Fundamental aspects of the recovery of nickel, cobalt and iron from nontronite laterite using the segregation process

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper describes a detailed study of the segregation process in which nickel, cobalt and iron were extracted as volatile metal chlorides from a nontronite laterite, and concentrated as alloy onto carbon within a single step. Topics covered include: metal recovery, ferronickel grade, extraction kinetics, gaseous reduction of iron oxides, evolved gas volume and composition, carbon utilisation and recycling of hydrogen and chloride. Unique experimental aspects include continuous measurement of oxygen pressure, evolved carbonaceous gas and HCl. Nickel, cobalt and iron recoveries up to 79%, 40% and 6.4% respectively were achieved using coke under standardised rather than optimised conditions. Process fundamentals and maximisation of metal recovery are discussed.