The Intec Nickel Laterite Process (INLP) has been developed as a halide-based alternative for the recovery of nickel and associated by-products from lateritic deposits. The development of such deposits is generally by way of pressure acid leach (PAL) or high pressure acid leaching (HPAL).

Both pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes are applied commercially to the recovery of nickel and cobalt from lateritic ores. Pyrometallurgical techniques tend to utilise saprolite, with a process typically involving drying, calcining/reduction and electric furnace smelting. Pyrometallurgy usually produces a ferro-nickel (Fe-Ni metal) or nickel sulfide matte, which are further processed/refined to recover pure metal. The disadvantages of these processes include the requirement for higher-grade ores, substantial energy requirements and poor cobalt recoveries.

Hydrometallurgical processes are more applicable to the limonitic laterites. Although the saprolitic laterites are often richer in nickel (up to 3%) than the limonitic layer, the high magnesium content results in higher acid consumption. The primary hydrometallurgical processes applied commercially are:

• the Caron process, an energy-intensive pyro/hydro combination with lower overall Ni and Co recoveries, which was first applied in Cuba the 1950s and is no longer considered viable for greenfield projects; 
• high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL), which offers higher overall Ni & Co recoveries, >90%. This has been the technology common to all new hydrometallurgical nickel projects over the last 15 years, such as the three Australian projects at Cawse, Murrin Murrin and Bulong; and 
• atmospheric-pressure acid leaching processes including the Jaguar Nickel Inc (JNI) process.

The INLP uses the chloride medium, which is relatively novel when compared with the conventional sulphate medium for PAL and HPAL. The main advantage of the chloride medium is the ability to operate a leach at atmospheric pressure. This approach is the essence of the Atmospheric Acid Leach (AAL) (Jaguar Nickel), which relies on pyrohydrolysis to recover HCl for leaching and MgO for liquor purification.

Click here to read a review of scientific literature regarding the processing of nickel laterite ores

Literature Review (Acrobat PDF Document, 44Kb)

Description of the Intec Nickel Laterite Process

Description of the Intec Nickel laterite Process (Adobe PDF Document, 185Kb)

Click here to view a presentation describing the Intec Nickel Laterite Process

Intec Nickel Laterite Process Presentation September 2005 (Acrobat PDF Document, 344Kb)

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More Information

For more information, contact Intec’s Technical Director:

John Moyes
Intec Ltd
Phone: +612-9351-6741
Fax: +612-9351-7180
Email: john@www.intec.com.au