FREE TRAINING IN REDUCING MAGNESIUM LATERITE AND INTERACTION WITH EXTRACTABLE NICKEL

Abstract

In this work, the effect of the reduction conditions over the free magnesium formation during the reduction was studied. The independent variables were: retention time, reduction temperature and petroleum percent. The nickel content in the fed mineral was 1.16 %; cobalt, 0.102 %; iron, 48.1 %; silica, 5.16 %, magnesium; 2.36 % and aluminium, 5.25 %. In the measure that the reduction temperature and the retention time increase, as well as the petroleum percent diminishes, the free magnesium content decreases. The independent variables that exercise statistical significance on the nickel extractions are not equally significant on the formation of the free magnesium. With certain content of free magnesium in the reduced mineral, it is possible to obtain high and low extractions.