Journal
MINERALS
Volume 7, Issue 9, Pages -Publisher
MDPI AG
DOI: 10.3390/min7090176
Keywords
laterites; limonite; nickel; reduction roasting; magnetic separation
Funding
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
- XSTRATA
Ask authors/readers for more resources
There is considerable interest in the development of new processes to extract the nickel from the oxidic nickeliferous laterite deposits, as the global nickel sulphide resources are rapidly becoming more difficult to access. In comparison to sulphide ores, where the nickel-containing mineral can be readily concentrated by flotation, nickel laterites are not amenable to significant upgrading, due to their complex mineralogy. In this paper, firstly, a brief overview of the conventional techniques used to process the nickeliferous limonitic laterites is given, as well as a review of current research in the area. Secondly, a thermodynamic model is developed to simulate the roasting process and to aid in the selection of process parameters to maximize the nickel recovery and grade and also to minimize the magnetite content of the concentrate. Thirdly, a two-stage process involving reduction roasting and thermal growth in either a tube furnace or a rotary kiln furnace, followed by magnetic separation, was investigated. Thermogravimetric, differential thermal and mineral liberation analyses techniques were utilized to further understand the process. Finally, the nickel grades and recovery results were compared to those available in the literature.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available