Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology SB RAS, Krasnoyarsk, Russia:

Pashkov G. L., Сorresponding Member of RAS

Panteleeva M. V., Researcher, e-mail: vp414@mail.ru

Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia:
Saikova S. V., Professor
Saikova D. I., Student

The article is devoted to the ecological process of cation resin exchange leaching of oxidized nickel ores using cation exchange resin in the hydrogen form. The process is based on the formation of a low dissociating compound between counterions of cation exchange resin and anions of the leach phase. The oxidized nickel ore of the Ust-Porozhinskoe deposit were chosen as objects of study. The ore is characterized high nickel content (an average of about 0.9%, a maximum of 2.1%). The efficiency of the leaching process was characterized by the weight fraction of the extracted metal. The weight fraction was calculated as the ratio of the weight of the metal in the cation exchange resin to its weight in the sample of the ore. The rate of the process, the influence of temperature, the amount of cation resin exchanger and other factors were investigated, and the optimal leaching conditions were determined. A comparison of cation exchange leaching between the dissolution of ore by concentrated hydrochloric acid was carried out. It has been established that the selectivity of nickel recovery during cation resin exchange leaching is significantly higher than in the case of leaching acid. So, the separation factor of nickel and zinc in the case of cation exchange dissolution is 270, which is 10 times higher than the value obtained by dissolution in acid. 45% nickel recovery is achieved in three stages of the process. Cation resin exchange leaching of oxidized nickel ores should be considered as the first stage of complex process of this of raw material, which allows selectively extracting about half of the nickel contained in the ore. Further, nickel leaching is possible in the course of acid dissolution of the ore.

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