Abstract: A method for separating nickel containing lateritic ore into limonite and saprolite fractions that includes subjecting a lateritic ore slurry to a size separation procedure to separate the limonite and saprolite fractions on a selected threshold particle size basis and determining a threshold particle size based on an analysis of particle size fractions by determining a particle size where substantially all of the particles having a characteristic compositional range of at least one indicator element for limonite are smaller than the determined threshold particle size, and/or substantially all of the particles having a compositional range of at least one indicator element for saprolite are larger than a determined threshold particle size.

Abstract: A process is described for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from a nickeliferous laterite ore including the steps of: providing a nickeliferous laterite ore and separating that ore into its low magnesium limonite fraction and high magnesium saprolite fraction; treating the limonite fraction in acid solution in a primary high pressure leach step to produce a primary leach slurry; adding the saprolite fraction to the primary leach slurry to initiate precipitation of iron as goethite and/or hematite, while simultaneously releasing further acid from the iron precipitation, to effect a secondary atmospheric leach step, producing a secondary leach slurry; wherein all water used to prepare the ore slurries and/or acid solutions has an ionic composition that substantially avoids jarosite formation.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from an acidic resin eluate containing at least nickel and cobalt, said process including the steps of: (a) treating the eluate with an immiscible organic reagent (18) to selectively absorb the majority of the cobalt, and a portion of any copper, zinc and manganese present in the eluate, leaving a raffinate containing the nickel and minor impurities; (b) neutralising the raffinate to precipitate the nickel as nickel hydroxide (19); (c) stripping the cobalt from the organic reagent (22); and (d) recovering the cobalt (23).