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What percentage of nickel is found in nickel matte after smelting?

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In the process of smelting sulfide ores, the nickel content of the resulting matte changes depending on the stage of production:

  • Initial Smelting: The initial smelting process produces an artificial nickel-iron sulfide matte that contains 25 to 45 percent nickel.1
  • Converting Process: Following the removal of iron through conversion with a silica flux, the resulting matte contains 70 to 75 percent nickel.1

This controlled removal of sulfur is necessary because converting nickel sulfide directly to metal would require temperatures exceeding 1,600 °C (2,910 °F), whereas the 70–75 percent nickel matte has a lower melting point.1