low-grade coal was used as the reductant. Experimental results showed that the recovery of Fe, Cr, Ni, Mn and Si within the alloy increased from 34.22, 60.27, 57.14, 25.42 and 13.02% to 69.91, 99.26, 86.02, 60.8 and 34.21%, respectively, when the temperature was increased from 1550 to 1600 ℃. There was a general increase in the total recoveries of Fe, Cr, and Ni in the alloy with CaO addition increasing from 0.4 g up to 1.2 g. However, the recoveries of Mn and Si vividly decreased as the CaO contents were increased. In general, the recoveries of the metal contents of the crude alloy increase with the increase in the amount of manganese ore. Compared to the recoveries of Fe, Cr, and Ni when CaO was added, the recoveries of Fe, Cr and Ni were lower when manganese ore was used as an additive.