Nickel Laterite Smelting Processes and Some Examples of Recent Possible Modifications to the Conventional Route
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Alternative Nickel Laterite Smelting Processes to the Rotary Kiln-Electric Furnace (RKEF) Process
2.1. The Vaniukov Process
2.2. Low-Grade Ferro-Nickel Production
2.2.1. Low-Grade Ferro-Nickel Production in China
2.2.2. Other Technologies for Low-Grade Ferro-Nickel Production
2.2.3. Modern Low-Grade Ferro-Nickel Production and its Application in Indonesia
2.3. Envirosteel Smelter Technology
2.4. The ISASMELTTM TSL Process
2.5. Nickel Smelting Technology (NST)
- Transporting the ore.
- Milling and drying.
- Filters (collecting the powdered nickel ore in the gas from the hammer mill flash dryers).
- Calciner cyclones operating at 1000 °C.
- Fluidized bed reducer operating at 1000 °C.
- DC electric furnace operating at 1600 °C.
- The slag is discarded, and ferro-nickel is sent to the refining unit (see Figure 3c).
3. Some Examples of Recent Approaches Related to Conventional Nickel Laterite Smelting Processes
4. Reduction Roasting–Magnetic Separation Method
5. Summary of the Pyrometallurgical Nickel Extraction Processes Outlined in This Study
6. Conclusions
- Major alternative smelting processes to the RKEF process applied for laterites, namely, the Vaniukov process, low-grade ferro-nickel production, ESS technology, the ISASMELTTM TSL process, and NST, were reviewed in detail.
- Examples of recent modifications related to the conventional nickel laterite smelting process were provided.
- Examples of reduction roasting–magnetic separation methods applied to laterites were given. Such methods will probably remain one of the major topics in the treatment of laterites because of their high efficiency and low cost.
- The treatment of laterites will remain a research hotspot in the field of extractive metallurgy in the near future as the demand for, and production of, stainless steel continues to increase.
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Processes → Performances ↓ | The RKEF Process 2 | Low-grade Ferro-Nickel Production Process 3 | The ESS Process 4 | The Vaniukov Process 5 | Reduction Roasting–Magnetic Separation Process 6 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ore Ni composition (%) | 1.1–2.5 | BF/SAF: ~1 | 1.5 | 0.90 | (0.82–1.91) Avg.: 1.31 |
Crude Alloy Composition | Ni: ~25 Co: 0.60 Fe: Balance | Ni: <15 Co: 0.60 Fe: Balance | Ni: 15 C: 0.30 Si: 0.07 Fe: 84.6 | Ni: 15 Co: 0.80 Fe: Balance | Ni: 9 Fe: Balance |
Crude Alloy Ni grade (%) | ~25 | BF: 2–5 SAF: 10-15 | 15 | ~15 | ~9 |
Crude Alloy Ni recovery (%) | 90–95 | BF/SAF: ~80 | 91 | ~92.5 | ~90 |
Refined Alloy Composition | Ni: ~28 Co: 0.60 C: 0.05 Si < 0.5 S < 0.06 P < 0.03 | Decarburization can be applied for low-C low-grade FeNi production. | NA | Ni ≥20 C: 0.07 Si: 0.5 Cr: 0.06 | - |
Refined Alloy Ni grade (%) | ~28 | <15 | NA | ≥20 | - |
Refined Alloy Ni recovery (%) | 90–95 | NA | NA | >90 | - |
Energy requirement | 502 kWh/t of calcine | BF: ~750 $/t alloy 7 | 189 kWh/t of limonite | 6132 $ per 1 ton of nickel 8 | NA |
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Keskinkilic, E. Nickel Laterite Smelting Processes and Some Examples of Recent Possible Modifications to the Conventional Route. Metals 2019, 9, 974. https://doi.org/10.3390/met9090974
Keskinkilic E. Nickel Laterite Smelting Processes and Some Examples of Recent Possible Modifications to the Conventional Route. Metals. 2019; 9(9):974. https://doi.org/10.3390/met9090974
Chicago/Turabian StyleKeskinkilic, Ender. 2019. "Nickel Laterite Smelting Processes and Some Examples of Recent Possible Modifications to the Conventional Route" Metals 9, no. 9: 974. https://doi.org/10.3390/met9090974