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The Effect of Sodium Sulfide and Anthracite Dosage on Selective Reduction of Limonite

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Abstract

The process of selectively reducing limonite ore involves adding 10 wt% sodium sulfide and using anthracite as a reducing agent in varying amounts (5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%). The research aims to optimize the extraction process by studying how factors like reduction temperature, holding time, and reducing agent dosage affect on iron and nickel content and recovery. The ideal conditions identified are a temperature of 1150 °C, a 10 wt% additive, and a corresponding 10 wt% reducing agent amount, with a crucial 60-min reduction process. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show dominant phases like iron-nickel (FeNi), iron sulfide (FeS), fayalite (Fe2SiO4), and wustite (FeO) under these conditions, indicating complex chemical interactions. Impressive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) test results precisely measure a nickel component with a 3.03 wt% and a recovery rate of 89.32%, highlighting the process’s effectiveness in extracting potential from limonitic nickel ore. The resulting ferronickel alloy has a controlled particle size of 29.23 µm. The study emphasizes the influence of sodium sulfide and anthracite dosage on the selective reduction of limonite ore.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to say thanks to the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education Agency (LPDP) and National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) for funding this research through the RIIM Batch-4 program with contract number B-3842/II.7.5/FR.06.00/11/2023 and B-3855/III.10/FR.06.00/11/2023.

Funding

Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education Agency (LPDP) and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) for funding this research through RIIM Batch-4 program with contract number B-3842/II.7.5/FR.06.00/11/2023 and B-3855/III.10/FR.06.00/11/2023.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center of Mining Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, South Lampung, Lampung, Indonesia, 35361

    Fathan Bahfie, Yepi Triapriani, Fajar Nurjaman, Slamet Sumardi & Ulin Herlina

  2. Agency for Rembang Regional Planning and Development, Rembang Local Government, Rembang, Central Java, Indonesia, 59211

    Achmad Shofi

  3. Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Lampung, Bandar Lampung, Lampung, Indonesia, 35141

    Riska N. Tirmayani & Pulung Karo Karo

  4. Metallurgical and Material Engineering Department, Faculty of Industrial Technology and Systems Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Building MT 2Nd Floor, Kampus ITS Sukolilo, Surabaya, Indonesia, 60111

    Diah Susanti

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  1. Fathan Bahfie
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Bahfie, F., Triapriani, Y., Shofi, A. et al. The Effect of Sodium Sulfide and Anthracite Dosage on Selective Reduction of Limonite. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-024-00972-w

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