Preparation of Nickel–Iron Concentrate from Low-Grade Laterite Nickel Ore by Solid-State Metalized Reduction and Magnetic Separation
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Materials and Reagents
2.2. Methods and Equipment
2.3. Thermodynamic Basis
3. Results
3.1. Effect of Reduction Temperature
3.2. Effect of Reduction Time
3.3. Effect of Coal Addition
3.4. Effect of CaF2 Addition
3.5. Effect of Fe2O3 Addition
3.6. Elemental Composition of the Particular Regions in Reduction Product
3.7. Effect of Magnetic Separation
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
- The serpentinite, magnesium olivine, and chromite were the major constituent minerals in the laterite nickel ore investigated in this study, and the content of Ni and Fe were 0.98% and 6.99%, respectively. The particle size of serpentinite and magnesium olivine were mainly distributed below 150 μm and uniformly distributed in different particle size ranges. The particle size of chromite in the sample was mainly distributed between 38 μm and 150 μm, and the particle size of goethite was mainly distributed below 38 μm.
- The addition of CaF2 for the solid-state metallized reduction could dramatically improve the beneficiation of nickel and iron. When the addition of CaF2 was 12 wt.% of laterite nickel ore, the grades of nickel and iron in the nickel–iron concentrate increased from 2.01% and 21.92% to 7.32% and 78.74%, respectively; meanwhile, the recoveries of nickel and iron increased to 81.84% and 69.78%, respectively.
- Appropriate amounts of Fe2O3 addition for the solid-state metallized reduction could promote the generation of ferro-nickel granules. When the addition of Fe2O3 was 10 wt% of laterite nickel ore, the grade and recovery of nickel in the nickel–iron concentrate increased from 3.02% and 17.79% to 7.32% and 81.84%, respectively.
- A nickel–iron concentrate with a nickel grade of 7.32%, nickel recovery of 81.84%, iron grade of 78.74%, and iron recovery of 69.78% was obtained under the conditions of a reduction temperature of 1200 °C, reduction time of 120 min, calcium fluoride addition of 12%, ferric oxide addition of 10%, coal addition of 12%, and magnetic field strength of 170 kA/m.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Ni | SiO2 | MgO | TFe | Cr | Co | Cu |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0.98 | 39.65 | 32.45 | 6.99 | 0.26 | 0.013 | 0.01 |
CaO | Al2O3 | MnO | TiO2 | K2O | S | P |
0.18 | 0.066 | 0.099 | 0.11 | 0.0049 | 0.050 | 0.0039 |
Serpentinite | Magnesium Olivine | Chromite | Hornblende |
---|---|---|---|
64.4 | 19.3 | 6.3 | 3.4 |
Goethite | Quartz | Others | |
3.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
Granularity (μm) | Serpentinite and Magnesium Olivine | Chromite | Goethite | Hornblende |
---|---|---|---|---|
150–300 | 5.75 | 2.04 | 0.3 | 0 |
75–150 | 18.96 | 53.15 | 3.96 | 0.76 |
38–75 | 21.04 | 29.47 | 13.17 | 4.72 |
20–38 | 20.94 | 7.94 | 15.01 | 4.79 |
10–20 | 15.93 | 3.37 | 22.3 | 30.85 |
<10 | 17.36 | 4.04 | 45.26 | 58.9 |
Fixed Carbon | Volatile Matter | Ash | Moisture | S |
---|---|---|---|---|
78.51 | 8.96 | 10.43 | 2.10 | 0.36 |
Chemical Equation | (J/mol) | |
---|---|---|
122,207–172.83 T | (1) | |
−37,600–11.8 T | (2) | |
170,700–174.5 T | (3) | |
237,700–222 T | (4) | |
−52,130–41.0 T | (5) | |
35,380–40.2 T | (6) | |
262,350–179.7 T | (7) | |
−10,556.2–17.69 T | (8) | |
163,755–138.49 T | (9) |
Co | Fe | Si | Ni | S | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0.32 | 84.06 | 0.35 | 12.92 | 0.02 | 97.67 |
F | MnO | TiO2 | SiO2 | Na2O | Fe2O3 | Cr2O3 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0.086 | 0.11 | 0.004 | 60.00 | 0.01 | 1.74 | 0.32 |
P2O5 | MgO | NiO | CaO | Al2O3 | Total | |
0.004 | 37.28 | 0.005 | 0.61 | 0.18 | 100.34 |
F | MnO | TiO2 | SiO2 | Na2O | Fe2O3 | Cr2O3 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.421 | 0.098 | 0.02 | 54.52 | 0.018 | 0.20 | 0.25 |
P2O5 | MgO | NiO | CaO | Al2O3 | Total | |
0.021 | 20.84 | 0.009 | 17.97 | 2.12 | 97.48 |
Ni | TFe | Si | Cr | Co |
---|---|---|---|---|
7.32 | 78.74 | 4.18 | 0.86 | 0.098 |
Cu | C | S | P | |
0.082 | 0.78 | 0.21 | 0.008 |
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Wang, W.; Hu, S.; Wang, S.; Liu, H.; Yu, D.; Liu, L.; Wang, H.; Wang, K. Preparation of Nickel–Iron Concentrate from Low-Grade Laterite Nickel Ore by Solid-State Metalized Reduction and Magnetic Separation. Minerals 2024, 14, 926. https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090926
Wang W, Hu S, Wang S, Liu H, Yu D, Liu L, Wang H, Wang K. Preparation of Nickel–Iron Concentrate from Low-Grade Laterite Nickel Ore by Solid-State Metalized Reduction and Magnetic Separation. Minerals. 2024; 14(9):926. https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090926
Chicago/Turabian StyleWang, Wei, Sichun Hu, Shoujing Wang, Hongzhao Liu, Deshui Yu, Lin Liu, Hongliang Wang, and Ke Wang. 2024. "Preparation of Nickel–Iron Concentrate from Low-Grade Laterite Nickel Ore by Solid-State Metalized Reduction and Magnetic Separation" Minerals 14, no. 9: 926. https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090926