The study of redox processes occurring in complex oxides of rich chromium ores
To date, there are several theories of carbothermic reduction of metals from various ores, concentrates and even chemically pure oxides. The existing recovery theories include gas-phase, dissociative, oxide-sublimation, absorption-autocatalytic, contact reduction schemes. In fact, all these theories do not explain the essence of the reduction mechanism, namely, the reasons for the formation of metals deep in the crystal lattices of complex oxides, where the reduced metal is located at a considerable distance from contact with the reducing agent, the dissolution of metals in the silicate phase, the reasons for the blocking of the recovery process, the formation of hexavalent chromium etc. In this regard, this article is aimed at experimental research and theoretical justification of the mechanism from the standpoint of the electrochemical theory of metal reduction.