Verfahren zur Reduktion von nickelhaltigem,lateritischem Erz

摘要

Lateritic nickel-containing iron oxide ores are reduced by adding a liquid hydrocarbon to the surface of a tumbling bed of the ore preheated to at least 1500 DEG F. at a temperature below that of incipient fusion of the bed. In the presence of sulphur (e.g. by using a high sulphur hydrocarbon, or by adding pyrites, gypsum, anhydrite sulphur dioxide or sulphur itself) a nickel matte may be formed, in the absence thereof the metal itself is recovered in conjuction with metallic iron.