NICKEL LATERITE

EXPLORATION BEST PRACTICE

by
Herryadi Wachyudin, CPI
Mgr. Exploration & Geology PT CNI

26 September 2021
Disclaimer

• Part of Presentation courtesy:

• Wahed Ahmad (former geologist INCO)
• Mick Elias (CSA Global)
• Ridho Lestari (JRN)

2
Outline

• Introduction
• Exploration Best Practice
• Mining & Processing

3
Introduction
Definition of Laterites
• Buchanan Hamilton introduced the term for the “brick stones” used by people in South
India that hardened on exposure to the sun (Latin word “later” means brick)

• Current use of the term “laterite” does not require this hardening characteristic

• Nickel laterites are:

• Residual soils
• Rich in sesquioxides of iron with some nickel enrichment
• Have developed over mafic/ultramafic rocks
• Through processes of chemical weathering and supergene enrichment
• Under tropical climatic conditions

• Regolith, derived from ultramafic rocks, that contains commercially exploitable reserves
of nickel (and, commonly, cobalt),
• ie an economic term, implying high grades and/or tonnages of Ni-rich material

5
Global Nickel Laterite Resources

6
Nickel Laterite Resources-Country

7
 Use of Nickel

• Firs Use conversion

nickel product to
intermediate product
First Use End Use
• End Use conversion
firs use to final goods

8
Source: Heinz Pariser, 2014
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Nickel-Battery

10
Nickel Laterite-Classification
OXIDE CLAY SILICATE

Goro, New Caledonia Bulong, WA Goro, New Caledonia-

Ambatovy, Mandagascar Murin Murin, WA Sorowako, Indonesia

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Laterite Resources-Example

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Ophiolite Distribution-Indonesia

13
Exploration Best Practice
Exploration-Mining Flow

15
Exploration Process-Ni Laterite

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 Exploration Best Practice- Ni Laterite
B C
A
Speradsheet
1 Data Logging Validasi Data

1 Drilling 2 Data Photo Core

D Exploratory Data
Analysis
Report EDA

2 Test Pit 3 Data Collar

Verifikasi Database Resouce Modeling

Data Geobank Micromine

3 Survey 4 Preparasi sampel

Mine planning
Data QAQC Block Model

4 Mapping 5 Data Assay

Laporan QAQC Estimasi sumberdaya

dan cadangan
6 Pengukuran densitas

JORC & KCMI

E Report

Chain of Custody
17
Survey

18
Auger

19
Test Pit

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Drilling

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Drilling Method
Drill Type Data Advantages Disadvantages

Auger Geochemical sampling, top Portable, usually Poor penetration

few metres of Landcruiser mounted,
unconsolidated material uncontaminated sample,
Quick, cheap
Rotary Air Blast (RAB) Geochemical sampling to Large sample volume. Won’t penetrate hard rock.
base of regolith Quick and cheap. Rock Sample contamination.
chips Limited depth. No structural
data
Air Core Geochemical sampling into Minimal contamination. Small sample size
bedrock Quick and cheap. Some
core recovery

Reverse Circulation Geochemical sampling in Large sample. Large heavy rig. No

hard and soft rocks at Uncontaminated. Rock chip structural data. Possible
greater than 200m depth returns. Relatively quick sample contamination
and cheap below water table
Diamond High quality sampling to Maximum geological Site preparation and water
greater than 1000km. information. supply required. Small
Geological understanding Uncontaminated high sample size. Slow.
quality sample. Accurate Expensive
hole positioning 22
Sample Preparation

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Sample Preparation Protocol-Data Handling
Mulai

Verifikasi data oleh

Transfer data
geologist

Data berat semi Data berat dry

Koreksi Sampel diterima dilab dry Sampel A Sampel A Database Geobank
(original) (original)

Kontak wellsite sesuai Sampel diitmbang

Cek Kelengkapan sampel
geologist
dan dokumen

Sampel dikeringkan Verifikasi sampel

Tidak lengkap/sesuai o
dalam oven 105 +/- 8 berat kering sudah
Sampel jam konstan
10mm A

Grinding dengan Sampel pulp

crusher (10 mm) Back up (B)
Sampel 10mm
Reduksi sampel
Back up

Grinding dengan Sampel

crusher (3 mm) Reduksi sampel
pulp (A)

Sampel 3mm
Reduksi sampel
Back up PuLverizer s.d 200
mesh
Kirim ke eksplorasi
Sampel
3mm A

Selesai 24
Sample Analysis-Laboratory

25
QAQC (Quality Assurance Quality Analysis-Assay Program

26
QAQC-Analysis

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Chain of Custody (COC)
• Chain of custody (COC) dapat didefinisikan sebagai serangkaian
dokumentasi yang dapat dilacak yang memberikan kontrol yang tidak
terputus baik terhadap dokumen, data mentah, atau sampel dan
tempatnya dari pengambilan awal hingga pembuangan akhir.
• COC dirancang untuk memastikan bahwa hasil analisis yang
dilaporkan secara akurat yang mencerminkan sampel yang
dikumpulkan di lapangan sesuai dengan apa adanya, tidak ada
kecurangan atau telah terjadi perubahan selama perjalanannya dari
lapangan ke laboratorium, dalam pengolahan dan analisis sampel
oleh laboratorium dan dalam pelaporan hasil analisis kepada
perusahaan.

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Data Validation

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Data-Spreadsheet

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 Exploratory Data Analysis
Fe Vs MgO dan SiO2 Fe Vs MgO dan SiO2 Fe Vs MgO dan SiO2
100 60 4.0

90 MgO SiO2 Ni Co
3.5
50
80
3.0
70
MgO atau SIO2 (%)

40

Ni atau Co (%)
2.5
60

MgO (%)
50 30 2.0

40
1.5
20
30
1.0
20
10
0.5
10

0 0 0.0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Fe (%) SiO2 (%) Fe (%)

Ni-Limonite Ni-Saprolite Ni-Bedrock

400
Ni average 250 250
350

300 200 200

Frequency (n)

Frequency (n)

Frequency (n)
250
150 150
200

150 100 100

100
50 50
50

0
0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2 2.4 2.8 0 0
0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2 2.4 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.9 More
Ni Grade (%)
Ni Grade (%) Ni Grade (%)

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Geological Interpretation-Block Model

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Technical Report

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Mining & Processing
General Mining Method

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Mining

36
37
 Processing Option
PROCESS ORE PRODUCT COMMENT
Oxide
Smelting Hydrous silicate Ferro-nickel Energy intensive;
(or smectite) 1859, New Caledonia matte (smelting ~1600ºC)

Caron process Oxide; hydrous Ni oxide; Ni briquettes Energy intensive

Reduction & silicate (Mg (reduction ~700ºC)
ammoniacal leach <4%) low Co recovery

Transition 1944, Cuba

High pressure acid Oxide; smectite Ni briquettes; Less energy intensive.

leach (HPAL) (Mg <4%) electronickel; oxide, Plant & process
1959, Moa Bay, Cuba sulphide, carbonate problems
Enhanced high Hydrous silicate Ni-Co hydroxide Atmospheric leach
pressure acid leach after HPAL
Hydrous (EPAL)
silicate Acid heap leach Oxide; smectite Ni-Co hydroxide Lower capital cost;
H2SO4 Lower recoveries
Atmospheric leach Oxide; smectite
H2SO4 hydrous silicate
HCl/MgCl2
(after Elias 2001)

Pyrometallurgical processing Hydrometallurgical processing (Leaching by acid) Combined pyro and hydro process (Caron)
(Ore is melted) PAL (Pressure acid leaching) – HPAL (Ore is reduced at high temperature, then
Production of Ferro-nickel EPAL (Enhanced Pressure Acid Leaching leached
Production of Ni-S matte AL (Atmospheric Leaching)
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Heap Leaching
 Pyrometallurgy-Smelting

Sorowako-RKEF Antam-Fe-Ni IMIP

Harita-RKEF Goro-RKEF Onca Puma- RKEF

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 Hydrometallurgy-Leaching
HPAL Heap Leach
Murrin Murrin Çaldağ Heap Leach project, Turkey

*Istanbul

Çaldağ

Izmir *

20 km
50 200 m
km

Demonstration precipitation From top of Heap 2

plant looking at Çaldağ
mountain
European Nickel plc 2006
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Hydrometallurgy-DNi Process

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Nickel Product

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Processing-opportunity
• Aluminium
• Scandium
• REE’s (Rare Earth Element)
• Iron
• Magnesium

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Terima kasih…..

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