2014 Korkmaz Comparative pressure and atmospheric leaching of nickel laterite

The purpose of this study was to compare the high pressure acid leaching (HPAL) with agitated atmospheric leaching (AL) to obtain better extraction efficiencies of nickel and cobalt from refractory nickel laterite ores. The research examines various experimental conditions, focusing on different parameters affecting leaching performance. A series of experiments were conducted to determine the optimal conditions for both HPAL and AL processes, measuring variables such as temperature, pressure, and retention time. The extraction rates for nickel and cobalt were calculated and compared between the two methods. Results indicated that HPAL provided a significantly higher extraction efficiency for both metals compared to atmospheric leaching. Specifically, the optimal HPAL conditions achieved a nickel extraction rate of 73.2% and cobalt extraction rate of 76.8%, while atmospheric leaching showed markedly lower efficiencies. The findings suggest that HPAL is a more effective method for extracting these metals from refractory ores, making it a valuable process for metallurgical engineering applications. This study not only contributes to the existing body of knowledge but also presents practical implications for the mining and metallurgy industry.