CALCINATION BEHAVIOR OF SIVRIHISAR LATERITE ORES OF TURKEY

This study investigated calcination behavior of one of the Turkish laterite deposits, which was recently found in Sivrihisar region. Representative limonitic laterite samples (1.26% Ni) taken from Yunusemre Karasivritepe and Kucuksivritepe location were first subjected to drying. Removal of chemically bound water and other volatiles were then studied, in detail. In the calcination experiments, temperature and time were the main experimental variables. Thermal treatment was conducted at the specific temperatures in 250 degrees C - 800 degrees C range. The weight losses due to elimination of chemically bound water and other volatiles were reported to be approximately 10 per cent of the weight of the ore. For the particle size used in the current work, 700 degrees C and 40 minutes were determined to be the optimum calcination temperature and time, respectively.