METHOD OF PYROMETALLURGICAL PROCESSING OF OXIDATED NICKEL ORE Russian patent published in 2019 - IPC C22B23/00 C22C33/04 

FIELD: metallurgy.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to metallurgy, in particular to the process of pyrometallurgical processing of oxidized nickel ore containing non-ferrous metals and iron, with the production of ferronickel and iron. Method comprises preheating the initial charge together with flux additives without producing liquid melts, subsequent smelting in an electric arc furnace to produce ferronickel and slag, in this case, as a reducing agent, a reducing gas is used, which is obtained by jointly supplying a natural gas and an oxidizer to the near-electrode zone of the furnace, which is steam, oxygen or carbon dioxide, in a ratio of 1:(0.5–1.7) per 1 nm³ CH₄.

EFFECT: invention allows to increase the nickel content in ferronickel by reducing the residual content of depleted non-ferrous metals in waste slags.

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