Provided is a method for smelting nickel oxide ore by which the occurrence of cracking due to heat shock can be suppressed when nickel oxide ore is pelletized and charged into a smelting step (reduction step). A method for smelting nickel oxide ore according to the present invention uses pellets of nickel oxide ore, the method being characterized by comprising a pellet production step S1 for producing pellets from nickel oxide ore, and a reduction step S2 for heating the resulting pellets at a predetermined reduction temperature in a reduction furnace, the reduction step S2 comprising preheating the pellets obtained in the pellet production step S1 to a temperature of 350 to 600 C. in the reduction furnace and thereafter charging the pellets into the reduction furnace and raising the temperature of the reduction furnace to the reduction temperature.

A method for smelting nickel oxide ore according to the present invention uses pellets of nickel oxide ore and is characterized by comprising: a pellet production step S1 for producing pellets from nickel oxide ore; a reduction step S2 for heating the resulting pellets at a predetermined reduction temperature in a reduction furnace to obtain a mixture of iron-nickel alloy and slag; and a separation step S3 for separating out and recovering the iron-nickel alloy form the resulting mixture, the separation step S3 comprising the creation of pulverized matter by pulverizing the mixture so that at least the slag becomes smaller than 2 mm, and sorting the resulting pulverized matter with a magnetic force of 300 to 600 gauss.

A method for smelting a nickel oxide ore, wherein the reduction step progresses effectively while maintaining the strength of the pellets, comprises: a pellet production step S1 for producing pellets from a nickel oxide ore; and a reduction step S2 for reducing and heating the obtained pellets in a smelting furnace at a predetermined reduction temperature. In the pellet production step S1, a mixture is formed by mixing materials including said nickel oxide ore without mixing a carbonaceous reducing agent, and the pellets are formed by agglomerating said mixture. In the reduction step S2, in charging the obtained pellets into the smelting furnace, a carbonaceous reducing agent is spread in advance over the furnace floor of the smelting furnace and the pellets are placed on the carbonaceous reducing agent, and the pellets are reduced and heated in a state where the pellets are covered by the carbonaceous reducing agent.

A novel nickel particulate form is provided that efficiently forms a zero-valent nickel complex with a phosphorus-containing ligands in an organic liquid to form a hydrocyanation catalyst. Particles in the nickel particulate form comprise nickel crystallites. For example, the nickel particulate form can have a BET Specific Surface Area of at least about 1 m.sup.2/gm; an average crystallite size less than about 20-25 nm, the nickel particulate form can have at least 10% of the crystallites in the nickel form can have can have a diameter (C10) of less than about 10 nm, and/or there are on average at least about 10.sup.15 surface crystallites per gram nickel. A ratio of BET SSA to C50 for the nickel particulate form can be at least about 0.110.sup.9 m/gm and preferably at least about 0.410.sup.9 m/gm. Methods of preparation and use are also provided.

A recycling method of a waste lithium ion secondary battery may include (a) charging a waste lithium ion secondary battery into a pyrolysis furnace, (b) increasing the internal temperature of the pyrolysis furnace to induce self-heating of the waste lithium ion secondary battery, (c) maintaining a self-heating reaction of the waste lithium ion secondary battery, (d) discharging a first powder formed after completing the self-heating reaction of the waste lithium ion secondary battery, and (e) injecting the first powder into water, dissolving a lithium component included in the first powder, and separating and recovering a lithium aqueous solution, a precipitate settled in the lithium aqueous solution, and a floating material on the surface of the lithium aqueous solution, separately.

Disclosed herein is a method for reducing a metal oxide in a metal oxide containing precursor. The method comprises providing a reaction mixture comprising the metal oxide containing precursor and an aluminium reductant; heating the reaction mixture in the presence of solid or gaseous aluminium chloride to a temperature at which reactions that result in the metal oxide being reduced are initiated; controlling reaction conditions whereby the reaction mixture is prevented from reaching a temperature at which thermal runaway can occur; and isolating reaction products that include reduced metal oxide.

The present invention refers a method of recovering materials derived from nickel ore, involving a method of obtaining nickel ore concentrate and a processing method of said concentrate, whereby nickel ore can be processed in an efficient and ecological manner, and residues and materials currently untapped can be recovered from this nickel ore.

Disclosed herein is a method for reducing a metal oxide in a metal oxide containing precursor. The method comprises providing a reaction mixture comprising the metal oxide containing precursor and an aluminium reductant; heating the reaction mixture in the presence of solid or gaseous aluminium chloride to a temperature at which reactions that result in the metal oxide being reduced are initiated; controlling reaction conditions whereby the reaction mixture is prevented from reaching a temperature at which thermal runaway can occur; and isolating reaction products that include reduced metal oxide.

The present disclosure concerns a 2-step smelting process, for recovering of Ni and Co from batteries and other sources. The process comprises the steps of: defining an oxidizing level Ox, and a battery-bearing metallurgical charge; oxidizing smelting of the metallurgical charge by injecting an O.sub.2-bearing gas into the melt to reach the defined oxidizing level Ox; and, reducing smelting of the obtained slag using a heat source and a reducing agent. The process is more energy-efficient than a single-step reducing smelting process and provides for a higher purity alloy and for a cleaner final slag.

The present invention relates to a process for the recovery of transition metals from battery materials comprising (0.1) providing a battery material which comprises oxidic nickel and/or cobalt compounds, (1.1) heating the battery material above 350 C. to yield a reduced material which contains nickel and/or cobalt in elemental form, (2.1) carbonylating the reduced material with carbon monoxide optionally in the presence of a reactive gas to yield a solid carbonylation residue and a volatile carbonyl which comprises nickel and/or cobalt carbonyl containing compounds, and (3.1) separating the volatile carbonyl from the solid carbonylation residue by evaporation.