Abstract
The possibility of reduction of phosphorus, arsenic, nickel, and cobalt from the oxide phase by metallic iron at a temperature of 1650 °C in the absence of other reducing agents in the system is shown. As objects of investigation, ore with a high phosphorus content, iron-manganese ore with an elevated arsenic content, nickel-cobalt ore, and hydrogen-reduced reagent iron with a purity of 99.99% were used. It was established that during the melting of ores in a mixture with metallic iron, reduction of phosphorus, arsenic, nickel, and cobalt occurs and their transition into the metallic phase takes place. The mechanism of reduction of impurity elements is explained from the standpoint of the electron theory of reduction developed by the authors - by the transfer of electrons from metallic iron to the cations of impurities P5+, As3+, Ni2+, Co2+, i.e., by the reduction of these elements as a result of iron oxidation. It was also established that during the melting of nickel-cobalt ore in contact with metallic iron, nickel completely transitions into the metal, which makes its reduction by metallic iron from off-grade nickel ores with the production of ferronickel promising. It is shown that in the development and mastering of technologies for selective reduction of iron in difficult-to-process ores, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of reduction of phosphorus and arsenic at the stage of liquid-phase separation of the products of solid-phase reduction.