The leaching of nickeliferous laterite with ferric chloride

Abstract

Several experiments were conducted to investigate the extraction of nickel from nickeliferous laterite by ferric chloride solutions as a function of pulp density, solution composition, and temperature. Solubility relationships for goethite and nickel laterite in aqueous solution were reviewed in terms of leaching rates and reaction mechanisms. Generally, the amount of nickel extracted increased with temperature, the amount of “free acid,” and ferric chloride concentration; however, the amount was inhibited by ferrous chloride. In this investigation, as much as 96 pct of the available nickel was extracted by ferric chloride solution. Nickel extraction was found to be more dependent on ferric chloride concentration than on the concentration of hydrochloric acid. Mechanistically, nickel extraction occurred by the formation of an intermediate ferric chloride complex, which was then hydrolyzed to hematite.