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Fundamental Process Equilibria of Base and Trace Elements in the DON Smelting of Various Nickel Concentrates

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  • First Online:
Extraction 2018

Part of the book series: The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series ((MMMS))

Abstract

The converter-less nickel matte smelting technology (DON) adopted more than 20 years ago in Boliden Harjavalta smelter has been since that applied successfully to the processing of large number of nickel sulphide concentrates of various Ni-to-Cu ratios and MgO contents. The operational point of the technology is far from the conventional primary nickel smelting in the smelting -converting route. Therefore, a careful scouting of distribution equilibria of the base and trace elements in the smelting conditions of DON process has been conducted, in order to obtain quantitative information about the equilibria and thermodynamic properties of the nickel mattes at low iron concentrations, less than 10 wt% [Fe] in matte. The series of investigations has included novel experimental and analytical techniques for increasing the reliability and sensitivity of the phase equilibria as well as the element distribution observations carried out in typical high-grade nickel matte smelting conditions.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to Boliden Harjavalta Oy for its dedication and SIMP program by Tekes and Dimecc Oy for funding this extensive study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, 00076, Aalto, Finland

    Pekka Taskinen & Katri Avarmaa

  2. Outotec Research, Kuparitie 10, 28101, Pori, Finland

    Hannu Johto

  3. Boliden Harjavalta, Teollisuuskatu 1, 29200, Harjavalta, Finland

    Petri Latostenmaa

Authors
  1. Pekka Taskinen
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  2. Katri Avarmaa
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  3. Hannu Johto
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  4. Petri Latostenmaa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pekka Taskinen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Kingston Process Metallurgy Inc., Kingston, Canada

    Boyd R. Davis

  2. Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, USA

    Michael S. Moats

  3. Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation, South Jordan, USA

    Shijie Wang

  4. RHI Magnesita, Leoben, Austria

    Dean Gregurek

  5. BBA Inc., Montreal, Canada

    Joël Kapusta

  6. Extractive Metallurgy Consultant, Kingston, Canada

    Thomas P. Battle

  7. Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, USA

    Mark E. Schlesinger

  8. Aurubis, Hamburg, Germany

    Gerardo Raul Alvear Flores

  9. University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia

    Evgueni Jak

  10. XPS-Glencore, Falconbridge, Canada

    Graeme Goodall

  11. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA

    Michael L. Free

  12. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

    Edouard Asselin

  13. University of Lorraine, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France

    Alexandre Chagnes

  14. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

    David Dreisinger

  15. Newmont Mining, Elko, USA

    Matthew Jeffrey

  16. University of Arizona, Tucson, USA

    Jaeheon Lee

  17. Miller Metallurgical Services Pty Ltd., Brisbane, Australia

    Graeme Miller

  18. University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Australia

    Jochen Petersen

  19. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    Virginia S. T. Ciminelli

  20. Shanghai University, Shanghai, China

    Qian Xu

  21. MetNetH20 Inc., Peterborough, Canada

    Ronald Molnar

  22. Hatch, Mississauga, Canada

    Jeff Adams

  23. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

    Wenying Liu

  24. SGS Minerals, Lakefield, Canada

    Niels Verbaan

  25. J.R. Goode and Associates Metallurgical Consulting, Toronto, Canada

    John Goode

  26. Avalon Rare Metals Inc., Toronto, Canada

    Ian M. London

  27. University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Gisele Azimi

  28. SGS Minerals, Lakefield, Canada

    Alex Forstner

  29. Newmont Mining, Greenwood Village, USA

    Ronel Kappes

  30. Newmont Mining Corporation, Greenwood village, USA

    Tarun Bhambhani

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Taskinen, P., Avarmaa, K., Johto, H., Latostenmaa, P. (2018). Fundamental Process Equilibria of Base and Trace Elements in the DON Smelting of Various Nickel Concentrates. In: Davis, B., et al. Extraction 2018. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95022-8_25

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