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10111

Nickel, cobalt, iron, and chromium are potentially valuable metals contained in laterite ores. Mineralogical analysis results revealed that the laterite from the Philippines contained predominantly fine iron oxide/oxyhydroxide, as well as a small amount of slightly coarse chromite and gangue mineral aggregates. Additionally, the coarse cores of minerals were closely surrounded and adhered by a matrix of fine minerals. The chemical components were closely related to the particle sizes of constituent minerals. Based on these findings, a classification method was devised and three samples with different components were obtained under the proposed optimal scheme. About 50% of Mg and Si were removed from the fine fraction (S1) and more than 85% of Fe and Ni distributed in it. The other two samples are Co-riched and the content in the intermediate fraction (S2) and the coarse fraction (S3) was 0.22% and 0.28%, respectively. Cr in S2 was as high as 6.75%. A technical route was designed for processing these three samples and the preliminary tests indicate that the recoveries of Fe, Ni, Co and Cr can reach about 94%, 85%, 70% and 30%, respectively; Fe content in the prepared iron concentrate is over 61% and Cr content in the obtained Cr-riched residue is above 12%. Consequently, comprehensive utilization of Philippine laterite ore can be realized following the proposed route.

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Laterite ore , Classification , Mineralogical analysis , comprehensive utilization , Design of technical route

Studia Iranica

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