Preparation of ferronickel from nickel laterite via coal-based reduction followed by magnetic separation

The sticking phenomenon between molten slag and refractory is one of the crucial problems when preparing ferronickel from laterite ore using rotary hearth furnace or rotary kiln processes. This study aims to ameliorate sticking problems by using silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) to adjust the melting degree of the briquette during reduction roasting. Thermodynamic analysis indicates that the melting temperature of the slag gradually increases with an increase in the SiO 2 proportion (SiO 2 /(SiO 2 + Al 2 O 3 + MgO) mass ratio). Experimental validations also prove that the briquette retains its original shape when the SiO 2 proportion is greater than 75wt%, and sticking problems are avoided during reduction. A ferronickel product with 8.33wt% Ni and 84.71wt% Fe was prepared via reductive roasting at 1500°C for 90 min with a SiO 2 proportion of 75wt% and a C/O molar ratio of 1.0 followed by dry magnetic separation; the corresponding recoveries of Ni and Fe reached 75.70% and 77.97%, respectively. The microstructure and phase transformation of reduced briquette reveals that the aggregation and growth of ferronickel particles were not significantly affected after adding SiO 2 to the reduction process.