Abstract: A process for the removal of ferric iron as hematite from a nickel solution containing ferric and ferrous ions including the steps of: raising the temperature of the nickel solution to between 90° C. and the boiling point of the solution at atmospheric pressure; raising the pH of the nickel solution to be between 2 and 3; and adding a hematite seed to facilitate hematite precipitation, wherein ferric ions are precipitated as hematite in a predominantly crystalline form.

Abstract: A process for the production of a high grade nickel product including the steps of: a) providing at least one heap of a nickeliferous lateritic ore and leaching that heap with a suitable lixiviant, preferably sulfuric acid solution, to produce a nickel rich pregnant leach solution (PLS); b) subjecting the PLS to an impurity removal step to precipitate ferric iron, and preferably partially precipitate aluminum and chromium as hydroxides; and c) recovering a high grade nickel product from the PLS preferably by either nickel ion exchange, solvent extraction, electrowinning, conventional multi-stage neutralization, pyrohydrolysis or sulfidation.