TY - JOUR
T1 - Laterite ore processing with hydrogen via mild chemical pressure leaching or bioleaching
AU - Hetz, Stefanie A
AU - Schippers, Axel
AU - Ostertag-Henning, Christian
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s)
PY - 2025/4/1
Y1 - 2025/4/1
N2 - Limonitic laterites consist of a high amount of iron oxides/hydroxides, such as goethite and hematite, being recalcitrant in hydrometallurgical processing for nickel and cobalt recovery. High pressure acid leaching (HPAL) is the currently most applied processing technology for limonitic laterites. Still, research is ongoing to develop technologies with less energy consumption and a lower carbon footprint. Among these, chemical leaching under mild conditions and bioleaching were investigated, as well as using hydrogen gas as a reductant. In this study, these approaches were combined. Bioleaching of laterite ore using hydrogen was shown for the first time, and anaerobic batch incubation with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans showed that bioleaching with hydrogen was as efficient in metal extraction as with addition of elemental sulfur. Chemical laterite leaching with hydrogen under pressure at 50 bar and ambient temperature also succeeded in metal extraction; however, the leaching efficiency strongly depended on the laterite mineralogical composition.
AB - Limonitic laterites consist of a high amount of iron oxides/hydroxides, such as goethite and hematite, being recalcitrant in hydrometallurgical processing for nickel and cobalt recovery. High pressure acid leaching (HPAL) is the currently most applied processing technology for limonitic laterites. Still, research is ongoing to develop technologies with less energy consumption and a lower carbon footprint. Among these, chemical leaching under mild conditions and bioleaching were investigated, as well as using hydrogen gas as a reductant. In this study, these approaches were combined. Bioleaching of laterite ore using hydrogen was shown for the first time, and anaerobic batch incubation with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans showed that bioleaching with hydrogen was as efficient in metal extraction as with addition of elemental sulfur. Chemical laterite leaching with hydrogen under pressure at 50 bar and ambient temperature also succeeded in metal extraction; however, the leaching efficiency strongly depended on the laterite mineralogical composition.
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2025.106447
U2 - 10.1016/j.hydromet.2025.106447
DO - 10.1016/j.hydromet.2025.106447
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
SN - 0304-386X
VL - 233
JO - Hydrometallurgy
JF - Hydrometallurgy
M1 - 106447
ER -
