Effect of mechanical activation on nickel and cobalt extraction in refractory nickel laterite ore
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The kinetics of atmospheric stirred tank leaching of nickel and cobalt from complex, low grade laterite ores at low to moderate temperatures are inherently slow, warranting efficacious strategies for improvement. In this work, the effect of mechanical activation as a pre-treatment method on pulp acid leaching behaviour of cobalt and nickel from low-grade goethitic nickel laterite ore was studied. At pH 1, 70 °C, and 4 h H 2 SO 4 leaching, Ni and Co recoveries for the 60 min mechanically activated sample both increased by a factor of ~2, achieving ~15 % recovery. Extended leaching times further improved recoveries, with Ni and Co extractions reaching ~63 % and ~ 72 %, respectively, for the MA sample, compared to ~39 % and ~ 54 % for the as-received sample. At higher acid concentrations and temperatures, Ni and Co recoveries exceeded 90 % for the MA sample due to enhanced leaching kinetics. The study demonstrates that phase alterations, induced by mechanical activation, and concomitant increase in surface area significantly improved leaching efficiency. However, increased acid consumption was observed due to gangue leaching. These findings highlight the potential of stirred milling-based mechanical activation as a scalable pre-treatment method to enhance nickel and cobalt recovery from refractory laterite ores while addressing kinetic limitations in atmospheric leaching processes.
Source: Powder Technology
Institution: University of South Australia
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,610
OpenAlex ID: W4414209277