Lecture 16 - Iron and Nickel

Question 1

World Iron and Steel production

Answer 1

52 countries produce iron ore
73 countries produce steel
Earth average crust - 5% Fe
2.2 billion tons iron ore production 2020
1.95 billion tons of steel

Question 2

Iron Stones

Answer 2

Replacement of CO3 by Fe-rich groundwaters

Question 3

Placer deposits

Answer 3

Iron sands erosion of volcanic rocks

Question 4

Superior type Banded iron Formation Late Archean

Answer 4

Iron rich water deposits iron

Question 5

Formation of deposits governed by oxidation state of iron

Answer 5

Fe Native Iron Fe
Fe2+ Ferrous Iron FeS2, FeCO3,Fe3O4
Fe3+ Ferric Iron Fe2O3, Fe(O,OH)x
Fe3+ «< soluble than Fe2+

Question 6

Nickel Laterites

Answer 6

Mineralisation due to surface processes

Question 7

Ni-Laterite deposits

Answer 7

Formed by intensive tropical weathering of olivine rich ultramafic rocks to leave pure nickel ore.
Generally form around the equator

Question 8

Nickel characteristics

Answer 8

Silvery, white metal , resists corrosion
Used in alloys

Question 9

Main producers of Nickel

Answer 9

Phillipinnes, Russia, Indonesia

Question 10

Biggest reserves of Nickel

Answer 10

Brazil, Austrailia, Indonesia

Question 11

Climate and laterite formation

Answer 11

Lack of seasonality in Tropics allows for weathering needed to form Nickel

Question 12

Change Maybe?

Answer 12

Sulfide ores more expensive to mine but easier to extract through smelting.
Currently they have cost advantage but tend to be found in developed countries and are under threat from new laterite extraction techniques
Laterites mined in cheap open-pits
Increase in laterite mining recently.