STUDY OF CERTAIN PARAMETERS IN LABORATORY-SCALE PREREDUCTION OF SIVRIHISAR LATERITE ORES OF TURKEY

摘要

This study investigated prereduction behavior of one of the Turkish laterite deposits, which was recently found in Sivrihisar region. Sivrihisar laterite ore (1.26% Ni) is a limonitic one with its high iron content and low MgO composition. Low arsenic content of the ore makes ferronickel smelting a suitable method for nickel extraction. In the scope of this study, calcined laterite samples were reduced with the addition of coal in a laboratory-scale horizontal tube furnace under argon atmosphere. Effect of temperature, time and the amount of coal addition on degree of reduction of nickel, iron and cobalt were studied. For the particle size used in the current work, optimum temperature, time and coal addition were determined for prereduction of Sivrihisar laterites.