The dissolution kinetics of nickel laterite ore in aqueous acid solutions of three metabolic acids, i.e., citric acid, oxalic acid and acetic acid were investigated in a batch reactor individually. It was determined that experimental data comply with a shrinking core model. The diffusion coefficients for citric acid, oxalic acid and acetic acid were found to be 1.99×10-9 cm²/s, 2.59×10-8 cm²/s and 1.92×10-10 cm²/s respectively. The leaching ability of each acid was observed and it was found that oxalic acid was better than the other two.
Dissolution kinetics; Laterite ore; Leaching; Pseudomonas putida
