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Preparation of ferronickel from nickel laterite via coal-based reduction followed by magnetic separation

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Abstract

The sticking phenomenon between molten slag and refractory is one of the crucial problems when preparing ferronickel from laterite ore using rotary hearth furnace or rotary kiln processes. This study aims to ameliorate sticking problems by using silicon dioxide (SiO2) to adjust the melting degree of the briquette during reduction roasting. Thermodynamic analysis indicates that the melting temperature of the slag gradually increases with an increase in the SiO2 proportion (SiO2/(SiO2 + Al2O3 + MgO) mass ratio). Experimental validations also prove that the briquette retains its original shape when the SiO2 proportion is greater than 75wt%, and sticking problems are avoided during reduction. A ferronickel product with 8.33wt% Ni and 84.71wt% Fe was prepared via reductive roasting at 1500°C for 90 min with a SiO2 proportion of 75wt% and a C/O molar ratio of 1.0 followed by dry magnetic separation; the corresponding recoveries of Ni and Fe reached 75.70% and 77.97%, respectively. The microstructure and phase transformation of reduced briquette reveals that the aggregation and growth of ferronickel particles were not significantly affected after adding SiO2 to the reduction process.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express gratitude to the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51234010) and the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities (No. 106112017CDJXY130001) for the financial support provided for this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China

    Lun-wei Wang, Xue-ming Lü, Zhi-xiong You, Xue-wei Lü & Chen-guang Bai

  2. Engineer of CISDI Thermal & Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd., Chongqing, 401122, China

    Mei Liu

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  1. Lun-wei Wang
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  2. Xue-ming Lü
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  3. Mei Liu
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  4. Zhi-xiong You
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Correspondence to Zhi-xiong You or Xue-wei Lü.

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Wang, Lw., Lü, Xm., Liu, M. et al. Preparation of ferronickel from nickel laterite via coal-based reduction followed by magnetic separation. Int J Miner Metall Mater 25, 744–751 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-018-1622-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-018-1622-7

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