An Investigation on the beneficiation of a low-grade nickel ore by magnetic separation after partial reduction

Due to the strategic importance of nickel, attempts are made in many parts of the world to utilize all sources of this metal, including lean ones. In many cases, to bene-ficiate the ores, magnetic seperation is an attractive strategy since the other techniques of beneficiation fail to deliver a satisfactory product. At the National Metall-urgical Laboratory, studies have been undertaken to util-ize the vast resources of lane ores available in India. This communication reports on the beneficiation of a lean ore of nickel by partial reduction followed by magnetic separation. The studies reported here show that the reco-very and enrichment of nickel is highest at lower tempe-rature of reduction. The magnetic and non-magnetic frac-tions have been characterised using XRD, SEM chemical analysis and through measurement of magnetic properties. The factors that lead to reduced recovery and benefication at higher reduction temperatures have been established.