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Processing Technology vs Nickel Laterite Ore Characteristic

Processing Technology vs Nickel Laterite Ore Characteristic. Agus Superiadi PT Inco.Tbk. Presentation Outlines. Types of Nickel Deposit World Nickel Mineral Resources Nickel Laterite Development Processing Technology of Nickel Laterite Processing vs Ni Laterite Ore Characteristic Summary.

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Processing Technology vs Nickel Laterite Ore Characteristic

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  1. Processing Technology vs Nickel Laterite Ore Characteristic Agus Superiadi PT Inco.Tbk

  2. Presentation Outlines • Types of Nickel Deposit • World Nickel Mineral Resources • Nickel Laterite Development • Processing Technology of Nickel Laterite • Processing vs Ni Laterite Ore Characteristic • Summary

  3. Types of Nickel Deposits • Sulphide nickel deposits • Nickel as nickel sulphide  pentlandite, millerite • Nickel ores processed through milling and smelting • Laterite nickel deposits • Oxide Ni deposits: Ni as hydroxide in the ferruginous zone • Clay silicate deposits: Ni as clay silicate • Hydrous silicate deposits: Ni as hydrous-silicate in saprolite • Nickel ores processed through pyro-metallurgy (smelting) or hydro-metallurgy (leaching)

  4. WORLD’S LAND-BASED Ni RESOURCES

  5. WORLD Ni PRODUCTION & RESOURCES WORLD Ni RESOURCES PRIMARY Ni PRODUCTION 60% 70% LATERITE SULPHIDE LATERITE SULPHIDE 40% 30%

  6. LATERITE vs. SULPHIDE DEPOSITS CUBA PHILIPPINES INDONESIA NEW CALEDONIA AUSTRALIA SULPHIDES LATERITES

  7. World Nickel Laterite Deposits Albania Greece India Cuba Burma Dominican Republic Philippines Ivory Coast Guatemala Venezuela Ethiopia Columbia Indonesia Burundi Zimbabwe PNG Brazil Madagascar New Caledonia Australia Producing Countries Non Producing Countries

  8. World Nickel Laterite Resources (Distribution by Contained Nickel) Other America Caribbean 4% 8% Africa 25% 8% Australia 8% Philippines New 11% Caledonia Indonesia 20% 16%

  9. DEFINITION OF LATERITES • Nickel laterites are: • Residual soils • Have developed over mafic/ultramafic rocks • Through processes of chemical weathering and supergene enrichment • Under tropical climatic conditions • Laterites are source of metals: • Ni, Co, Cr, Fe (from laterites derived from ultramafic rocks) • Al (from laterites derived from aluminous rocks)

  10. Laterisation

  11. LATERITEPROFILEOn Unserpentinised Peridotite, Sorowako Red Laterite (Hematite) Yellow Laterite (Limonite) Saprolite zone Bedrock pinnacle

  12. Considerations for developing a nickel laterite project • Nickel grade; cobalt grade • Resource tonnage / Life of Mine / scale of operation • Ore chemistry and mineralogy • Upgradeability of ore • Process selection • Availability of cheap power supply • Selection of fuel • Availability of raw materials: water, silica flux, aggregate • Availability of infrastructure • Location of project • Mining method • Environmental considerations • Negotiations with local and central governments • Funding of the project • Selection of engineer and contractor

  13. PROCESSING OF Ni LATERITES • Pyrometallurgical processing(Ore is melted) • Ferro-nickel • Ni-matte • Ni Pig Iron • Hydrometallurgical processing (Leaching by acid) • PAL (Pressure acid leaching) – HPAL • AL (Atmospheric Leaching) • Heap Leaching • Combined pyro and hydro process (Caron)(Ore is reduced at high temperature, then leached)

  14. Ferro-Nickel Projects in the world Nickel-Matte Projects of the world

  15. HPAL Projects of the world CARON Projects of the world

  16. Heap Leach Projects of the world

  17. PYROMETALLURGICAL PROCESSING

  18. PYROMETALLURGY Important concerns: • Slag should not attack refractory (S/M ratio) • Melting temperature should be suitable (S/M; Fe) • Olivine should not be introduced to the furnace • Appropriate reduction of ore prior to smelting • Ni/Fe ratio in the ore for ferro-nickel operation

  19. HYDROMETALLURGICAL PROCESSING

  20. HYDROMETALLURGY Important concerns: HPAL • Amounts of soluble Mg and Al in ore (acid consumers) • Acid to ore ratio required for process • Minimum operating temperature required to leach • What is the appropriate pressure during leaching • Retention time in the autoclave • Rheological behaviour during slurrying • How to recover metals in the back end of processing • What product to make Heap Leaching • Clay content • Fe content • Moisture content • Weather

  21. Hydro vs Pyro • Note: • The selection of processing technology must consider: • Ore characteristic (Chemistry and Mineralogy) • Ni/Co grades (include potential upgrading) • Metal recovery • Mineability (Ore thickness and continuity) • Capital and Operating costs (potential hydro-electric power, Residual Storage Facility, Water source, Limestone source, • Existing infrastructure, etc) • Market demand

  22. Hydro vs Pyro

  23. Pyrometallurgy

  24. Hydrometallurgy

  25. SUMMARY • Ore Characteristics (chemistry and mineralogy) are very critical in selecting processing technology. • HPAL is a preferred technology (if the ore is rich in limonite) because less energy required. • Ferronickel and Nickel matte smelter is a good alternative for saprolitic laterite ore with potential hydro electric power. • Heap Leach and NPI are attractive since less capital investment required. • A Feasibility Study (Geology, Mining, Processing including Metallurgical testworks, Infrastructures, AMDAL, etc) is required to justify the project execution.

  26. THANK YOU

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