Análisis termodinámico del proceso de reducción de minerales lateríticos de níquel colombianos

Sandra C. Díaz; Adriana Garcés; Oscar J. Restrepo; Misael A. Lara; Jesús E. Camporredondo

doi:10.3989/revmetalm.057

Authors

Sandra C. Díaz Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Minas
Adriana Garcés Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Minas
Oscar J. Restrepo Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Minas
Misael A. Lara Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas
Jesús E. Camporredondo Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/revmetalm.057

Keywords:

Ferro-nickel reduction, Nickeliferous laterite, Ratio C/O, Thermodynamic analysis

Abstract

The Colombian nickeliferous laterites are minerals used for the nickel extraction by hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes. In this work the thermodynamic behaviour of three Colombian lateritic mineral samples are described, with contents of 1.42%, 1.78% y 2.04% of nickel, when they are subjected to the calcination and reduction processes. The mineral was characterized using X Rays Diffraction and X Rays Fluorescence, giving evidence of the presence of mineralogical species such as nepouite (Ni₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄), goethite (Fe₂O₃.H₂O), silica (SiO₂), antigorite (Mg₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄) and fosferite (Mg₂SiO₄). The thermodynamic analysis was conducted using the software HSC Chemistry for Windows 5.1 and was focused in the quantitative determination of the chemical evolution of the mixture of these minerals with variable quantities of coal, in function of temperature. The results produced by the program showed, in the equilibrium, the feasibility of complete reduction of the nickel, and additionally, a considerable high percentage of reduction of iron oxides (up to 99%) using ratio C/O ≈1 at temperatures close to 1100 °C.

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