Phase transformations of nickeliferous laterites during preheating and reduction with carbon monoxide

• Published in: Journal of thermal analysis and calorimetry Vol. 100; no. 1; pp. 133 - 139
• Main Authors: Zevgolis, Emmanuel N., Zografidis, Charalabos, Perraki, Theodora, Devlin, Eamonn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.04.2010; Springer
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Applied sciences; Carbon monoxide; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Clay; Exact sciences and technology; Heating; Hematite; Inorganic Chemistry; Iron; Laterites; Measurement Science and Instrumentation; Metals. Metallurgy; Minerals; Phase transformations; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Preheating; Production of metals; Production of non ferrous metals. Process materials; Pyrometallurgy; Reduction; Phase transformation; Laterite; Pyrometallurgy; Reducibility; Chemical reduction; Thermal analysis; Carbon monoxide; X ray diffraction
• ISSN: 1388-6150; 1588-2926; 1572-8943
• DOI: 10.1007/s10973-009-0198-x

This article refers to the mineralogical composition and phase transformations of Greek nickeliferous laterites and to their metallurgical behaviour, during preheating and reduction with carbon monoxide. Transformation of goethite to hematite and decomposition of chlorite and serpentine, were identified during preheating. Higher iron metallization was achieved for the ore in which goethite is the main iron mineral and reduction goes up to 95%, whereas it goes up to 50% for the ore in which hematite is the main iron mineral. The higher reducibility, however, seems to be due to the higher specific surface area of the goethitic type of ore.