Abstract
Column leach tests were conducted to evaluate the amenability of poor Greek nickel laterites to heap leaching with dilute sulphuric acid at ambient temperature. The ore tested was limonitic laterite with less than 1% nickel and it was subjected to a suitable pretreatment with water prior to it being loaded into columns, following findings of preliminary research work. The acid solution was recycled after suitable pH adjustment. Factorial designs were used to determine the effects and interactions of the following factors: sulphuric acid concentration, ore column height, ore grain size and ratio of the solution volume to the ore quantity. The responses which were investigated included nickel and cobalt recoveries, co-dissolution of iron, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, chromium and silica and also sulphuric acid consumption. Experimental error was also determined. The tests showed that nickel recovery of 86% could be achieved in 80 days.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Buchanan D.L. (1982) Nickel: a commodity review. Occasional papers of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy
Roodra H.J. and Hermans J.M.A. (1981) Energy constraints in the extraction of nickel from oxide ores (II). Erzmetal, 34(2), 186–190
Simons C.S. (1988) The production of nickel:extractive metallurgy — Past, present and future. Proceedings of a symposium on the extractive metallurgy of nickel and cobalt, 117th TMS Annual Meeting, Phoenix Arizona, January 25-28, 1988
Kontopoulos A. and Komnitsas K. (1991) Extraction of nickel and cobalt from Greek laterites by sulphuric acid pressure leaching. In International seminar on lateritic ore acid leaching technology, Cuba, Nov. 1991
Agatzini S. and Dimaki D. (1991) Recovery of nickel and cobalt from low-grade nickel oxide ores by heap leaching with diluted sulphuric acid at room temperature. Greek Patent 910100234, 31 May 1991
Dutrizac J.E. and Rolia E. (1984) The determination of free acid in zinc processing solutions. Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, 23(2), 159–167
Schlitt W.J. and Nicolai L.F. (1987) Nonvertical solution flow and its application in heap and dump leaching. Minerals and Metallurgical Processing, Feb. 1987, 1–7
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Agatzini-Leonardou, S., Dimaki, D. (1994). Heap leaching of poor nickel laterites by sulphuric acid at ambient temperature. In: Hydrometallurgy ’94. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1214-7_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1214-7_11
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4532-2
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1214-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive