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dc.contributor.authorTimms, Nicholas Eric
dc.contributor.authorLi, Jian
dc.contributor.authorReddy, Steven
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-30T11:39:33Z
dc.date.available2017-01-30T11:39:33Z
dc.date.created2010-03-29T20:04:40Z
dc.date.issued2009
dc.identifier.citationTimms, Nicholas and Li, J. and Reddy, Steven. 2009. Quantitative microstructural characterisation of jarosite scale formed during high pressure acid leaching of lateritic nickel ore. American Mineralogist 94: pp. 1111-1119.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/13812
dc.identifier.doi10.2138/am.2009.3104
dc.description.abstract

The build up of scale inside autoclaves during high-pressure acid leaching of nickel laterite ore currently represents a significant industrial problem in processing plants. In this study, the crystallographic microstructure of natrojarosite scale developed on stirring rods inside a high-pressure acid leach autoclave are investigated using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Backscatter electron imaging shows compositional layering of natrojarosite with dispersed minor iron oxide crystals and regularly spaced, parallel layer micro-porosity. Analysis of the scale by EBSD reveals that natrojarosite forms elongate grains with strong (0001) crystallographic preferred orientation with c axes aligned within the plane of the agitator substrate, consistent with unitaxial precipitation from a fluid. The natrojarosite grains contain a complex internal substructure of low-angle (<15) boundaries that define elongate subgrains and accommodate up to 40 of systematic misorientation across single grains. Low-angle subgrain boundaries do not have simple twin relationships or low-index misorientation axes and are interpreted to have formed as a result of the propagation of crystal defects during growth rather than by syn-growth deformation due to shear stresses between viscous leachate slurry and the agitator inside the autoclave. The presence of extended defects in the scale microstructure has implications for the solubility and reactive stability of mineral processing waste as well as for the development of scale growth inhibitors.

dc.publisherMineralogical Society of America
dc.relation.urihttp://ammin.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/94/8-9/1111
dc.subjectjarosite
dc.subjectmineral
dc.subjectmicrostructure
dc.subjectScale
dc.subjectdefects
dc.subjectgrowth
dc.titleQuantitative microstructural characterisation of jarosite scale formed during high pressure acid leaching of lateritic nickel ore
dc.typeJournal Article
dcterms.source.volume94
dcterms.source.startPage1111
dcterms.source.endPage1119
dcterms.source.issn0003004X
dcterms.source.titleAmerican Mineralogist
curtin.accessStatusFulltext not available
curtin.facultyDepartment of Applied Geology
curtin.facultyFaculty of Science and Engineering
curtin.facultyWA School of Mines


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