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Phase transformations of nickeliferous laterites during preheating and reduction with carbon monoxide

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Abstract

This article refers to the mineralogical composition and phase transformations of Greek nickeliferous laterites and to their metallurgical behaviour, during preheating and reduction with carbon monoxide. Transformation of goethite to hematite and decomposition of chlorite and serpentine, were identified during preheating. Higher iron metallization was achieved for the ore in which goethite is the main iron mineral and reduction goes up to 95%, whereas it goes up to 50% for the ore in which hematite is the main iron mineral. The higher reducibility, however, seems to be due to the higher specific surface area of the goethitic type of ore.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their gratitude to S&B Industrial Minerals S.A. (R&D Department in Athens—Bentonite Division) for the equipment concession in order the roasting reduction experiments to be conducted in the R&D Department Laboratories. Special thanks are due to Dr. T. Karidakis for his constructive help regarding the operation of the reduction apparatus The authors would also like to express their gratitude to G.M.M.A. LARCO for the laterite samples provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Polytechnioupoli Zografou, 15780, Athens, Greece

    Emmanuel N. Zevgolis, Charalabos Zografidis & Theodora Perraki

  2. NCSR Demokritos, Ag. Paraskevi, 15310, Athens, Greece

    Eamonn Devlin

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  1. Emmanuel N. Zevgolis
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  2. Charalabos Zografidis
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  3. Theodora Perraki
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  4. Eamonn Devlin
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Correspondence to Charalabos Zografidis.

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Zevgolis, E.N., Zografidis, C., Perraki, T. et al. Phase transformations of nickeliferous laterites during preheating and reduction with carbon monoxide. J Therm Anal Calorim 100, 133–139 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-009-0198-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-009-0198-x

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