Abstract: Aiming at the problems of low grade and complex mineral phase of a nickel-bearing g copper tailings,the nickel- copper tailings were pretreated by reduction roasting method with coke as reducing agent,NaCl,Na2CO3 and NaClO as the roasting additives. In order to improve the separation and enrichment index,the Box-Behnken response surface method was used to design the experiment and optimize the dosage of various additives in the reduction roasting of nickel-containing copper tailings. The influence of the interaction between the factors on the magnetic separation index was analyzed,and the mathematical prediction model between the independent variables and the response values was established. The optimal process conditions for reduction roasting-magnetic separation of nickel-containing copper tailings were determined :NaCl dosage 23. 723%,Na2CO3 dosage 14. 552%,NaClO dosage 10%. Under this condition,the predicted nickel grade of magnetic separation concentrate was 3. 528%. It has certain practicability and feasibility for optimizing the reduction roasting process of nickel-containing copper tailings

Key words: nickel,nickel-bearing copper tailings,roasting,magnetic separation,response surface methodology