MMC Norilsk Nickel

V. T. Dyachenko, Chief of Scientific and Technical Direction, e-mail: DyachenkoVT@nornik.ru

Three commercial types of sulfide ores are mined, concentrated and metallurgically processed in the Norilsk region, one of the principle minerals in them is pyrrhotite. Nickel concentration in pyrrhotite concent rates of the Norilsk group of deposits reaches 2–3 % (mass.); due to this the concentrates are separated and processed as an independent type of feed material. The review of available methods of processing is presented, there is demonstrated that none of them is free from disadvantages. That is way the problem of the technology choice is currently urgent. One of the alternative of processing is the method of thermal concentration, including non-oxidizing roasting and magnetic separation of the cinder with the production of a metallized product, collecting non-ferrous metals, and waste iron sulfide. As the second alternative method there is considered the technology of concentrates sulfidizing with elemental sulfur. The sulfidizing process results in the obtaining the products containing solid pyrrhotite solution with of the following grades Ni — 0.5–13.5 (in average — 2.5); Co — 0.27; Cu — 0.21 % (mass.) and waste pyrite. There is shown the possibility in principle to separate pyrite and solid pyrrhotite solution by the methods of concentration, based both on different values of their critical pH during flotation, and on different influence of additives on flotation properties. Both methods are promising as they provide the possibility to remove from the principle cycle on its early stages the major part of iron and sulfur of mineral feed without sulfur containing gases formation.

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