Nickel extraction from low grade laterite by agitation leaching at atmospheric pressure

This research work deals with the extraction of nickel from a low grade nickel laterite ore, taken from a deposit located in southwestern of Iran, through agitation leaching at atmospheric pressure. The assaying and mineralogical studies carried out on the nickel laterite sample, showed the 0.88% Ni, and principally consisted of oxide and silicate crystalline phases i.e. dolomite, quartz, magnetite, and goethite. Among numerous factors affecting such process, four major parameters i.e. temperature, agitator speed(r/min), leaching agents and their concentration were considered in a two-level full factorial experimental design. The agitation leach tests showed that the ore could be leached at atmospheric pressure with sulfuric acid while citric acid was almost unpromising. Analysis of variance(ANOVA) using DX7 software was employed to identify effective parameters. Sulfuric acid concentration and temperature were the most effective parameters on Ni extraction. Furthermore, the factorial models for experiment responses were developed. The results showed 83% Ni extraction after 4 h leaching, under optimized conditions i.e.temperature at 95 ℃, acid concentration at 5 N and agitator speed at 1000 r/min. This study revealed that factorial experimental design can be implemented to identify effective parameters on the agitation leaching process of nickel laterite.

Effect of Alkaline-Stabilised Sewage Sludge on Extractable Organic Carbon and Copper in Soils

An incubation experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential for water contamination with sludge-derived organic substances and copper following land application of alkaline-stabilised sewage sludge. Twocontrasting sludge-amended soils were studied. Both soils were previously treated with urban and ruralalkaline biosolids separately at sludge application rates of 0, 30 and 120 t ha-1 fresh product. The air-driedsoil/sludge mixtures were wetted with distilled water, maintained at 40 % of water-holding capacity andequilibrated for three weeks at 4 ℃ before extraction. Subsamples were extracted with either distilled wateror 0.5 mol L-1 K2SO4 solution. The concentrations of organic C in the aqueous and chemical extractswere determined directly with a total organic carbon (TOC) analyser. The concentrations of Cu in the twoextracts were also determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry The relationship between the twoextractable organic C fractions was examined, together with that between extractable organic C concentrationand extractable Cu concentration. Application of alkaline biosolids increased the concentrations of soil mobileorganic substances and Cu. The results are discussed in terms of a possible increase in the potential forleaching of sludge-derived organics and Cu in the sludge-amended soils.

Valency Study of Vanadium in Stone Coal Ash of Jiangxi Province

Vanadium-bearing stone coal is a new vanadium resource; recovery of V2O5 from the coal has been investigated. It has been found that a satisfactory extraction of V2O5 depends on both the oxidation of V and its reaction with sodium salt. V in the coal ash of Yushan mainly exists in two oxidation states; 98% V (Ⅲ) and 2% V(Ⅳ). The distribution of valency of V shows that organic matter determines V valency at low temperatures, at about 470℃ , V(Ⅲ) is completely oxidized to V (Ⅳ); above 500 ℃, the temperature is the most important factor for the oxidation of V At higher temperatures no more V is oxidized to V(Ⅴ); an equilibrium is established after 92% of V is oxidized to V(Ⅴ). The roles of NaCl in the recovery of V2O5 from the coal ash were discussed. The best conditions for roasting are temperature 750-800℃ for 1 h. under the oxidation-chlorination atmosphere. When the ore : NaCl = 100 :10 by weight, ηroast reaches 85.5%. According to the results, a flowsheet for V2O5 extraction from coal ash has been proposed.

Upgradation of bauxite by molecular hydrogen and hydrogen plasma

An approach was developed to upgrade the bauxite ore by molecular hydrogen and hydrogen plasma. A gibbsite-type bauxite sample was obtained from National Aluminium Company（NALCO）, Odisha, India. The obtained sample was crushed and sieved（to 100 μm） prior to the chemical analysis and grain-size distribution study. The bauxite sample was calcined in the temperature range from 500 to 700°C for different time intervals to optimize the conditions for maximum moisture removal. This process was followed by the reduction of the calcined ore by molecular hydrogen and hydrogen plasma. Extraction of alumina from the reduced ore was carried out via acid leaching in chloride media for 2 h at 60°C. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry in conjunction with differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to determine the physicochemical characteristics of the material before and after extraction. Alumina extracted from the reduced ore at the optimum calcination temperature of 700°C and the optimum calcination time of 4 h is found to be 90% pure.