Studies on iron reduction of stibnite by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy

The morphology of antimony particles precipitated from stibnite alter reacting with iron at various temperatures has been correlated with the particle sizes. Most significantly SEM study has indicated that the particles developed maximum pore space at temperature where maximum metallic antimony was produced. Besides this the size of the reduced antimony particle was also found to be minimum at that temperature. These results have been discussed together with phase transformations occurred at various thermal conditions. (Shri S.K. Bose and Prof. V.A. Altekar, National Metallurgical Laboratory)