The effect of iron content on the reduction of nickel laterite by direct reduction method

Abstract

Reduction and the compounds formed when the reduced laterite nickel has been investigated. Nickel laterite with average grain size below 0.149 mm mixed with 13% (weight percent) of coal as reductant then reduced in muffle furnace with temperature from 700 °C to 1000 °C. Type of laterite is used which has high iron (saprolite) and low iron content (limonite). Reaction time varied 30, 60 and 90 minutes. The reduction of nickel during reduction is determined by an analysis of metallization values. Metallization analysis used bromine methanol method, while the compound analysis was formed using x-ray Diffractometer. Based on the metallization test, it is known that the laterite nickel ore containing high iron will produce a higher nickel reduction than the laterite nickel ore containing low iron. This corresponds to the oxide phases formed. The higher iron contain on the ore tend to produce the fayalite mixture and slightly forsterite, while at low iron content will form a forsterite. Forsterite tends to inhibit reduction of nickel.