Characterization of Nickel in Chromite Beneficiation Tailings by Mineral Liberation Analysis and Its Recovery by H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> Leaching Followed by Oxalic Acid Precipitation
JOM, cilt.76, sa.3, ss.1383-1393, 2024 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 76 Sayı: 3
- Basım Tarihi: 2024
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s11837-023-06253-z
- Dergi Adı: JOM
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1383-1393
- Çukurova Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study investigated the recovery of nickel from tailings (0.2% Ni) obtained in a chromite beneficiation plant using H2SO4 leaching followed by oxalic acid precipitation. The tailings were characterized using mineral liberation analysis. Ni was found as Fe-Ni, Fe-Ni-Co sulfide minerals, which were encapsulated in serpentine, olivine, pyroxene and clinochlore. Liberated fine chromite minerals benefited from magnetic separation followed by Falcon concentrator. A chromite product with a grade > 37% was obtained. The effect of leaching conditions including acid concentration, temperature, time and solid-to-liquid ratio on the leaching behavior of Ni was investigated based on the Taguchi approach. It was possible to extract Ni with a rate of > 98% from the tailings using the following conditions: H2SO4 concentration of 3 M, solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:20 and ambient temperature for 2 h. Finally, Ni was precipitated as an oxalate form with a precipitation rate of 72%. It is believed that implementing additional purification methods like solvent extraction may be essential to obtain a high-purity nickel product from the leach solution of oxalate precipitate. Experimental results indicate that the tailings used in this study are a good alternative as Ni resource in the near future.