High-Grade Ferronickel Concentrates Prepared from Laterite Nickel Ore by a Carbothermal Reduction and Magnetic Separation Method
Nickel is widely used in industrial processes and plays a crucial role in many applications. However, most of the nickel resource mainly exists as nickel oxide in laterite nickel ore with complex composition, resulting in difficulty in upgrading the nickel content using physical separation methods....
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/22/7132 |
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| author | Jingzhe Zhang Chang Cao Zhengliang Xue Faliang Li Shaoping Li Hongjuan Duan Haijun Zhang |
| author_facet | Jingzhe Zhang Chang Cao Zhengliang Xue Faliang Li Shaoping Li Hongjuan Duan Haijun Zhang |
| author_sort | Jingzhe Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nickel is widely used in industrial processes and plays a crucial role in many applications. However, most of the nickel resource mainly exists as nickel oxide in laterite nickel ore with complex composition, resulting in difficulty in upgrading the nickel content using physical separation methods. In this study, high-grade ferronickel concentrates were obtained through a carbothermal reduction and magnetic separation using laterite nickel ore and anthracite as raw materials. The effects of different types of additives (CaF<sub>2</sub>, Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, and H<sub>3</sub>BO<sub>3</sub>), carbon ratio (the molar ratio of oxygen atoms in the laterite nickel ore to carbon atoms in anthracite), and grinding time on the recoveries and grades of ferronickel concentrates were experimentally investigated, along with the microstructure and chemical composition of the products. CaF<sub>2</sub> was proved to be the primary active additive in the aggregation and growth of the ferronickel particles and the improvement of the grade of the product. Under the optimal conditions of CaF<sub>2</sub> addition of 9.85 wt%, carbon ratio of 1.4, and grinding time of 240 s, high-grade magnetically separable ferronickel concentrate with nickel grade 8.93 wt% and iron grade 63.96 wt% was successfully prepared. This work presents a practical method for the highly efficient recovery and utilization of iron and nickel from low-grade laterite nickel ore, contributing to the development of strategies for the sustainable extraction and utilization of nickel resources. |
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| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:39:43Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-fe7057cc94854241afab4866436349be2023-11-24T14:53:31ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442023-11-011622713210.3390/ma16227132High-Grade Ferronickel Concentrates Prepared from Laterite Nickel Ore by a Carbothermal Reduction and Magnetic Separation MethodJingzhe Zhang0Chang Cao1Zhengliang Xue2Faliang Li3Shaoping Li4Hongjuan Duan5Haijun Zhang6The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaHubei Three Gorges Laboratory, Yichang 443008, ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaNickel is widely used in industrial processes and plays a crucial role in many applications. However, most of the nickel resource mainly exists as nickel oxide in laterite nickel ore with complex composition, resulting in difficulty in upgrading the nickel content using physical separation methods. In this study, high-grade ferronickel concentrates were obtained through a carbothermal reduction and magnetic separation using laterite nickel ore and anthracite as raw materials. The effects of different types of additives (CaF<sub>2</sub>, Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, and H<sub>3</sub>BO<sub>3</sub>), carbon ratio (the molar ratio of oxygen atoms in the laterite nickel ore to carbon atoms in anthracite), and grinding time on the recoveries and grades of ferronickel concentrates were experimentally investigated, along with the microstructure and chemical composition of the products. CaF<sub>2</sub> was proved to be the primary active additive in the aggregation and growth of the ferronickel particles and the improvement of the grade of the product. Under the optimal conditions of CaF<sub>2</sub> addition of 9.85 wt%, carbon ratio of 1.4, and grinding time of 240 s, high-grade magnetically separable ferronickel concentrate with nickel grade 8.93 wt% and iron grade 63.96 wt% was successfully prepared. This work presents a practical method for the highly efficient recovery and utilization of iron and nickel from low-grade laterite nickel ore, contributing to the development of strategies for the sustainable extraction and utilization of nickel resources.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/22/7132high-grade ferronickel concentratelaterite nickel orecarbothermal reductionmagnetic separation |
| spellingShingle | Jingzhe Zhang Chang Cao Zhengliang Xue Faliang Li Shaoping Li Hongjuan Duan Haijun Zhang High-Grade Ferronickel Concentrates Prepared from Laterite Nickel Ore by a Carbothermal Reduction and Magnetic Separation Method Materials high-grade ferronickel concentrate laterite nickel ore carbothermal reduction magnetic separation |
| title | High-Grade Ferronickel Concentrates Prepared from Laterite Nickel Ore by a Carbothermal Reduction and Magnetic Separation Method |
| title_full | High-Grade Ferronickel Concentrates Prepared from Laterite Nickel Ore by a Carbothermal Reduction and Magnetic Separation Method |
| title_fullStr | High-Grade Ferronickel Concentrates Prepared from Laterite Nickel Ore by a Carbothermal Reduction and Magnetic Separation Method |
| title_full_unstemmed | High-Grade Ferronickel Concentrates Prepared from Laterite Nickel Ore by a Carbothermal Reduction and Magnetic Separation Method |
| title_short | High-Grade Ferronickel Concentrates Prepared from Laterite Nickel Ore by a Carbothermal Reduction and Magnetic Separation Method |
| title_sort | high grade ferronickel concentrates prepared from laterite nickel ore by a carbothermal reduction and magnetic separation method |
| topic | high-grade ferronickel concentrate laterite nickel ore carbothermal reduction magnetic separation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/22/7132 |
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