Efficient enrichment of nickel and iron in laterite nickel ore by deep reduction and magnetic separation
(College of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China)
Abstract: The process of deep reduction and magnetic separation was proposed to enrich nickel and iron from laterite nickel ores. Results show that nickel–iron concentrates with nickel grade of 6.96%, nickel recovery of 94.06%, iron grade of 34.74%, and iron recovery of 80.44% could be obtained after magnetic separation under the conditions of reduction temperature of 1275 °C, reduction time of 50 min, slag basicity of 1.0, carbon-containing coefficient of 2.5, and magnetic field strength of 72 kA/m. Reduction temperature and time affected the possibility of deep reduction and reaction progress. Slag basicity affected the composition of slag in burden and the spilling and enriching rate of nickel–iron from a matrix to form nickel–iron particles. Nickel–iron particles were generated, aggregated, and grew gradually in the reduction process. Nickel–iron particles can be effectively separated from gangue minerals by magnetic separation.
Key words: laterite nickel ore; deep reduction; magnetic separation; nickel–iron concentrate; reduction mechanism