An analysis of slag stratification in nickel laterite smelting furnaces due to composition and temperature gradients

Abstract

The density of FeO-MgO-SiO2 and FeO-Fe2O3-SiO2 based slags has been analyzed in terms of smelting of lateritic ores for the production of ferronickel. The density of these slags decreases with increasing MgO, SiO2, and Fe2O3 contents as well as with increasing temperature. During the electric furnace smelting of calcined and prereduced garnieritic ores, the slag temperature decreases from the upper layer down toward the slag/metal interface. Together with precipitation of either olivine or silica, this leads to the formation of a dense and stagnant slag layer at the slag/metal interface. For limonitic ores, the use of deep electrode immersion and high currents leads to slag reduction and increased slag temperatures toward the bottom part of the slag layer. The reduction of Fe2O3 to FeO increases the slag density. In this manner, it may be possible to maintain a hot slag layer in the region of the slag/metal interface, without buoyancy-induced flow.