Revealing the conditions of Ni mineralization in the laterite profiles of New Caledonia: Insights from reactive geochemical transport modelling

Myagkiy, Andrey; Truche, Laurent; Cathelineau, ‪Michel; Golfier, Fabrice

doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2017.06.018

Cited by 33 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(61 reference statements)

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“…By comparing Figures 11 and 12, we found two more endothermic peaks at 1315 and 1400 K. The two endothermic peaks represented the conversion of the raw materials from solid to liquid, which produced lowmelting-point compounds such as FeF2, NiF2, and MgF2. The thermodynamic calculations in Equations (4), (10) and 16 Based on Equations (4) and (10), the initial temperatures of the two reactions were 1398 and 1312 K, which corresponded to the two endothermic peaks in Figure 12.…”

Section: Mg3si2o5(oh)4(s) = Mg3si2o7(s) + 2h2o(g)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With the increase of demand for nickel and the rapid depletion of nickel sulfide ore, more attention is being paid to low-grade nickel laterite ore [7][8][9]. Generally, nickel laterite ore can be divided into three categories: limonitic ore, transition ore, and garnierite [10][11][12]. According to the different compositions of every layer, nickel laterite ores are treated using different methods, including pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mechanism of CaF2 under Vacuum Carbothermal Conditions for Recovering Nickel, Iron, and Magnesium from Garnierite

Wang

et al. 2020

Metals

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Nickel laterite ore is divided into three layers and the garnierite examined in this study belongs to the third layer. Garnierite is characterized by high magnesium and silicon contents. The main contents of garnierite are silicates, and nickel, iron, and magnesium exist in silicates in the form of lattice exchange. Silicate minerals are difficult to destroy so are suitable for smelting using high-temperature pyrometallurgy. To solve the problem of the large amounts of slag produced and the inability to recycle the magnesium in the traditional pyrometallurgical process, we propose a vacuum carbothermal reduction and magnetic separation process to recover nickel, iron, and magnesium from garnierite, and the behavior of the additive CaF2 in the reduction process was investigated. Experiments were conducted under pressures ranging from 10 to 50 Pa with different proportions of CaF2 at different temperatures. The experimental data were obtained by various methods, such as thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The analysis results indicate that CaF2 directly reacted with Mg2SiO4, MgSiO3, Ni2SiO4, and Fe2SiO4, which were isolated from the bearing minerals, to produce low-melting-point compounds (FeF2, MgF2, NiF2, etc.) at 1315 and 1400 K. This promoted the conversion of the raw materials from a solid–solid reaction to a liquid–liquid reaction, accelerating the mass transfer and the heat transfer of Fe–Ni particles, and formed Si–Ni–Fe alloy particles with diameters of approximately of 20 mm. The smelting materials appeared stratified, hindering the reduction of magnesium. The results of the experiments indicate that at 1723 K, the molar ratio of ore/C was 1:1.2, the addition of CaF2 was 3%, the recovery of Fe and Ni reached 82.97% and 98.21% in the vacuum carbothermal reduction–magnetic separation process, respectively, and the enrichment ratios of Fe and Ni were maximized, reaching 3.18 and 9.35, respectively.

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Section: Mg3si2o5(oh)4(s) = Mg3si2o7(s) + 2h2o(g)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanism of CaF2 under Vacuum Carbothermal Conditions for Recovering Nickel, Iron, and Magnesium from Garnierite

Wang

et al. 2020

Metals

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“…After released from ultramafic parent rock to weathering solution, the mobility of Ni is to a great extent controlled by sorption, substitution and dissolution/precipitation processes, and the leached Ni can be fixed in various supergene minerals at different depths of a weathering profile [27,[76][77][78]. In detail, at least three types of minerals were identified as the Ni-rich carriers and being responsible for the adsorption of Ni in the Yuanjiang profile.…”

Section: Mechanism Of Ni Mineralizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[18,21,25]. (5) Mode of occurrence of the lateritic Ni deposits are controlled by a combination of geological, climatic, topographic, and hydrologic parameters [4,5,7], especially the importance of topographic-hydrologic controlling on its ore grade is highly concerned in recent studies [25][26][27]. (6) Some lateritic deposits may have been products of multiphase chemical weathering, and their preservation reflects balance between weathering and erosion [3,15,21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weathering of Ophiolite Remnant and Formation of Ni Laterite in a Strong Uplifted Tectonic Region (Yuanjiang, Southwest China)

Feng

Luo

et al. 2019

Minerals

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The Yuanjiang Ni deposit in southwestern margin of the Yunnan Plateau is the only economically important lateritic Ni deposit in China. It contains 21.2 Mt ore with an average grade of 1.05 wt % Ni and has been recognized as the second largest Ni producer in China following the Jinchuan super-large magmatic Ni–Cu deposit. This Ni deposit is hosted within the lateritic regolith derived from serpentinite within the regional Paleo-Tethyan Ophiolite remnants. Local landscape controls the distribution of the Ni mineralized regolith, and spatially it is characterized by developing on several stepped planation surfaces. Three types of lateritic Ni ores are identified based on Ni-hosting minerals, namely oxide ore, oxide-silicate mixed ore and silicate ore. In the dominant silicate ore, two phyllosilicate minerals (serpentine and talc) are the Ni-host minerals. Their Ni compositions, however, are remarkably different. Serpentine (0.34–1.2 wt % Ni) has a higher Ni concentration than talc (0.18–0.26 wt % Ni), indicating that the serpentine is more significantly enriched in Ni during weathering process compared to talc. This explains why talc veining reduces Ni grade. The geochemical index (S/SAF value = 0.33–0.81, UMIA values = 17–60) indicates that the serpentinite-derived regolith has experienced, at least, weak to moderate lateritization. Based on several lines of paleoclimate evidence, the history of lateritization at Yuanjiang area probably dates to the Oligocene-Miocene boundary and has extended to the present. With a hydrology-controlled lateritization process ongoing, continuous operation of Ni migration from the serpentinite-forming minerals to weathered minerals (goethite and serpentine) gave rise to the development of three types of Ni ore in the regolith. Notably, the formation and preservation of the Yuanjiang lateritic Ni deposit has been strongly impacted by regional multi-staged tectonic uplift during the development of Yunnan Plateau. This active tectonic setting has promoted weathering of serpentinite and supergene Ni enrichment, but is also responsible for its partial erosion.

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“…To date, only two research papers have been published on reactive transport modeling of the development of a nickeliferous laterites from peridotite. The first attempts of making such a model for ultramafic environment were performed by Domènech et al () and Myagkiy et al () highlighting the main chemical retardation processes for Ni and reproducing in situ observations of Ni enrichment in vertical lateritic profiles. Providing a detailed understanding of trace elements mobility and weathering process along with powerful chemical basis, these models, nonetheless, have a weak point in their 1‐D hydrodynamic part.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reactive Transport Modeling Applied to Ni Laterite Ore Deposits in New Caledonia: Role of Hydrodynamic Factors and Geological Structures in Ni Mineralization

Myagkiy

Golfier

Truche

et al. 2019

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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This study is devoted to understanding the impact of topography and hydrodynamics on the formation of high‐grade supergene nickel deposits. The investigation proposes a new conceptual mineralization model that describes the formation of various exceptionally Ni‐enriched hot spots observed in lateritic profiles. Numerical analysis of the effects of local hydrodynamics on deposits formation is performed by means of PHREEQC geochemical simulator and COMSOL Multiphysics software. These are coupled through an iCP Java interface that allows to code their level of interaction and facilitates the exchange of parameters. The model developed extends the currently existing geochemical formulation of nickeliferous laterite formation from peridotite carried out in 1‐D and is additionally capable of simulating mass solute transport and geochemical processes within complex fractured‐porous systems. The simulations improve our understanding of metal enrichment in saprolite and bedrock zones. It was shown that, although the initial development of nickel lateritic ores takes a few million years, they are prone to relatively quick leaching and subsequent redistribution of Ni when the topography changes in response to tectonic processes. The latter leads to the formation of rich nickel deposits at the bottom of the slope, mostly due to leaching of the saprolite material. In addition to the role of changes in topography, the critical impact of fractures and fracture networks on metal mobility and distribution was identified. The model developed provides significant insight into the distribution of mineral resources, in particular Ni deposits, and can be of great help for future mineral prospecting in industry.

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Revealing the conditions of Ni mineralization in the laterite profiles of New Caledonia: Insights from reactive geochemical transport modelling

Cited by 33 publications

References 43 publications

Mechanism of CaF2 under Vacuum Carbothermal Conditions for Recovering Nickel, Iron, and Magnesium from Garnierite

Mechanism of CaF2 under Vacuum Carbothermal Conditions for Recovering Nickel, Iron, and Magnesium from Garnierite

Weathering of Ophiolite Remnant and Formation of Ni Laterite in a Strong Uplifted Tectonic Region (Yuanjiang, Southwest China)

Reactive Transport Modeling Applied to Ni Laterite Ore Deposits in New Caledonia: Role of Hydrodynamic Factors and Geological Structures in Ni Mineralization

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