Mining Magazine > Panorama > Test plant to examine a new cost-effective way to process nickel laterites

The DNi process, a new cost-effective way to process nickel laterites, will be thoroughly examined by a test plant currently being built in Western Australia.

The test plant is the result of an ongoing four-year research collaboration between the Parker Cooperative Research Centre for Integrated Hydrometallurgy Solutions (Parker Centre) and nickel processing SME company, Direct Nickel (DNi). The Parker Centre has worked with DNi through its research partner, CSIRO Process Science and Engineering, to develop a new cost-effective way to process nickel laterite ores. The test plant development is being jointly managed by CSIRO and DNi, with GR Engineering Services providing the design and construction management.

Unlike traditional nickel sulphide ores, mineralogically complex and usually low grade nickel laterites are difficult to commercially process - flowsheets are considerably different for each of the various laterite ore types. Dr David Robinson, CSIRO researcher, said: “Add to this the geographic and logistic challenges and the water and energy demands, then economically processing nickel laterites presents an ongoing development challenge. However as nickel sulphide ore deposits become depleted, the lower grade nickel laterites are fast becoming processing priorities for mining companies.”

The new processing regime developed by the research collaboration replaces the need to consume large amount of sulphuric acid, often at high temperatures and pressures, by using very small quantities of nitric acid under normal atmospheric conditions.