Optimasi Proses Reduksi Bijih Nikel Laterit Jenis Limonit Sebagai Bahan Baku NPI (Nickel Pig Iron)

Experiment in reduction has been done to the limonite type of nickel laterite derived from Sangaji, Halmahera, as raw material to produce Nickel Pig Iron (NPI). This experiment was intended to increase the Ni and Fe content. The stages of experiment consist of : grinding process to reduce limonite ore up to - 80 mesh, analysis of Ni and Fe content in groundes limonite, pelletizing, reduction process, and magnetic separation. From the initial analysis of limonit ore was obtained 1,42 persen NiO and Fe2O3 at 69,55 persen. Most of the ore then was formed to pellets by adding coal as reductant and bentonite as binder. The reduction process was done using muffle furnace. The variable for reduction testwere covering : temperature differences from 900 to 1100 and reduction time 1 to 4 hours and then variable amount of reductant coal difference of 5 persen, 7,5 persen, 10 persen, 12,5 persen, and 15 persen. The result of reduction was separated using magnetic separator into the form of concentrates and tailings which were then analyzed by AAS to determine how much increasing Ni and Fe content after reduction. The results of AAS analysis showed that the higher the temperature reduction, the higher Ni and Fe content in concentrate. From the experimental results on the data obtained at the optimum temperature was 1100oC with 7,5 persen reductant and time reduction for 3 hours.Keywords : Nickel laterite , limonite , Nickel Pig Iron (NPI), Reduction, Concentrate, Tailing Majalah Metalurgi April 2014 Vol 29 No 1