Laterite nickel rotary kiln is the main equipment for ferronickel production after calcination and smelting of laterite nickel ore. The nickel laterite ore rotary kiln can produce nickel iron by direct reduction method, and it is also one of the key pieces of equipment in the rotary kiln electric furnace (RKEF) smelting process.
The laterite nickel rotary kiln produced by AGICO Rotary Kiln has good quality, long service life, a low failure rate, strong environmental applicability, and high technology content, and the operation is also very simple and convenient.
Production capacity: 180-10000t/h
Specifications: φ2.5×40- φ6.0×95
Applicable materials: various lateritic nickel and metal ores, nonferrous metal ores, and various calcium carbonate materials.

Application Advantages of Lateritic Nickel Rotary Kiln
The high-nickel-nickel-iron produced by the nickel laterite rotary kiln is of high quality and can be directly used as the raw material for the production of stainless steel. Using a laterite nickel rotary kiln for production, only 4.5 tons of standard coal is needed to smelt 1 ton of ferronickel, and the electricity consumption can be reduced by 40% compared with similar equipment. Rotary kiln for nickel mining can greatly reduce the product cost and reduce the waste of laterite nickel ore resources. At the same time, it can meet the demand for nickel and iron in the stainless steel industry and has good economic and social benefits.


- The energy type of rotary kiln for nickel mining is coal, which is cheaper than other types of energy.
- Rotary kiln for nickel mining consumes less energy and has low production costs, so its payback period is relatively short.
- The laterite nickel ore rotary kiln is suitable for a wide range of materials. In addition to calcining various types of laterite nickel ore, it can also process various metal ores and calcium carbonate materials.
- The sand-like finished particles produced by the nickel rotary kiln are quite favorable for continuous feeding and rapid dissolution as a coolant material in the steelmaking process.
As a rotary kiln manufacturer with more than 20 years of design and production experience, the laterite nickel ore rotary kiln produced by AGICO is mature in technology and reliable in quality. Customers are welcome to inquire.
Technical Parameters of Lateritic Nickel Rotary Kiln
Specifications(m) | Angle of Inclination(%) | Capacity(t/h) | Rotate speed(r/min) | Motor power(kW) | Total weight(t) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Φ2.5×40 | 3.5 | 180 | 0.11-2.44 | 55 | 149.61 |
Φ2.5×50 | 3 | 200 | 0.62-1.86 | 55 | 187.37 |
Φ2.5×54 | 3.5 | 204 | 0.48-1.45 | 55 | 196.29 |
Φ2.7×42 | 3.5 | 320 | 0.10-1.52 | 55 | 198.5 |
Φ2.8×44 | 3.5 | 400 | 0.437-2.18 | 55 | 201.58 |
Φ3.0×45 | 3.5 | 500 | 0.5-2.47 | 75 | 210.94 |
Φ3.0×48 | 3.5 | 700 | 0.6-3.48 | 100 | 237 |
Φ3.0×60 | 3.5 | 300 | 0.3-2 | 100 | 310 |
Φ3.2×50 | 4 | 1000 | 0.6-3 | 125 | 278 |
Φ3.3×52 | 3.5 | 1300 | 0.266-2.66 | 125 | 283 |
Φ3.5×54 | 3.5 | 1500 | 0.55-3.4 | 220 | 363 |
Φ3.6×70 | 3.5 | 1800 | 0.25-1.25 | 125 | 419 |
Φ4.0×56 | 4 | 2300 | 0.41-4.07 | 315 | 456 |
Φ4.0×60 | 3.5 | 2500 | 0.396-3.96 | 315 | 510 |
Φ4.2×60 | 4 | 2750 | 0.4-3.98 | 375 | 633 |
Φ4.3×60 | 3.5 | 3200 | 0.396-3.96 | 375 | 583 |
Φ4.5×66 | 3.5 | 4000 | 0.41-4.1 | 560 | 710.4 |
Φ4.7×74 | 4 | 4500 | 0.35-4 | 630 | 849 |
Φ4.8×74 | 4 | 5000 | 0.396-3.96 | 630 | 899 |
Φ5.0×74 | 4 | 6000 | 0.35-4 | 710 | 944 |
Φ5.6×87 | 4 | 8000 | Max4.23 | 800 | 1265 |
Φ6.0×95 | 4 | 10000 | Max5 | 950×2 | 1659 |
Rotary Kiln-Electric Furnace (RKEF) Pyrometallurgical Ferronickel Process
The rotary kiln-electric furnace process is an emerging ferronickel smelting technology in recent years. Factories using RKEF smelting technology have achieved good economic benefits, so this pyro-nickel smelting process has been widely used around the world.
RKEF Pyrometallurgical Smelting Process of Ferronickel

- The first process of RKEF is to sieve, crush and mix the laterite ore so that the wet ore with surface moisture of 30%-35% is transported by a belt and added to a drying kiln to dry to surface moisture of about 20%.
- Then, the dry ore, reduced coal, flux, and return material are added to the reduction roasting rotary kiln by the belt for further dehydration, roasting, pre-reduction, and the calcines at 750°C-850°C are produced.
- The calcine is fed into the silo above the electric furnace through the transport device and then fed into the electric furnace through the feeding pipe for smelting to produce coarse nickel alloy and slag.
- The crude nickel alloy is discharged to the nickel alloy tank, and the nickel alloy tank is transported to the KR mechanical stirring station for desulfurization to obtain the refined nickel alloy.
- Refined nickel alloy water is poured into nickel alloy ingots through a cast iron machine and then finished and packaged.
Important Role of RKEF Laterite Nickel Rotary Kiln in the RKEF Nickel Production process
- Helps to completely evaporate the surface water of laterite nickel ore.
- The crystallization water in laterite nickel ore is removed by a burning loss reaction.
- Partial reduction of iron, nickel, and cobalt oxides in the ore with the reduction reaction.
- The temperature of the laterite nickel ore is increased, and the calcines release temperature is between 700°C-1000°C.