Nickel Laterite Ore Research Articles

Texture Evolution of Bainitic Steels Processed from Nickel Lateritic Ores: A Neutron-Diffraction Investigation

This study investigated the texture evolution of bainitic steel samples processed from lateritic nickel ores with varying heat treatment times. The samples were austenitized, air-cooled, and subjected to bainitic heat treatment at 532°C for 15 and 30 minutes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that the sample treated at 532°C for 15 minutes, developed bainitic plates within the austenitic matrix due to the relatively rapid air cooling. Conversely, the sample, heat-treated at 532°C for 30 minutes, exhibited a combination of bainitic and pearlitic microstructures. Neutron diffraction analysis using software showed moderate-to-weak textures in both samples, indicating dislocation polygonization resulting from prolonged heat treatment. The results suggest that further research is needed to investigate the texture evolution of bainitic steels from nickel lateritic ores after plastic deformation. This work contributes to understanding the microstructural characteristics of bainitic steel derived from nickel lateritic ores, which may have significant implications for the production and application of these steels in the future.

Reduction of natrojarosite and laterite nickel ore leaching residue composite using palm kernel shell reducing agents at temperatures of 1300-1450℃

Lateritic nickel ore processing through hydrometallurgical route generates a significant amount of residue from the leaching stage. Two examples of hydrometallurgical process residues, namely natrojarosite and leaching residue can potentially be used as secondary raw materials for the iron and steel industry. A relatively high sulfur content of up to 12% is a severe issue because the sulfur threshold value for steel raw materials is 1%. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the sulfur content in natrojarosite and leaching residue to meet the standards as a secondary raw material for the iron and steel industry. In this research, reduction of natrojarosite, laterite nickel ore leaching residue, and palm kernel shell reducing agents composite was conducted in varying amounts of palm kernel shell reductant of 25-100% using a non-isothermal method at an initial temperature of 1000°C with a final temperature of 1300-1450°C and an isothermal method of 1000°C, 1300°C, and 1450°C for 2 hours. The results showed that an excessive amount of reductant (≥25%) would inhibit the formation of iron metal at macrosize (above 0.35 mm). Reduction, both by non-isothermal and isothermal methods, results in decreasing sulfur content in the metal phase as the reduction temperature increases, but a sulfur-rich matte phase is still observed in all experimental conditions. The proportion of the metal phase produced is getting higher and more separated from the slag phase as the temperature increases. The optimum condition was obtained at a non-isothermal reduction of 1450°C using a 25% reducing agent which resulted in iron and sulfur content in the metal phase of 88.53% and 0.49%, respectively, with a metal-matte phase proportion of 65.56%. In this case, slag was dominated by liquid phase with a FeO content of 7.64% and a viscosity of 7.313 PaS.

Using Laterite-Nickel Ore as Raw Material, Study on the Efficient Separation of Silicon with NaOH Alkaline Auxiliary Agent to Prepare Li2MnSiO4 Cathode for Li-ion Battery

Using Laterite-Nickel Ore as Raw Material, Study on the Efficient Separation of Silicon with NaOH Alkaline Auxiliary Agent to Prepare Li2MnSiO4 Cathode for Li-ion Battery

Effect of Elemental Sulfur on the Reduction Process of Laterite Nickel Ore under the Action of Methane

Effect of Elemental Sulfur on the Reduction Process of Laterite Nickel Ore under the Action of Methane

From Silica Leachate of Laterite Nickel Ore to Silicate Cathode Material: Preparation of Li2MnSiO4/C as Lithium-ion Battery Cathode Material by Two-Stage Roasting Method

From Silica Leachate of Laterite Nickel Ore to Silicate Cathode Material: Preparation of Li2MnSiO4/C as Lithium-ion Battery Cathode Material by Two-Stage Roasting Method

Study on the Medium-Temperature Reduction Behavior of Methane and Laterite Nickel Ore

Under the background of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, compared with a traditional carbon thermal reduction to produce nickel, gas-based reduction has outstanding advantages in efficiency and carbon reduction. However, there are few studies on gas-based reduction at present. This article explores the reduction behavior of methane on laterite nickel ore. The effects of different reaction temperatures, reaction times and gas concentrations on the reduction reaction were studied. The phase and morphology of laterite nickel ore and its calcined products were analyzed by XRD, SEM-EDS and gas chromatography. The results show that when the reduction temperature is 900 °C, the reduction time is 60 min, and the concentration of CH4 is 50%, a concentrate with a nickel grade of 3.06% and a recovery of 52.09% can be obtained. After analysis, the reason for the low nickel grade and recovery rate in the concentrate is, on the one hand, due to the incomplete reduction of NiO, and a large amount of nickel still exists in the silicate in the tailings; on the other hand, it is due to the fine grain size of the partially reduced nickel iron alloy, which is lost in the tailings and filtrate.

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. 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 (CaF2, Na2SO4, and H3BO3), 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. CaF2 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 CaF2 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.

A Synergistic Extraction for the Separation of Scandium with Cyanex572 and Cyanex923

AbstractThis paper investigates the synergistic extraction performance of Scandium using a mixture of Cyanex572 and Cyanex923 in sulfuric acid medium. The results show that the best synergistic effect is achieved when the pH value of the aqueous phase is 2 and the mole fraction of Cyanex572 is 0.5, with a synergy coefficient value R of 4.78. In addition, the extraction mechanism of this synergistic system is discussed, and the extracted complex is determined to be [Sc(SO4)0.5(HL2)2B2] by slope analysis. The loaded Scandium can be stripped within two times by 2 mol/L sulfuric acid to obtain a stripping efficiency of 99.4 %. Finally, this synergistic system was applied to extract Scandium, demonstrating the potential application in separation of Scandium from the leachate of laterite nickel ore.

Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for the direct leaching of nickel laterite ores: Selectivity and reusability investigations

The emergence of the battery society has resulted in an unprecedented strain on the supply of battery metals, such as nickel, cobalt, and manganese. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop processing technology for low-grade nickel laterite ores, which are abundant in resources but challenging to process using conventional hydrometallurgy. In the present study, a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) was employed for the first time to leach and recover battery metals from a nickel laterite ore. The DES, which was prepared by decanoic acid and trialkylmethylammonium chloride, was expected to regulate the coordination environment by limiting water and providing ligands for the target metals to be stabilized in the DES. As intended, this direct laterite leaching by the DES facilitated the selective leaching of battery metals with iron, while suppressing the leaching of magnesium and silicon which are primary impurities in the laterite ore. Furthermore, stripping and scrubbing of the metals from the DES enabled the selective recovery of battery metals from iron and even allowed for the repeated use of the DES for at least four cycles of the leaching. The proposed process offers a pathway to recover the critical battery metals from abundant magnesium-rich nickel laterite ores.

Reduction-Sulfurization Smelting Process of Waste Hydrogenation Catalysts, Automotive Exhaust Purifier Waste Catalysts, and Laterite Nickel Ore.

Reduction-sulfurization smelting is an effective method for treating solid hazardous waste and recovering valuable components from them. In this work, a waste hydrogenation catalyst (WHC), an automotive exhaust purifier waste catalyst (AEPWC), a vulcanizer, and laterite nickel ore were mixed, and the reduction smelting behavior of this solid waste was investigated. XRD (X-ray diffractometry), TG-DSC (thermogravimetric/differential scanning calorimetry), SEM-EDS (scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy), OM (optical microscopy), and ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry) methods were used to examine the chemical composition, thermal stability, structure, and morphology, as well as the metal content of the samples. Under the Al2O3-FeO-SiO2 ternary slag system, at a smelting temperature of 1450 °C, smelting time of 2 h, mass ratio of coke, pyrite, and CaO to waste catalysts of 16, 25, and 0%, respectively, nickel (Ni) and molybdenum (Mo) recovery reached 91.1 and 92.9%, respectively, where average PGMs (platinum group metals, platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh)) recovery reached 96%, although vanadium (V) recovery was only 25.1%. The characterization of the slag shows that Al, Si, and Fe are mainly bound in the form of chemical compounds, while V is intercalated with ferro- or aluminosilicate, which hinders the reduction and sulfurization of V. A series of tests using reduction smelting without sulfurization were also conducted, after which the Ni, Mo, and V recovery reached 96.8, 96.6, and 89.7%, respectively, while PGMs (Pt, Pd, Rh) recovery ranges from 90.2 to 98.0%. The collaborative disposal of primary ore and multisource solid waste has been achieved through two process paths: reducing smelting and reducing sulfurization smelting, which provide reference for the collaborative smelting of multisource secondary resources.

Microstructure Evolution and Phase Transformation of Iron Produced from the Sustainable Carbothermic Reduction Process of High-Pressure Acid Leaching Residue.

This paper describes the microstructure evolution and phase transformation of residue from the lateritic nickel ore high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL) during carbothermic reduction using palm kernel shell (PKS) charcoal as a reductant. The study consisted of thermodynamic calculations combined with analysis of reduction experiments. The thermodynamic assessment predicted that the main phases formed during the reduction process were γ-Fe metal, liquid metal, slag, and spinel, with abundance of reducing gas (CO and H2) at the temperature range of 750-1500 °C. The experimental study shows that the resulting product upon cooling was sponge iron or direct reduced iron when HPAL residue-PKS charcoal composites were reacted up to 1400 °C for 45 min. The sponge iron had an average apparent density of 5.8 ± 0.1 g/cm3 and a 90.8 ± 0.4% metallization degree. The microstructure analysis revealed that as the reduction time was increased, small iron nuggets began forming on the surface of the reduced product. By addition of Na2CO3, the separation of iron nuggets from slag appeared to be improved, hence enhancing the overall reduction process. Furthermore, iron nuggets' highest apparent density and metallization degree were obtained at 7 ± 0.1 g/cm3 and 98 ± 0.5%, respectively, when adding Na2CO3 of 6 wt %. The phase and microstructure analyses also revealed that the iron nuggets comprised coarse pearlite, eutectic cementite, ledeburite, and sulfides. Thus, this study offers alternative sustainable process conditions for simultaneously handling the HPAL residue using PKS waste to produce metallic iron.

Effect of CaO on Fluorine in Spent Cathode Carbon during Nickel Laterite Reduction

Large amounts of solid waste-spent cathode carbon (SCC) was produced in aluminum electrolysis process. At present, landfill and storage methods are widely used, which will not only cause great harm to the environment, but also cause a lot of waste of resources. Nickel and iron were recovered from laterite nickel ore by reduction roasting-magnetic separation using SCC as reducing agent. The fluorine in SCC was fixed in roasted ore by adding CaO. The feasibility of the method was verified by thermodynamic analysis and experiments, and the optimum conditions for CaO addition were determined. The recovery of nickel and iron reached 91.23% and 89.63% respectively when the addition of SCC was 14 wt. % and CaO was 8 wt. %. Adding 8 wt.% CaO under the condition of SCC as reducing agent can change the viscosity of roasted ore and promote the aggregation of ferronickel particles. The concentration of soluble F- in roasted ore was reduced and fixed in roasted ore in the form of insoluble calcium fluoride. Under the condition of adding 8 wt.% CaO, the fluorine fixation rate was 95.99%, and the concentration of F- in roasted ore was only 31 mg·L−1.

The Aggregation and Growth of Ferronickel Particles During the Reduction of Laterite Nickel Ore

The Aggregation and Growth of Ferronickel Particles During the Reduction of Laterite Nickel Ore

Extraction of ferronickel concentrate from laterite nickel ore by reduction roasting-magnetic separation using spent cathode carbon

Laterite nickel ores are the most important raw materials in nickel production, but processing laterite nickel ores with a low nickel content is difficult. Annually, the aluminum electrolysis industry produces a large amount of spent cathode carbon containing toxic substances, such as fluorine and cyanide, but a considerable amount of it cannot be effectively utilized. The purpose of the present study is to prepare ferronickel concentrates by reduction roasting–magnetic separation using spent cathode carbon as a reducing agent. Different factors affecting the agglomeration and growth of metal particles are studied. The migration of fluorine and the aggregation behavior of iron and nickel after the addition of spent cathode carbon and CaO are studied. Results show that the nickel grade in the ferronickel concentrate is 5.4 wt%, the nickel recovery rate is 84.80%, the iron grade is 67.93 wt%, and the iron recovery rate is 89.91%. Efficient recovery and utilization of nickel and iron in laterite nickel ores are realized. Waste utilization of spent cathode carbon thus provides a new method for the treatment of spent cathode carbon.

Multiobjective collaborative optimization of novel carbothermal reduction process of stainless steel dust and laterite nickel ore

By using the central composite design based on the response surface method, the multiobjective collaborative optimization of Fe, Cr and Ni metal recovery from stainless steel dust and laterite nickel ore was achieved through carbothermal reduction, and a high metal recovery rate and high-grade Fe-Cr-Ni-C alloy particles were obtained. The addition of laterite nickel ore and reduction temperature exert significant effects on the metal recovery, and a significant interaction is observed among the recoveries of the metals Fe, Cr and Ni in the reduction products. The optimal process parameters obtained through the optimization of the model are listed as follows: the amount of added laterite nickel ore is 5.47%, the reduction temperature is 1428.02 °C, the reduction time is 23.10 min, and the carbon oxygen ratio (FC/O) is 0.85. The predicted results for Fe, Cr and Ni recovery using the model are 93.15%, 91.63% and 92.70%, respectively.

Understanding the rheology and hydration behavior of cement paste with nickel slag

Nickel slag (NiS), an industrial waste slag produced by laterite nickel ore, is a potential mineral additive utilized in cement-based materials. This study compared the effects of NiS, fly ash (FA) and blast furnace slag (BFS) on the rheological properties and hydration behavior of cement paste, and further evaluated the rheological properties of ternary cementitious system. The results show that adding NiS is unfavorable to the rheological properties of cement paste. More specifically, the yield stress of the cement paste first increases and then almost keeps unchanged with increasing NiS content, while the plastic viscosity shows a continuous increase behavior. The cement pastes with BFS or FA exhibit improved rheological properties than the NiS containing cement pastes. Compared with the PC-NiS-FA ternary pastes, the PC-NiS-BFS ternary pastes have smaller shear thinning intensity, larger yield stress and higher plastic viscosity. The exothermic rate and hydration heat of NiS cement paste within 2 h, normalized to the amount of cement, are higher than those of cement pastes with BFS and FA.

Silicate slag system in carbothermal reduction of stainless steel dust: Strengthening mechanism and stable regulation

The crystalline transition of the silicate Ca2SiO4 formed during stainless steel dust carbothermal reduction cooling is the key to the efficient separation of the reduced metal and slag. With stainless steel dust as the raw material and low basicity laterite nickel ore as an additive, the self-pulverization rate, the self-pulverization slag content and the phase transition of the reduced slag for different basicity conditions were studied. Meanwhile, the production and control mechanism of the silicate Ca2SiO4 has been elucidated in conjunction with thermodynamic calculations. It was shown that with 6% laterite nickel ore was added to the stainless steel dust, the basicity of the reduced slag system was reduced to 2.1, the self-pulverization rate of the reduced slag reached 90.35% and the self-pulverization slag content reached 88.65%. The dominant phase in the self-pulverization slag system is Ca2SiO4, which effectively enhances the silicate Ca2SiO4 system of the reduced slag and enables efficient separation of the reduced slag of stainless steel dust from the reduced metal. Non-toxic and harmless high-efficiency reduced slag can be used as a high-quality raw material for ceramics and cement, enabling a comprehensive application and sustainable development of solid waste materials for stainless steel dust.

Mine Design of Laterite Nickel Ore Based on Pit Limit Optimization with Floating Cone Method at Meranti Pit of PT Ang and Fang Brother

PT Ang and Fang Brother Site Lalampu is a nickel laterite mines company located at Lalampu Village, Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi Province. The purpose of research is to determine the ultimate pit limit using floating cone method and calculate the net present value (NPV), to design the ultimate pit limit at Front 8 of Meranti Pit (one of the company’s fronts), to calculate the mined laterite nickel reserves and the overburden based on the pit design. The data used are block model data, topography, capital and operating costs, commodity price, density, geotechnical data, mine recovery 85%, cut-off grade 1.3%, and the company's production target of 50,000 tons/month. Data processing generates Pit Shell 9 as the ultimate pit limit with ore recovery of 264,375 tons from 284,063 tons of Front 8 resources. Based on the design using Micromine 2021 software with an area of 5.25 hectares, a total of 234,142 tons laterite nickel ore obtained by stripping 389,063 BCM of the overburden, and it still economical with stripping ratio value (1.66 BCM/ton), smaller than the BESR value (6.32 BCM/ton). The amount of nickel laterite reserves produced based on mine recovery of 85% is 199,021 tons so the life of mine lasted 3.98 months.

Near-Zero-Waste Approach for the Treatment of Saprolitic Nickel Laterite via a Combined Hydrometallurgical Process

Atmospheric acid leaching can be used for processing the nickel laterite ore. The lixivium composition necessitates Fe3+ separation as the first step in recovering valuable metals. However, traditional partial neutralization has the problem of significant loss of Ni2+ and Co2+ ions due to the high Fe3+ concentration. Besides, the discharged acidic residue leads to environmental pollution. This study proposes a combined hydrometallurgical method for efficiently recovering valuable components from saprolitic laterite. After atmospheric sulfuric acid leaching, the Fe3+ in the lixivium was first separated using phosphoric acid and sodium hydroxide as reagents; 92% of the Fe3+ precipitated as iron phosphate at a pH of 1.8. The charge and discharge capacities of the LFP sample prepared from this iron phosphate at the rate of 1 C were 157 and 154 mA h/g, respectively. During the recovery of Fe3+ ions, approximately 100% of other metals were retained in the aqueous solution. After adjustment of the pH to 6.0, this solution was used to remove impurities, including Al, Mn, Cr, and Fe. Then, more than 98% of Ni and Co were recovered as Ni,Co(OH)2 precipitates at a pH of 8.0–9.0. When the pH was raised to 11.0, over 98% of Mg precipitated as Mg(OH)2. The leach residue with a high silica content was used to prepare calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) via a hydrothermal process. The recovery of FePO4, Mg(OH)2, and C–S–H, in addition to Ni,Co(OH)2, made this a value-added process and with a near-zero residue discharge.

Literature Review: Comparison of Caron Process and RKEF On The Processing of Nickel Laterite Ore For Battery

Indonesia has abundant resources, especially in natural resources (SDA), one of which is nickel. Nickel is a metal that is loved by many people because of the rapid development of technology in creating electric transportation, in particular, the application of nickel is one of the batteries. Nickel resources in the world are available in the form of Nickel Oxide as much as 60% and the remaining 40% is available in the form of sulfide reserves. Currently, there are 2 extraction methods, namely hydrometallurgy (Caron Process) and pyrometallurgy (Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace). Hydrometallurgy is a process used for nickel ore that has a grade of < 1.5%, while pyrometallurgy is still used for nickel ore that has a Ni content of < 3%. At present, the most common hydrometallurgical process is applied to limonite nickel ore. While the extraction process in pyrometallurgy uses saprolite nickel ore. Nickel metal processing, currently the best and the cheapest in terms of production costs is the hydrometallurgical process followed by the pyrometallurgical process. Using low-grade nickel is more suitable for manufacturing battery manufacture. The reason is that the Limonite Nickel reserves are more and can increase the selling value of the nickel ore. Thus, it is necessary to pay attention to the development in the processing process to increase the purity of the nickel-metal itself.