Copper-nickel sulfide ore and nickel oxide ore beneficiation methods

Nickel ore is a very important non-ferrous metal raw material used in the manufacture of stainless steel, high-nickel alloy steel and alloy structural steel. It is widely used in various military manufacturing industries such as aircraft, radar, missiles, tanks, ships, spacecraft, and atomic reactors.

When the nickel ore content exceeds 3%, it can be directly smelted and used to produce various materials. However, when the raw ore is less than 3%, it can only enter the smelting process for separation and purification after going through the mineral processing process. Depending on the composition of nickel ore, the process methods used are also different.

Nickel ore beneficiation process

Nickel ores mainly include copper-nickel sulfide ore and nickel oxide ore (later nickel ore)

In copper-nickel sulfide ores, copper mainly exists in the form of chalcopyrite; while nickel mainly exists in the form of free nickel sulfide such as pyrite, goethite, and pyrite. A considerable proportion of nickel is present in pyrrhotite in a similar manner, as well as small amounts of nickel silicate. The main beneficiation method is flotation, and magnetic separation and gravity separation are usually auxiliary beneficiation methods. In the flotation of copper and nickel sulfide ores, collectors and frothers are often used in the flotation process of copper sulfide minerals.

Nickel oxide ore is usually crushed and screened to remove large pieces of bedrock with weak weathering and low nickel content in advance. Because the nickel in nickel oxide ores is often dispersed in gangue minerals in a similar manner, and the particle size is very fine. Therefore, mechanical beneficiation cannot be used for enrichment and can only be smelted directly.

In order to achieve better results, nickel ore processing plants use collectors and foaming agents when processing copper-nickel sulfide ore. Because it is easier to recover copper from nickel concentrate.

Nickel ore processing usually requires three processes: crushing, grinding and beneficiation. Magnetic separation and gravity separation are usually auxiliary beneficiation methods.

Flotation separation: Send the qualified copper-nickel ore into the mixing tank, stir thoroughly and then send it to the flotation machine. The unqualified ore particles after coarse crushing will directly enter the secondary crushing

Crushing and screening: The mined copper-nickel sulfide ore is sent to the crusher for coarse crushing. The ore particles that fail to pass the coarse crushing process directly enter the secondary crushing, and the coarsely crushed particles are sent to the cone crusher by the conveyor for secondary crushing. The copper sulfide ore after secondary crushing is screened by screening equipment, and qualified ore particles can be directly sent to the next grinding process. Unqualified ones should be returned to the cone crusher for re-crushing.

Ore grinding and screening: Send the qualified copper-nickel ore into the mixer and send the qualified copper-nickel sulfide ore particles into the ball mill for grinding. The ore particles are ground to form ore powder. It is sent to the spiral classifier for sorting. If the particle size meets the requirements, the next step of flotation purification can be carried out. Those that do not meet the requirements need to be returned to the ball mill for secondary grinding. Unqualified materials are returned to the ball mill for secondary grinding.

Flotation separation: Send the qualified copper-nickel sulfide ore into the stirring tank, stir thoroughly, and then send it to the flotation machine, and add reasonable flotation reagents. For specific methods of using chemicals, you need to find a professional mineral processing manufacturer to conduct mineral processing tests and analysis on its minerals. After professional analysis, the flotation purification process is customized to suit the actual situation.

Dehydration and drying: After flotation, the water content of the material is relatively large, and the flotation concentrate material is sent to the concentrator for preliminary precipitation. In order to speed up the drying of the product, a concentrator is usually used for dehydration and separation, and then a dryer is used to dry the concentrate to obtain the concentrate.