Thermodynamic analysis of the carbothermic reduction roasting of a nickeliferous limonitic laterite ore

As the sulfide ore deposits become less economically viable as a source of nickel, increasing attention is being paid to the nickeliferous laterite ores. However, in contrast to the sulfide ores, these oxide ores cannot be as easily concentrated by current technologies. Consequently, considerable research effort is being directed at developing new techniques for beneficiating the nickeliferous laterites. The pyrometallurgical production of a high-grade ferronickel alloy using a low cost carbonaceous reductant at relatively low temperatures is particularly attractive. In the current research, a thermodynamic model has been developed to aid in the understanding of the carbothermic reduction roasting process as a potential upgrading method for the nickeliferous limonitic laterite ores. The effects of process parameters such as temperature and reductant to ore ratio on the grade of the ferronickel alloy produced and the nickel recovery in the alloy have been studied. The thermodynamic predictions are shown to be in general agreement with the experimental results currently available in the literature.