Niobium Extraction from Baotou Iron Ore Containing Niobium

The experimental results of niobium enrichment in laboratory and in blast furnace in Baotou Iron andSteel Corporation were reported.The effects of temperature,constituents of slag and silicon content in hotmetal on niobium recovery were studied and the results have been verified by blast furnace operation.Opticaland electronic microscopy and EPMA was observed that at the metal-slag interface there is NbC deposit layerobstructed Nb entering into the metal,By raising the temperature of hearth and agitating the bath,the reduc-tion of niobium oxide in slag could be speeded up,the solubility of Nb in hot metal could increase and thedeposited NbC layer became thinner and even disappeared,in result,Nb recovery was increased.A compre-hensive extraction process combining ore dressing with pyro-hydro-metallurgy was suggested for Baotouniobium resource which was difficult to be concentrated formerly.The methods of increasing niobium recoverywere also suggested.