Patent ID: 8460429
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: C22B

Abstract:
1. A method of smelting a nickel hydroxide or nickel carbonate intermediate product in a smelter that contains a molten bath of metal and slag to produce a nickel product, the method comprising supplying the intermediate product and a solid reductant to the smelter; smelting the intermediate product to produce molten nickel; and controlling the chemistry of the slag so that the slag has (a) a solubility for contaminants including magnesium, calcium, cobalt, copper, manganese, silicon, sulfur, phosphorous and/or aluminium in elemental form or as compounds, sufficient to facilitate partitioning of the contaminants into the slag; and (b) a liquidus temperature in the range of about 1300° C. to about 1700° C.