Nickel laterites
Nickel laterite ores were formed by tropical
weathering of precursor (terutama)
ultramafic rocks.
New Caledonia
Principal Nickel Laterite Deposits
Poum
Tiebaghi
Etoile du Nord
Tchingou
Koniambo
Moneo
Nepoui
Poro
Louaoua
Me Maoya
Nakety
Tene Bourail
Thio
LEGEND
Residual Nickel Deposit
Sedimentary Nickel Deposit
Ultramafic
Tontouta
NOUMEA
Quinne
PdL Yate
Goro
Pernod
Prony
Indonesia
Principal Nickel Laterite Deposits
SERAWAK
HALMAHERA
SULAWESI
GEBE
WAIGEO IRIAN JAYA
KALIMANTAN
GAG
OBI
PNG
SOROWAKO
BAHODOPI
SENTANI
POMALAA
WEDA BAY
SUMATRA
500km
TIMOR
Samples studied
The samples studied are typical wet nickel
laterites of humid rain forests. They are grab
samples obtained from Inco operations:
Experimental
Goro
1.73
0.11
41.1
2.73
5.11
2.57
0.68
1.73
0.66
PT Inco
1.99
0.05
20.7
10.1
14.6
1.66
0.36
0.80
-
Goro laterite
Goro laterite
Goro laterite. 1- forsterite, 2- serpentine, 3- quartz, 4goethite, 5- siderite, 6- enstatite, 7- gibbsite, 8- magnetite
Grey
Dark
Mn Magnetite Chlorite
serpentine serpentine oxide
Ni
1.5
1.7
2.0
10.2
0.15
0.7
Fe 47.8
6.1
6.1
7.5
68.6
5.0
Mg 0.6
21.1
14.1
0.6
0.3
17.1
Al
2.9
0.4
1.4
4.3
0.1
8.2
Cr
0.8
0.1
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.4
Mn 0.4
0.1
0.1
23.0
0.3
nd
Co
0.1
nd
nd
4.1
0.4
nd
Si
1.6
17.7
14.7
0.5
0.1
13.9
nd- below detection limit (Mn 600-700 ppm, Co 550-600
ppm, Ni 550-600 ppm). Serpentine Mg2-3Si2O5(OH)4.nH2O
been
ground prior to study, the particle sizes shown in
this study do not necessarily represent the ore.
PTI reduction kiln feed. 1- enstatite, 2- Ca-Mg silicate, 3serpentine, 4- Mg-Ca-Al silicate (amphibole), 5- goethite, 6(Al,Cr,Fe,Mg)3O4, 7- Mg-Fe-Al silicate (chlorite)
Major - serpentine.
Minor to trace - goethite, Cr-spinel, chlorite,
talc, amphibole, pyroxene (enstatite,
diopside), Mn oxide, various Fe-Mg-Al
silicates, Fe-Mg-Ni-Si-O spheroids (recycled
process material), olivine, magnetite and
quartz.
PTI reduction kiln feed. 1- grey serpentine (1.8-2.0% Ni), 2dark serpentine- (2.1-3.0% Ni), 3- goethite (0.4% Ni), 4goethite (0.3-0.5% Ni), 5- goethite (1.0-2.1% Ni), 6- forsterite
(0.2% Ni), 7- Mn oxide (13.8% Ni), 8- enstatite (no Ni)
PTI reduction kiln feed. 1- (Cr,Fe)3O4 (no Ni), 2(Cr,Fe,Al,Mg)3O4 (0.17% Ni), 3- Fe3O4 (1.1% Ni), 4- serpentine
(1.2-2.7% Ni), 5- goethite (1.4% Ni), 6- spheroid (1.2% Ni in MgFe silicate and 2.3% Ni in Fe oxide), 7- NiFe2O4, 8- Mn oxide
(9.6% Ni)
Conclusions
Conclusions
Mineralogical Characterization
of Nickel Laterites from New
Caledonia and Indonesia
T.T. Chen1, J.E. Dutrizac1, E. Krause2
and R. Osborne2
1CANMET,