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.

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 aluminium 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.

Abstract: A process is described for the recovery of nickel and/or cobalt from laterite or partially oxidized lateritic ores having a substantial proportion of the iron present in the ferrous state. The process includes providing a laterite or partially oxidized laterite ore wherein a substantial proportion of the iron present in the ore is in the ferrous state; acid leaching the ore to provide a product leach solution containing at least ferrous iron, nickel and cobalt together with acid soluble impurities; and recovering the nickel and cobalt from the product leach solution with a selective ion exchange resin in an ion exchange process leaving the ferrous iron and other acid soluble impurities in the raffinate.

Abstract: A heap leach process for the recovery of nickel and/or cobalt from a laterite ore, said process including the steps of: a) providing one or more heaps of a nickeliferous laterite ore; b) leaching the ore in a heap leach step by applying acid to one or more heaps to provide a pregnant leach solution; c) neutralizing the pregnant leach solution with ground saprolite ore; and d) recovering the nickel and/or cobalt from the neutralized pregnant leach solution.

Abstract: An atmospheric leach process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from lateritic ores includes providing limonitic and saprolitic ore fractions of a laterite ore; separately slurrying the limonitic and saprolitic ore fractions to produce a limonitic ore slurry and a saprolitic ore slurry; separating any limonitic type minerals from the saprolitic ore slurry to produce a saprolitic feed slurry; milling or wet grinding the saprolitic feed slurry; leaching the limonitic ore slurry with concentrated sulfuric acid in a primary leach step; introducing the saprolitic feed slurry to the leach process in a secondary leach step by combining the saprolitic feed slurry with the leached limonite slurry following substantial completion of the primary leach step, and releasing sulfuric acid to assist in leaching the saprolite feed slurry.

Abstract: An atmospheric leaching process for the recovery of a nickel and cobalt from a lateritic ore includes (a) preparing a slurry of the lateritic ore with saline or hypersaline water having a total dissolved solids (TDS) content greater than 30 g/L; (b) leaching the slurry of the lateritic ore with sulfuric acid at atmospheric pressure, and (c) recovering nickel and cobalt from the resultant leachate.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of nickel and/or cobalt from laterite or partially oxidised lateritic ores having a substantial proportion of the iron present in the ferrous state, said process including the steps of: a) providing a laterite or partially oxidised laterite ore wherein a substantial proportion of the iron present in the ore is in the ferrous state; b) acid leaching the ore to provide a product leach solution containing at least ferrous iron, nickel and cobalt together with acid soluble impurities; and c) recovering the nickel and cobalt from the product leach solution with a selective ion exchange resin in an ion exchange process leaving the ferrous iron and other acid soluble impurities in the raffinate.

Abstract: A heap leach process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from a lateritic ore, said process including the steps of leaching and/or agglomerating the ore with a lixiviant that includes ferrous ions, wherein the lixiviant is able to liberate cobalt from the cobalt containing minerals within the ore in preference to nickel, to produce a cobalt rich pregnant leach solution relatively free of nickel.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from a nickeliferous oxidic ore by heap leaching and/or atmospheric agitation leaching, the process including the steps of: mixing a sulfur containing reductant selected from reductants that do not include copper into a nickeliferous oxidic ore; leaching the reductant/ore mixture with an acidic leach reagent to produce a pregnant leach solution including nickel, cobalt, iron substantially in a ferrous form and other acid soluble impurities; and recovering the nickel and cobalt from the pregnant leach solution.

Abstract: An atmospheric leach process in the recovery of nickel and cobalt from lateritic ores, said process including the steps of: a) providing limonitic and saprolitic ore fractions of a laterite ore; b) separately slurrying the limonitic and saprolitic ore fractions to produce a limonitic ore slurry and a saprolitic ore slurry; c) separating any limonitic type minerals from the saprolitic ore slurry to produce a saprolitic feed slurry; d) milling or wet grinding the saprolitic feed slurry; e) leaching the limonitic ore slurry with concentrated sulfuric acid in a primary leach step; f) introducing the saprolitic feed slurry to the leach process in a secondary leach step by combining the saprolitic feed slurry with the leached limonite slurry following substantial completion of the primary leach step, releasing sulfuric acid to assist in leaching the saprolite feed slurry, wherein the saprolitic feed slurry is substantially free of all limonitic type minerals before it is introduced to the leach process.

Abstract: A process for producing a metallic nickel product with a low iron content, that includes: (i) providing an acidic product liquor; (ii) subjecting the acidic product liquor to an ion exchange process to absorb the nickel and part of the iron; (iii) eluting the nickel and iron to produce an eluate containing the nickel and iron. (iv) neutralising the eluate to leave an iron depleted eluate; (v) neutralising the iron depleted eluate to cause precipitation of nickel hydroxide containing low iron; (vi) calcining the nickel hydroxide to convert it to nickel oxide; (vii) subjecting the nickel oxide to direct smelting in the presence of a reductant to produce a molten nickel phase; and (viii) refining the molten nickel phase by oxidation to produce a metallic nickel product with low iron content.

Abstract: A heap leach process for the recovery of nickel and/or cobalt from a laterite ore, said process including the steps of: a) providing one or more heaps of a nickeliferous laterite ore; b) leaching the ore in a heap leach step by applying acid to one or more heaps to provide a pregnant leach solution; c) neutralising the pregnant leach solution with ground saprolite ore; and d) recovering the nickel and/or cobalt from the neutralised pregnant leach solution.

Abstract: An atmospheric leaching process for the recovery of a nickel and cobalt from a lateritic ore, said process including the steps: (a) preparing a slurry of the lateritic ore with saline or hypersaline water having a total dissolved solids (TDS) content greater than 30 g/L; (b) leaching the slurry of the lateritic ore with sulfuric acid at atmospheric pressure, (c) recovering nickel and cobalt from the resultant leachate.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from nickel and cobalt containing ores, including the steps of first leaching a laterite ore and/or a partially oxidized sulfide ore with an acid solution to produce a pregnant leach solution containing at least dissolved nickel, cobalt and ferric ions, and subsequently leaching a sulfide ore or concentrate with the pregnant leach solution to produce a product liquor. Alternatively, the laterite ore and/or partially oxidized sulfide ore can be leached in a combined leach with the sulfide ore or concentrate. The ferric ion content in the pregnant leach solution or in the combined leach is sufficient to maintain the oxidation and reduction potential in the sulfide leach high enough to assist in leaching nickel from the sulfide ore or concentrate.

Abstract: A heap leach process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from a lateritic ore, said process including the steps of leaching and/or agglomerating the ore with a lixiviant that includes ferrous ions, wherein the lixiviant is able to liberate cobalt from the cobalt containing minerals within the ore in preference to nickel, to produce a cobalt rich pregnant leach solution relatively free of nickel.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of nickel and/or cobalt from a lateritic ore by heap leaching, the process including the steps of: a) forming one or more heaps from a lateritic ore body wherein that lateritic ore body includes a blend of both limonitic and saprolitic type ores; b) leaching the one or more heaps with a leach solution; and c) recovering the nickel and/or cobalt from the resultant heap leachate.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from laterite ores, the process including the steps of: a) beneficiating the ore to separate it into a beneficiated upgraded ore fraction and a coarse, siliceous low grade rejects fraction which is substantially free from fines and clay materials; b) separately processing the upgraded ore fraction for the recovery of nickel and cobalt; and c) subjecting the low grade rejects fraction to a heap leach process with an acid supplemented solution to create a heap leachate for further nickel and cobalt recovery processing.

Abstract: A process for producing a metallic nickel product with a low iron content, including the steps of: (i) providing an acidic product liquor containing at least nickel and iron; (ii) subjecting said acidic product liquor to an ion exchange process wherein an ion exchange resin selectively absorbs said nickel and part of the iron from said product liquor; (iii) eluting the nickel and iron from said resin with an acidic solution to produce an eluate containing said nickel and iron. (iv) neutralising said eluate to a pH value in the range from 2.5 to 3.