Nickel Flashcards
Nickel laterite deposits are formed through the________________ This process leads to the leaching of silicate minerals, resulting in the enrichment of nickel along with other elements like iron and cobalt in the weathered profile.
intensive weathering of ultramafic rocks under tropical or subtropical climates.
The laterite profile is typically divided into a _____ on top, rich in iron oxides, and a lower_________, rich in magnesium silicate minerals. The nickel content varies between these zones, with the saprolite layer generally having higher concentrations of nickel.
limonite zone; saprolite zone
form through the segregation of molten metal sulfide within a magma chamber. These deposits are typically found deep underground and are associated with magmatic intrusions of ultramafic or mafic composition.
Sulfide Deposits
Extracting nickel from laterite ores is energy-intensive and involves complex processing techniques, such as _____ technology.
high-pressure acid leach (HPAL)
Sulfide deposits are generally easier and less costly to process than laterite ores, as the nickel can be extracted through conventional ____ techniques
flotation
Voisey’s Bay Nickel Company (VBNC) reserves
32 million tonnes of ore grading 2.8% nickel, 1.6% copper, and 0.12% cobalt.
Koniambo Nickel SAS reserves.
25% of the world’s known nickel resources
Its properties are essential for the stability and longevity of these batteries, making it a valuable by-product of nickel mining.
Cobalt
widely used in catalytic converters for automotive exhaust systems to reduce emissions, in fuel cells for clean energy production, and in electronics and jewelry
Platunim Group of Metals
PGM
platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium.
principal ores of nickel
Petlandite
Garnierite
(NiMg)6Si4O10(OH)8
Millerite
NiS
Niccolite
NiAs
Pentlandite
(Fe, Ni)₉S₈
