METHOD OF PRODUCING METALLIC NICKEL

Method of Producing Metallic Nickel A method of producing metallic nickel from a nickel -bearing ode material comprises producing a plasma jet by passing a reducing gas through the zone of electric discharge, heating this material by the plasma jet to the nickel melting temperature. In the course of heating nickel oxides are reduced to metal, and iron and cobalt oxides contained in the nickel-bearing oxide material are partially reduced with the resultant formation of a melt of metallic nickel. The reduction of' nickel oxides to metal is effected in the presence of reducing gas fed in an amount ranging from about 1.2 to 1.75 times that of the reducing gas required in accordance with stoichiometry. In addition, the method includes desulphurization of the resultant melt of metallic nickel and its subsequent refinement by removing therefrom the gases dissolved in the melt and incompletely reduced iron and cobalt oxides.