28  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)

Recovery of Nıckel and Chromite from

Chromıte Tailings
G. Önal, F. Arslan, A.E. Yüce, F. Burat and A.S. Alpyildiz
Mining Eng. Dept., Mineral and Coal Processing Division, Istanbul, Turkey

ABSTRACT: Nickel is recognized as a useful substance in heavy industry. There are different sources of
nickel include laterite and sulphide ores, scrap and recycled material, and sea nodules. Nickel and associated
metal values are traditionally recovered from these materials by mineral processing, smelting-refining and
hydrometallurgical processes. In this paper, the results of nickel and chromite recovery from chromite
concentration plant tailings that is conducted as a first time in the world are summarized. The chromite
tailings sample subjected to this experimental study was taken from the chromite concentration plant in
Pınarbaşı Region of Turkey. It contains 0.27% Ni and 6.8% Cr 2O3 together with some gang minerals and
precious metals. After determining physical, chemical and mineralogical compositions of the sample,
leaching experiments were performed for dissolution of nickel. Tailing sample all ground below 0.074 mm
were leached at 1/10 solid/liquit ratio, different acid concentrations (50-300 g/L H2SO4) and temperatures
(25-80°C) related to the leaching durations. As a result of leaching tests, optimum leaching conditions were
found as temperature of 80oC, acid concentration of 100 g/L H2SO4, leching time of 2 hours and solid/liquid
ratio of 1/10. At these conditions 89.74% of Ni was dissolved and acid consumption was 774.9 kg/t. Leach
cakes produced at the end of leaching tests carried out at the optimum conditions contain 13.37% Cr2O3 and
were subjected to gravity separation test to recover chromite. A concentrate containing 48.69% Cr2O3 was
produced with 49.5% recovery and a proposed process flowsheet was developed.

1. INTRODUCTION easily be converted to nickel to be utilized in steel

Nickel is recognized as a useful substance in heavy
industry. There are different sources of nickel
include laterites, sulphide ores, scrap and recycled
material, and sea nodules. The economic minerals
of nickel are niccolite, millerite, nickeliferrous
pyrrhotite, pentlandite and garnierite. Nickel and
associated metal values are traditionally recovered
from these materials by mineral processing, smelt-
ing and refining and hydrometallurgical processes.
Laterites have been important primary source
of nickel and cobalt [1, 2]. The Caron Process is
widely used in the extraction of nickel and cobalt
ores from lateritic type ores [3]. This process
employs a reduction roasting step followed by
leaching in ammonia-ammonium carbonate
solutions to dissolve nickel and cobalt as ammine
complexes and recovery of base metals from
solutions to produce metal oxides. PAL (Pressure
Acid Leaching) process is also used for nickel
laterites. After solvent extraction nickel oxide is
produced by pyrohydrolysis and this material may
industry. Limonitic type lateritic ores are usually
treated by sulfuric acid at ambient or elevated
temperature and pressure. The leaching behavior of
limonitic type of ores is related to those of nickel
and cobalt oxides. Various acids (HClO4, HNO3,
H2SO4, HCl, H2C2O4, citric and lactic acids) and
bacteria are also studied for extracting lateritic ores
[4-9].
Nickel and cobalt sulfides are primarily
treated by pyrometallurgical methods to produce
matte containing Ni, Cu, Co, Fe sulfides and then
the produced matte is usually processed by a
hydrometallurgical technique such as acid or
ammonia leaching, or elctrolysis [1]. It is not
possible to quantify the deep-sea nodules with any
accuracy at present [2]. The hard sea nodules
require crushing and grinding prior to pyrometall-
urgical procedure. Polymetallic sea nodules
represent a complex processing route consisting of
reduction roasting, ammonia leaching, solvent
extraction, and electrowinning to recover the non-
ferrous metal values. About 45% of the nickel for
29  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
the stainless steel industry originates from the
nickel bearing scraps. Recycling of spent nickel-
cadmium batteries is another source of supply for
secondary producers.
In the earlier studies, it was found that there
is a considerable amount of nickel in chromite
concentration tailings and possible to recover
nickel from them in addition to produce chromite
and olivine concentrate (it there is any) [10-11].
Acidic leaching of chromite concentration tailings
and Turkish lateritic ores to recover nickel is
found very effective process [10-13]. Therefore,
this study is concentrated on recovering nickel
from chromite concentration plant tailings
containing 0.27% Ni.
2. MATERIAL AND METHOD
The chromite tailings sample subjected to this
experimental study was taken from the chromite
concentration plant in Pınarbaşı Region of
Turkey. The chemical composition of the
representative tailings sample is given in Table 1
where the size distribution of the sample ground
below 1 mm is given in Table 2. According to the
chemical analysis, tailing sample contains 0.27%
Ni and 6.8% Cr2O3 together with some gang
minerals and precious metals.
Mineralogical examinations of the re-
presentative samples showed the presence of
minerals namely chromite, olivine, magnesite,
chrysotile, chlorite, pyroxene, calcite, kemmerite,
talc, and tremolite. The nickel content of the
sample is probably together with the magnesium
compound containing olivine and chlorite and
serpentine group (chrysotile) minerals formed by
the alteration of olivine.
After determining physical, chemical and
mineralogical compositions of the sample,
gravity, magnetic separation and flotation tests
were carried out to concentrate nickel minerals
and leaching experiments were performed for
dissolution of nickel.

Table 1: Chemical composition of chromite concentration tailings sample used in the experiments
Element Content Element Content Element Content Element Content (g/t)
(%) (%) (g/t)
Ni 0.27 Al2O3 1.78 Zr 7.0 Au 0.01
Fe 6.20 Na2O 0.04 Y 5.0 Pt <0.01
Cr2O3 6.80 K2O 0.05 Nb 5.0 Pd 0.02
Mg 19.95 TiO2 0.03 Sc 6.0 Ag <2
Ca 2.10 P2O5 0.01 Sr 64.0
Co 0.02 MnO 0.09 Ba 5.0
S 0.12 LOI 15.8
SiO2 33.20 TOT C 0.74

Table 2: Size distribution analysis of chromite tailings sample used in the experiments
Size range (mm) Amount (%) ∑ Oversize (%) ∑ Undersize (%)
+1 24.2 24.2 100.0
–1 + 0.5 21.9 46.1 75.8
–0.5 + 0.2 25.2 71.3 53.9
–0.2 + 0.074 15.4 86.7 28.7
–0.074 + 0.038 4.3 91.0 13.3
–0.038 9.0 100.0 9.0
Total 100.0

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The results of the gravity, magnetic separation

and flotation tests showed that there was no
Recovery of Nickel and Chromite form Chromite Tailings
concentration in terms of nickel minerals there-
fore in the following studies leaching experi-
ments were performed for recovering of nickel.
Tailing sample all ground below 0.074 mm
were leached at 1/10 solid/liquid ratio, different
acid concentrations (50–300 g/L H2SO4) and
temperatures (25–80°C) related to the leaching
durations and results are given in Table 3.
Leach cakes produced at the end of leaching
tests carried out at the optimum conditions contain
13.37% Cr2O3 and were subjected to gravity
separation test to recover chromite. A concentrate
containing 48.69% Cr2O3 was produced with
49.5% recovery and a proposed process flowsheet
shown in Figure 5 was developed.
Preliminary economical assessment, per-
formed according to the process flowsheet shown
in Figure 5, for a plant processing 60000 tons of
tailings annually revealed that the amounts of
30
nickel and chromite concentrates will be 280 tons/
year and 4590 tons/year respectively bringing a
total revenue of 2584900 US$ annually (Project
2006).
Nickel dissolution versus time relation at
room temperature is shown in Figure 1. Increas-
ing time of leaching did not have any effect on Ni
dissolution after 2 hours of leaching and
maximum Ni dissolution efficiency is found as
67% while acid consumption was around 700 kg/t.
Effect of acid concentration on Ni dissolution
efficiency related to time at 80°C temperature is
illustrated in Figure 2 and Ni dissolution efficiency
versus acid concentration is shown in Figure 3. Ni
dissolution efficiency increased up to 200 g/L and
stabilized after that point. Maximum Ni
dissolution efficiency of 92% was reached at 200
g/L acid concentration and 2 hours of leaching
time where acid concentration was found approxi-
mately 900 kg/t.

Table 3: Results of leaching tests

Acid Concentration Time Temperature Ni Dissolution Efficiency Acid Consumption
(g/L) (min) (oC) (%) (kg/ton)
50 120 80o 63.73 478.7
30 80o 80.39 706.3
o
60 80 84.03 757.3
120 80o 89.74 774.9
100 120 28 o
58.50 431.6
120 60o 76.50 718.0
o
240 80 89.83 827.9
60 28o 45.53 649.4
120 28o 66.09 698.5
150 o
240 28 66.98 710.2
360 28o 67.85 727.9
o
30 80 86.58 855.4
60 80o 87.82 935.8
120 80o 92.00 898.6
200 o
240 80 92.24 973.1
360 80o 92.52 912.3
o
300 120 80 92.83 859.4
31  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
100 100

90 90

80 80

70 70
Ni Dissolution (%)

Ni Dissolution (%)
60
60
50
50
40
40
30
30
20
20
10

0 10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
0
Time (hrs)
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Fig. 1: Ni dissolution efficiency versus time at Acid Concentration (g/L)
150 g/L acid concentration and room
temperature. Fig. 3: Effect of acid concentration on Ni
dissolution efficiency (temperature: 80°C, time:
2 hours, solid/liquid ratio: 1/10).
100

95 100
90 90
85
Ni Dissolution (%)

80
80
70
Ni Dissolution (%)

75

70 Acid Concentration 60

65 50 g/L 50
100 g/L
60
200 g/L 40
55 300 g/L
30
50
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 20
Time (hrs)
10
Fig. 2: Ni dissolution efficiency changes with
time at different acid concentrations 0
0 20 40 60 80 100
(temperature: 80°C, time: 2 hours, solid/liquid
o
ratio: 1/10). Temperature ( C)
Fig. 4: Effect of temperature on Ni dissolution
Effect of temperature on Ni dissolution efficiency (acid concentration: 100 g/L, time:
efficiency is presented in Figure 4. Results show 2 hours, solid/liquid ratio: 1/10)
that temperature is the most effective parameter
and increasing temperature resulted in higher Ni Table 4: Gravity separation test results of leach
dissolution efficiencies. At 100 g/L acid concentr- residue.
ation by increasing temperature from 28 to 80°C, Cr2O3
Ni dissolution efficiency increased from 58.5 to Amoun Recovery
Products Content
t (%) (%)
90%. (%)
As a result of leaching tests, optimum Concentrate 13.6 48.69 49.5
leaching conditions were found as temperature of Middlings 12.8 15.65 15.0
80oC, acid concentration of 100 g/L H2SO4, Tailings 73.6 6.45 35.5
leaching time of 2 hours and solid/liquid ratio of Total 100.0 13.37 100.0
1/10. At these conditions 89.74% of Ni was
dissolved and acid consumption was 774.9 kg/t.
Recovery of Nickel and Chromite form Chromite Tailings 32
Chromite Concentration Plant Tailings concentrate containing 48.69% Cr2O3 was
0.27% Ni, 6.8% Cr2O3 produced with 49.5% recovery and a
proposed process flowsheet was developed.
Grinding 5. Preliminary economical assessment for a
plant processing annually 60000 tons of
tailings revealed that 280 tons/year NiS and
Acidic Leaching
4590 tons/year chromite concentrate will be
produced and the total annual revenue will be
Filtration 2584900 US$/year.
6. Studies on Ni recovery from the leach liquors
as a metal and compounds are continuing.
Pregnant Leach Residue
Solution
5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Gravity Separation
Solvent The authors would like to acknowledge the
Extraction financial support of Dedeman Mining Company
Tailings
throughout the project.
Precipitation Chromite
or Concentrate REFERENCES
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