Improved beneficiation of nickel and iron from a low-grade saprolite laterite by addition of limonitic laterite ore and CaCO3

As is well known, the process of direct reduction and magnetic separation is effective route to deal with low-grade saprolite laterite, but generally limited by the reduction of nickel (iron)-bearing minerals and growth of Fe-Ni alloy particles in the reduction process, causing the low recovery of nickel and iron. To improve beneficiation of nickel and iron from low-grade saprolite laterite with 1.29 wt.%Ni and 16.31 wt.%Fe, co-reduction with limonitic laterite ore and basicity optimization were adopted as strengthening measures in this paper with better economic efficiency than before. The enhancing mechanism was investigated via the thermodynamics analysis and mineralogical study. The phase transformation and growth behaviors of metallic alloy particles during reduction process were revealed as well. The results indicated that co-reduction with limonitic laterite ore is capable of promoting phase transformation from Ni2SiO4 in saprolite laterite to NiFe2O4. CaCO3 can not only destroy the structure of magnesium silicate to release nickel(iron)-bearing phase, but also enhance the reduction of Fe2SiO4 to form efficiently iron-based eutectoid with nickel and liquid phases to accelerate the growth of Fe-Ni fine particles larger than 40 μm. A superior crude alloy was obtained with 5.11 wt.%Ni and 82.15 wt.%Fe with corresponding recovery rates of 91.89% and 85.15% respectively.