Pengolahan Nikell

Bruce Wedderburn
September 2005
World Nickel Sulphide Reserves
Grade Tonnes
World Nickel Laterite Resources
Grade Tonnes
Sulphide Ni Value Chain
Analysis
Laterite Ni Value Chain
Analysis
Processing Options
 Ferronickel smelting
 Caron process
 Sulphation leach
 AMAX process
 High Pressure Acid Leach
 Atmospheric leaching
 Heap leaching
Tropical laterite profile
High Pressure Acid
Leaching
 Primary Leach
 Process a blend of limonite & saprolite
 Acid consumption range 300 to 600 kg/t
 Leach at 250 to 270oC
 Downstream Processing
 Produce a mixed sulphide
 Mixed carbonate or mixed hydroxide
 Direct solvent extraction
HPAL Projects
Existing Operations
 Moa Bay
 Murrin Murrin
 Cawse
 Bulong (shut-down)
 Rio Tuba
Committed Projects
 Goro (INCO)
 Ravensthorpe (BHPBilliton)
Well Advanced Projects
 Vermelho (CVRD)
 Ambatovy (Dynatec)
 Weda Bay (Weda Bay Minerals)
 Ramu (Highlands Pacific)
High Pressure Acid

Leaching
Positives
 Process a blend of limonite &
saprolite
 Rejection of iron as hematite
 Robust process
Negatives
 Capital intensity
 Process complexity
 Maintenance issues
Atmospheric Leaching
Primary Leach
 Process limonite ore
 High acid consumption of 700 to
900 kg/t
 Add sulphur dioxide for cobalt
extraction
Secondary Leach
 Process saprolite ore
 Precipitate iron as jarosite
 Recover acid
 Sea water provides sodium
Atmospheric Leach
Projects
Existing Operations
 None
Committed Projects
 None
 None
Early Development Projects
 Sechol – Guatemala (Jaguar Nickel) *
*Project changed to ferronickel in 2005
Positives
• Process both limonite & saprolite
• Process less complex than HPAL
• Robust process with lower maintenance
costs
Negatives
• Capital intensity still high
• Requires correct blend of limonite & saprolite
• Mineralogy dependent
• Iron chemistry & acid consumption
Heap Leaching
Heap Leach
 Process range of ore types
 Acid consumption varies from 150 to 700 kg/t
 Extraction varies from 150 to 700 days
 Add reductant for cobalt extraction
 Hydrochloric acid an alternative to
sulphuric acid
Downstream Processing
 Iron removal options – goethite, jarosite &
hematite
 Use of sea water for sodium jarosite formation
 Precipitate nickel as mixed sulphide or
hydroxide
Heap Leach Projects
Existing Operations
• None
Committed Projects
• None
• Çaldag - Turkey (European Nickel)
Early Development Projects
• Murrin Murrin – WA (Minara)
• Ravensthorpe – WA (BHP Billiton)
• Mirabela – Brazil (Mirabela Nickel)
• Nornico - Queensland (Metallica Minerals)
Murrin Murrin
Minara is accelerating its R&D
program on a Ni/Co heap leach, to
develop a project to initially process
ore rejects (scats).
The heap leaching of scats is
ultimately expected to produce 4,500
tonnes of nickel and 300 tonnes of
cobalt per year from stockpiled scats
Minara Half Year Results – August 2005
Metallica Minerals
Excellent results have been achieved from

diagnostic testwork completed on the
Minnamoolka nickel laterite ore with
indicated nickel extraction rates over 80%
with acid consumption rates of 250 to 270
kg/t ore.
Approximately 50% of the nickel was
released in the first 6 days.
Compression tests on agglomerated ore
indicate that 4m heights are achievable
without reducing percolation rates.
MLM Press Release June 2005
Heap Leaching
Positives
• Process both limonite & saprolite
• Process far less complex than
HPAL or AL
• Low capital intensity
Negatives
• Heap permeability is critical
• Acid consumption is mineralogy
dependent
• Iron chemistry & acid consumption
Iron Chemistry
HPAL
Fe2(SO4)3 + 3H2O Fe2O3 + 3H2SO4
Atmospheric Leach
Fe2(SO4)3 + Na2SO4 NaFe3(SO4)2(OH)6
+ 2H2SO4
Heap Leach
Fe2(SO4)3 + 3CaO 2FeO(OH) + 3CaSO4
Heap Leach Test Results
Metal Extraction
day
Source: NTUA
Heap Leach Test Results
Acid Consumption
Kg/t
day
Source: NTUA
Capital & Operating Costs
Opex => C1 cash costs prior to by-product credits
Capital Costs
Old Benchmark
• US$10/lb Ni with US$3.00/lb long term price
Current HPAL Projects
• Ravensthorpe US$1.4bn => US$14/lb Ni
• Goro US$1.9bn => US$14/lb Ni (excl $300m w/o)
• Ambatovy US$2.2bn => US$17/lb Ni
• Approximately 80% of capital cost of HPAL and
similar operating costs
(BHPB - June 2001)
Capital Costs at HPAL Projects almost

double original estimates
Capital expenditure, US$ million
Escalating Capital Costs
Development costs at Ravensthorpe might

increase 25 percent to $1.3 billion, Merrill
Lynch analysts Vicky Binns and Mike
Harrowell said in a June 6 report after a
BHP presentation to analysts. Goldman
Sachs JBWere on the same day said costs
might increase 20 percent. (Bloomberg 26 July
2005)
Development costs at Ravensthorpe are
believed to have blown out by up to 40%
from the original US$1.05 billion estimate.
BHP Billiton has conceded that the project
cost estimate is under review. (Financial
Review 11 August 2005)
Operating Costs
Old Benchmark (before Co credits)
• Less than US$1.00/lb Ni
Current HPAL Projects (before Co credits)

• Ravensthorpe ~US$2.00/lb Ni (Impala Jun 05)
• Goro US$1.77 to 1.85/lb Ni (Inco Feb 05)
• Ambatovy US$1.66/lb Ni (Dynatec Feb 05)
• Similar operating costs to HPAL
Heap Leaching
• Similar operating costs to HPAL
• Acid costs are high
By-product Credits
Cobalt Price Volatility
US$/lb 1984 – 2000

Operating Costs at Laterite Projects are also
much higher than initially presented
Cash operating costs after by-product credits, US$/lb Ni
Operating cost estimates unusually high due to operation below full capacity, technical
problems and high maintenance expenditure – CRU Presentation LME Week 2004
Ramp-up of Hydromet Projects
Pressure vs Atmospheric Leach
Pressure Leach Atmospheric Leach
Energy intensive Lower energy
High pressure Atmospheric pressure
Exotic materials of Cheaper materials of
construction construction
High metal recovery Lower metal recovery
Tailings stability Tailings stability
High capex Lower capex
Pressure vs Heap Leaching

Pressure Leach Heap Leach
Energy intensive Low energy
High pressure Atmospheric pressure
Exotic materials of Cheaper materials of
construction construction
Solid liquid separation No CCD’s
Tailings disposal No tailings disposal
High capex Lower capex
Summing up
Which process to use?
Business News Americas quoted
Chip Goodyear as saying: "Every
nickel property requires different
science and technology. That is an
issue."

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Pengolahan Nikell

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Bruce Wedderburn

High Pressure Acid

Excellent results have been achieved from

Opex => C1 cash costs prior to by-product credits

Capital Costs at HPAL Projects almost

Development costs at Ravensthorpe might

Current HPAL Projects (before Co credits)

US$/lb 1984 – 2000

Cash operating costs after by-product credits, US$/lb Ni

Pressure vs Heap Leaching

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