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In modern metallurgical industries, efficient processing of nickel sulfide ore is central to securing nickel resource supply. This article systematically examines industrial processing pathways for nickel sulfide ore from four dimensions-beneficiation, smelting, environmental protection, and technological trends-to empower enterprises in maximizing resource value.
1.1 Optimized Flotation Processes
As the cornerstone of nickel sulfide ore beneficiation, flotation achieves efficient separation by leveraging differences in mineral surface physicochemical properties. Key strategies include:
Selective Flotation: For high-copper ores (Cu ≥ 1.5%), prioritize copper concentrate extraction, followed by nickel recovery from tailings, achieving copper recovery rates >92%.
Bulk Flotation: Suitable for low-copper ores (Cu ≤ 0.8%), co-enriching copper and nickel before smelting separation, reducing beneficiation costs by 15%–20%.
Hybrid Bulk-Selective Process: A pioneering "bulk rougher + selective cleaner" approach yields low-nickel copper concentrate (Ni < 2%) and high-nickel copper-cobalt concentrate (Ni > 6%), boosting overall recovery by 8%–12%.
1.2 Synergistic Gravity & Magnetic Separation
Gravity Pre-concentration: Combine spiral chutes and shaking tables to pre-reject dense gangue minerals (e.g., pyrrhotite, density >4.5 g/cm³), reducing flotation feed volume by 30%.
High-Gradient Magnetic Separation: Deploy 1.2T background field equipment to remove magnetite (Fe₃O₄) impurities, elevating nickel concentrate grade by 0.3%–0.5%.
2.1 Pyrometallurgical Industrial Applications
RKEF Process: Rotary kiln (1,300°C pre-reduction) paired with electric furnace (1,600°C smelting) achieves nickel recovery >95%, with energy consumption per ton of nickel reduced to 3,800 kWh.
Oxygen-Enriched Side-Blown Smelting: At 28%–35% oxygen concentration, bath temperatures reach 1,450°C, maintaining slag nickel content below 0.08% when processing high-magnesium ores (MgO > 8%).
2.2 Hydrometallurgical Breakthroughs
High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL): Under 230–260°C and 4–5 MPa, nickel leaching exceeds 96%, with cobalt co-recovery reaching 88%, ideal for mixed laterite-sulfide systems.
Ammoniacal Selective Leaching: Using NH₃-(NH₄)₂SO₄ solution (pH 9.5–10.5), achieve efficient Ni/Co-Cu/Fe separation, suppressing copper dissolution by >99%.
3.1 Clean Production Systems
Beneficiation: Replace traditional xanthates with eco-friendly thiocarbamates, reducing COD emissions by 60%.
Smelting: Adopt dual-alkali desulfurization (Ca(OH)₂ + NaOH), capturing >99.5% SO₂ while producing 93%-pure gypsum byproducts.
3.2 Resource Circularity
Zero Liquid Discharge: Combine membrane separation (RO + NF) with MVR evaporation crystallization, achieving >95% water reuse and yielding 25,000 tons/year of industrial salt per 100,000t nickel capacity.
Tailings Valorization: Convert magnetic tailings into geopolymer building materials (compressive strength: 42.5 MPa), achieving 100% utilization.
4.1 Digital Twin Plants
Leverage 3D digital mine modeling to create full-process digital twins (crushing-grinding-flotation), enabling >90% accuracy in key parameter prediction and reducing fault response time to 15 minutes.
4.2 AI-Driven Optimization
Flotation AI Control: Machine vision analyzes froth characteristics (size, texture, color) in real time, dynamically adjusting reagents to stabilize concentrate grade fluctuations (±0.2%).
Smelting Big Data Platform: Integrate 2,000+ sensor inputs with LSTM neural networks to predict furnace conditions, cutting slag nickel variability by 40%.
| Ore Characteristics | Recommended Process Combination | Target Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| High Copper (Cu > 2%) | Selective Flotation + Flash Smelting | Cu Recovery >95%, Ni Recovery >88% |
| High Magnesium (MgO > 6%) | Gravity Pre-concentration + Oxygen-Enriched Side-Blowing | Slag Ni <0.1%, Cost/Ton Ni ↓12% |
| Low Grade (Ni < 1.2%) | HPAL + Solvent Extraction | Ni Leaching >92%, Co Recovery >85% |
Through multidimensional technological innovation, nickel sulfide ore processing is evolving toward high efficiency, low carbon, and intelligence. Enterprises must tailor their technical frameworks based on resource characteristics, market positioning, and regulatory requirements to lead in the global nickel industry transformation.
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