Method of producing ferro-nickel from nickel-containing silicate ores

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR RECOVERING NICKEL-RICH FERRO-NICKEL FROM OXIDE NICKEL ORES CONTAINING SMALL AMOUNTS OF NICKEL AND LARGER AMOUNTS OF IRON WHICH COMPRISES REDUCING SAID ORE IN THE SOLID STATE AT A HIGH TEMPERATURE, NEAR BUT BELOW THE POINT OF INCIPIENT FUSION OF THE ORE WHERE SUBSTANTIAL ORE AGGLOMERATION WOULD OCCUR, IN THE PRESENCE OF A SELECTIVE REDUCING ATMOSPHERE TO REDUCE SUBSTANTIALLY ALL THE NICKEL AND A CONTROLLED PORTION OF THE IRON AMOUNTING TO LESS THAN 50% OF THE TOTAL IRON CONTAINED IN SIAD ORE TO THE METALLIC STATE; SMELTING SAID REDUCED ORE WHILE STILL AT A HIGH TEMPERATURE TO FORM A MOLTEN NICKEL-IRON MELT CONTAINING METALLIC IRON AND METALLIC NICKEL AND A SLAG CONTAINING IRON IN THE OXIDE STATE AND GANGUE CONSTITUENTS IN THE REDUCED ORE AND FLOATING ON SIAD MOLTEN NICKEL-IRON MELT; REMOVING SAID SLAG FLOATING ON SAID MOLTEN NICKEL-IRON MELT; TOP BLOWING THE REMAINING MOLTEN NICKEL-IRON MELT WITH OXYGEN, WHILE AGITATING THE SAID NICKEL-IRON MELT WITH MECHANICAL MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY INDEPENDENT OF OXYGEN-CONTAINING GASES INTRODUCED INTO THE FURNACE, TO INSURE INTIMATE AND