Method for smelting nickel oxide ore

Abstract

A method for smelting nickel oxide ore according to the present invention uses pellets of nickel oxide ore and is characterized by comprising: a pellet production step S 1 for producing pellets from nickel oxide ore; a reduction step S 2 for heating the resulting pellets at a predetermined reduction temperature in a reduction furnace to obtain a mixture of iron-nickel alloy and slag; and a separation step S 3 for separating out and recovering the iron-nickel alloy form the resulting mixture, the separation step S 3 comprising the creation of pulverized matter by pulverizing the mixture so that at least the slag becomes smaller than 2 mm, and sorting the resulting pulverized matter with a magnetic force of 300 to 600 gauss.

1 . A method for smelting nickel oxide ore using pellets of nickel oxide ore, the method comprising:
 a pellet production step of producing pellets from the nickel oxide ore;   a reduction step of obtaining a mixture of iron-nickel alloy and slag, by heating the pellets obtained at a predetermined reduction temperature with a reducing furnace; and   a separation step of separating and recovering the iron-nickel alloy from the mixture obtained,   wherein the mixture is pulverized so that at least the slag becomes a size less than 2 mm to make a pulverized material, and the pulverized material thus obtained is sorted with a magnetic force of 300 Gauss to 600 Gauss in the separation step.   
     
     
         2 . The method for smelting nickel oxide ore according to  claim 1 , wherein the nickel oxide ore is limonite or saprolite. 
     
     
         3 . A method for separating and recovering an iron-nickel alloy by separating and recovering the iron-nickel alloy from a mixture of the iron-nickel alloy and slag obtained by subjecting pellets of nickel oxide ore to a reducing heat treatment, the method comprising:
 pulverizing the mixture so that at least the slag becomes a size less than 2 mm; and   sorting a pulverized material obtained by pulverizing with a magnetic force of 300 Gauss to 600 Gauss.