GB2589759A - Processing of laterite ores - Google Patents

Processing of laterite ores Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2589759A
GB2589759A GB2020416.0A GB202020416A GB2589759A GB 2589759 A GB2589759 A GB 2589759A GB 202020416 A GB202020416 A GB 202020416A GB 2589759 A GB2589759 A GB 2589759A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
ore
grade
nickel
beneficiated
mining
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB2020416.0A
Other versions
GB2589759B (en
GB202020416D0 (en
Inventor
john alexander Daniel
Owen Filmer Anthony
Villa Diniz Claudia
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Anglo American Technical and Sustainability Services Ltd
Original Assignee
Anglo American Technical and Sustainability Services Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
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Publication date
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Publication of GB202020416D0 publication Critical patent/GB202020416D0/en
Publication of GB2589759A publication Critical patent/GB2589759A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2589759B publication Critical patent/GB2589759B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B23/00—Obtaining nickel or cobalt
    • C22B23/005—Preliminary treatment of ores, e.g. by roasting or by the Krupp-Renn process
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
    • B07C5/3416—Sorting according to other particular properties according to radiation transmissivity, e.g. for light, x-rays, particle radiation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B23/00—Obtaining nickel or cobalt
    • C22B23/02—Obtaining nickel or cobalt by dry processes
    • C22B23/023—Obtaining nickel or cobalt by dry processes with formation of ferro-nickel or ferro-cobalt
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B23/00—Obtaining nickel or cobalt
    • C22B23/02—Obtaining nickel or cobalt by dry processes
    • C22B23/025—Obtaining nickel or cobalt by dry processes with formation of a matte or by matte refining or converting into nickel or cobalt, e.g. by the Oxford process
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B23/00—Obtaining nickel or cobalt
    • C22B23/04—Obtaining nickel or cobalt by wet processes
    • C22B23/0407—Leaching processes
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B3/00—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes
    • C22B3/02—Apparatus therefor
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P10/00—Technologies related to metal processing
    • Y02P10/20—Recycling

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for processing nickel laterite ore, including the steps of obtaining a mined laterite ore from a mining operation 42; and feeding the ore through a bulk sorter 44 comprising a sensor arrangement and a diverting mechanism that separates the ore into a beneficiated stream of nickel laterite ore 28 wherein the grade of nickel is higher than the grade of the ore fed into the bulk sorter for further processing 52 by leaching or smelting; one or more low grade fractions of ore 50 with a lower nickel grade than the beneficiated stream; and a waste fraction 46. This configuration efficiently separates lower grade patches in the run of mine ore, to either a low-grade stockpile or waste, and efficiently blends the selected high-grade ore to meet the specifications of the subsequent processing.

Claims (43)

1 . A method for processing nickel laterite ore, including the steps of: â ¢ obtaining a mined laterite ore from a mining operation; and â ¢ feeding the ore through a bulk sorter comprising a sensor arrangement and a diverting mechanism that separates the ore into: â ¢ a beneficiated stream of nickel laterite ore wherein the grade of nickel is higher than the grade of the ore fed into the bulk sorter for further processing by leaching or smelting; â ¢ one or more low grade fractions of ore with a lower nickel grade than the beneficiated stream; and â ¢ a waste fraction.
2. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor arrangement and diverting mechanism are configured to increase the grade of nickel in the beneficiated stream by more than 5% relative to the ore fed into the bulk sorter.
3. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein the grade of nickel in the beneficiated stream is increased by more than 10% relative to the ore fed into the bulk sorter.
4. The method claimed in claim 3, wherein the grade of nickel in the beneficiated stream is increased by more than 15% relative to the ore fed into the bulk sorter.
5. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein the beneficiated stream comprises at least 50% by mass of the ore fed into the bulk sorter.
6. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein the beneficiated stream of nickel laterite ore is suited for smelting an comprises more than 1 .8% and up to 2.6% Ni by mass relative to the ore.
7. The method claimed in claim 6, wherein the beneficiated stream of nickel laterite ore is suited for smelting and comprises more than 2% and up to 2.6% Ni by mass relative to the ore.
8. The method claimed in claim 7, wherein the beneficiated stream of nickel laterite ore is suited for smelting and comprises more than 2.2% and up to 2.6% Ni by mass relative to the ore.
9. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein the beneficiated stream of nickel laterite ore is suited for leaching and comprises more than 1 % and up to 1 .6% Ni by mass relative to the ore.
10. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein the beneficiated stream of nickel laterite ore is suited for leaching and comprises more than 1 .3% and up to 1.6% Ni by mass relative to the ore.
11. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the beneficiated stream of nickel laterite ore is suited for leaching and comprises more than 1 .45% and up to 1 .6% Ni by mass relative to the ore.
12. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the low-grade ore fractions are deposited into multiple low-grade stockpiles.
13. The method claimed in claim 12, in which the sensor arrangement is configured to simultaneously measure and records the nickel and the gangue and impurity elements such as S1O2, MgO, Co and Fe in the beneficiated stream/s and the low grade stockpiles.
14. The method claimed in claim 13, wherein the gangue and impurity elements include S1O2, MgO, Co and Fe.
15. The method claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein, in the further processing of the beneficiated stream by leaching or smelting, material from the low-grade stockpile/s is blended with the beneficiated stream and the recorded measurements of nickel and gangue and impurity elements in the beneficiated stream and low grade stockpiles is used to determine the amount of material from the low-grade stockpile/s blended with the beneficiated stream to meet processing specifications of the further processing of the beneficiated stream, by leaching or smelting.
16. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mining operation comprises grade control drilling, wherein drill hole spacing is at least 15m.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the mining operation comprises grade control drilling, wherein drill hole spacing is greater than 15m.
18. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the bulk sorter is configured to reject the waste that occurs due to inaccurate loading from the mine face.
19. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the bulk sorter is configured to sort material below cut-off-grade to recover high grade patches of ore within the grade control block in the mining operation.
20. The method as claimed in claim 1 , where the bulk sorter is incorporated into a mobile or relocatable system that is progressively relocated and maintained within 500m of the active mining face in the mining operation.
21. The method as claimed in claim 20, where the bulk sorter is incorporated into a mobile or relocatable system that is progressively relocated and maintained within 200m of the active mining face in the mining operation.
22. The method as claimed in claim 21 , where the bulk sorter is incorporated into a mobile or relocatable system that is progressively relocated and maintained within 100m of the active mining face in the mining operation.
23. The method as claimed in any one of claims 20 - 22, in which more than 70% of the waste fraction is redeposited directly into an area disturbed by the mining operation.
24. The method as claimed in 23, in which more than 80% of the waste fraction is redeposited directly into an area disturbed by the mining operation.
25. The method as claimed in claim 24, in which more than 90% of the waste fraction is redeposited directly into an area disturbed by the mining operation.
26. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which more than 70% of the low-grade fractions is deposited directly in the area previously disturbed by the mining operation, for temporary storage.
27. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which more than 80% of the low-grade fractions is deposited directly in the area previously disturbed by the mining operation, for temporary storage.
28. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which more than 90% of the low-grade fractions is deposited directly in the area previously disturbed by the mining operation, for temporary storage.
29. The method as claimed in claim 13, in which the recorded sensor information is used to reduce double handling of beneficiated ore, such that less than 30% of beneficiated ore is stored in a blending stockpile prior to delivery to the processing facility.
30. The method as claimed in claim 29, in which the recorded sensor information is used to reduce double handling of beneficiated ore, such that less than 20% of beneficiated ore is stored in a blending stockpile prior to delivery to the processing facility.
31. The method as claimed in claim 30, in which the recorded sensor information is used to reduce double handling of beneficiated ore, such that less than 10% of beneficiated ore is stored in a blending stockpile prior to delivery to the processing facility.
32. The method as claimed in claim 13, in which the recorded sensor information is used for stockpile management to enhance the control the gangue and impurity elements fed to processing, to preferably within 10% of the desired daily feed ratios.
33. The method as claimed in claim 32, in which the recorded sensor information is used for stockpile management to enhance the control the gangue and impurity elements fed to processing, to preferably within 5% of the desired daily feed ratios.
34. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which multiple bulk sorters are located at different mining faces in the mining operation, and each sorter produces a beneficiated stream to feed a central processing facility.
35. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which bulk sorting is used to beneficiate the ore prior to transportation to a remote processing facility.
36. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the bulk sorter is used to identify and separate ore that is particularly suited to further upgrade by screening.
37. The method as claimed in claim 13, in which the nickel grade from sorting is adjusted periodically to reflect the grade of the remaining resource and/or the nickel price of the product.
38. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the method is configured to transform a low-grade resource into a nickel orebody that warrants processing.
39. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein heterogeneity is maintained by avoiding homogenisation of the ore during mining, loading and haulage of the ore, to maintain the spatial integrity of the natural ore body.
40. The method claimed in claim 39, wherein, the ore is not mixed, for example by stockpiling prior to bulk sorting.
41. A method of optimising the mining and processing of nickel laterite ore includes: i) carrying out grade control procedures in mining of the laterite ore; ii) feeding mined ore to a bulk sorter comprising a sensor arrangement and a diverting mechanism that separates the ore into: â ¢ a beneficiated stream of nickel laterite ore wherein the grade of nickel is higher than the grade of the ore fed into the bulk sorter, for further processing by leaching or smelting; â ¢ one or more low grade fractions of ore with a lower nickel grade than the beneficiated stream; and â ¢ a waste fraction ; wherein : the sensor in the bulk sorter simultaneously measures and records the nickel and gangue impurity elements in the beneficiated stream/s and the low grade stockpiles; and the recorded measurements of nickel and gangue and impurity elements are used: â ¢ in blending of the low grade stockpile/s with a beneficiated stream, to meet processing specifications of the further processing of the beneficiated stream, by leaching or smelting; and â ¢ in the mining grade control procedures procedures in mining of the laterite ore to optimise the overall mining process.
42. The method claimed in claim 41 , wherein the grade control procedures in the mining of the laterite ore include drill hole spacing.
43. The method claimed in claim 41 , wherein the gangue impurity elements include S1O2, MgO, Co and Fe.
GB2020416.0A 2018-06-22 2019-06-20 Processing of laterite ores Active GB2589759B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201862688610P 2018-06-22 2018-06-22
GBGB1815744.6A GB201815744D0 (en) 2018-09-27 2018-09-27 Benefication of processing feed by bulk sorting of laterite ores
PCT/IB2019/055198 WO2019244091A2 (en) 2018-06-22 2019-06-20 Processing of laterite ores

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB202020416D0 GB202020416D0 (en) 2021-02-03
GB2589759A true GB2589759A (en) 2021-06-09
GB2589759B GB2589759B (en) 2023-02-01

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Family Applications (2)

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GBGB1815744.6A Ceased GB201815744D0 (en) 2018-06-22 2018-09-27 Benefication of processing feed by bulk sorting of laterite ores
GB2020416.0A Active GB2589759B (en) 2018-06-22 2019-06-20 Processing of laterite ores

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GBGB1815744.6A Ceased GB201815744D0 (en) 2018-06-22 2018-09-27 Benefication of processing feed by bulk sorting of laterite ores

Country Status (8)

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AU (2) AU2019204341A1 (en)
BR (1) BR112020026042A2 (en)
CL (1) CL2019001733A1 (en)
CO (1) CO2019006490A1 (en)
CU (1) CU24687B1 (en)
GB (2) GB201815744D0 (en)
PE (1) PE20200025A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2019244091A2 (en)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4744459A (en) * 1980-12-18 1988-05-17 Ryan Patrick J Method and apparatus for accumulating stockpiles of flowable solid material
US20020041840A1 (en) * 1999-11-03 2002-04-11 Arroyo J. Carlos Atmospheric leach process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from limonite and saprolite ores
US20130201481A1 (en) * 2011-06-29 2013-08-08 Andrew Sherliker Bamber Sorting materials using pattern recognition, such as upgrading nickel laterite ores through electromagnetic sensor-based methods

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US5850341A (en) * 1994-06-30 1998-12-15 Caterpillar Inc. Method and apparatus for monitoring material removal using mobile machinery
US6322293B1 (en) * 1997-01-29 2001-11-27 Patrick J. Stephens Method for filling voids with aggregate material
WO2010060144A1 (en) * 2008-11-28 2010-06-03 Bhp Billiton Ssm Development Pty Ltd Process for separating limonite and saprolite
AU2011286164A1 (en) * 2010-08-04 2013-02-21 Technological Resources Pty. Limited Sorting mined material
US8958905B2 (en) * 2011-06-29 2015-02-17 Minesense Technologies Ltd. Extracting mined ore, minerals or other materials using sensor-based sorting
RU2014101103A (en) 2011-07-08 2015-08-20 Текнолоджикал Ресорсиз Пти. Лимитед MINING SORTING
MX2014001261A (en) * 2011-08-04 2014-10-24 Tech Resources Pty Ltd Processing mined material.
US11286541B2 (en) * 2018-06-22 2022-03-29 Anglo American Technical & Sustainabilty Services, Ltd. Processing of laterite ores

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4744459A (en) * 1980-12-18 1988-05-17 Ryan Patrick J Method and apparatus for accumulating stockpiles of flowable solid material
US20020041840A1 (en) * 1999-11-03 2002-04-11 Arroyo J. Carlos Atmospheric leach process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from limonite and saprolite ores
US20130201481A1 (en) * 2011-06-29 2013-08-08 Andrew Sherliker Bamber Sorting materials using pattern recognition, such as upgrading nickel laterite ores through electromagnetic sensor-based methods

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Abzalov et al: Optimisation of the grade control procedures at the Yandi iron-ore mine, Western Australia: geostatistical approach, Applied Earth Science 119.3 (01 Sept 2010), 132-142. Abstract pg 132 col 1 para 1 - col 1 para 1 pg 133 col 1 papr 3 pg 141 col1 para 2 figure 9 and figure 10 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2019204341A1 (en) 2020-01-16
AU2021201293A1 (en) 2021-03-18
GB2589759B (en) 2023-02-01
WO2019244091A3 (en) 2020-05-14
CU20200107A7 (en) 2021-07-02
GB202020416D0 (en) 2021-02-03
CO2019006490A1 (en) 2020-01-17
GB201815744D0 (en) 2018-11-14
PE20200025A1 (en) 2020-01-09
CL2019001733A1 (en) 2019-10-04
BR112020026042A2 (en) 2021-03-23
AU2021201293B2 (en) 2023-05-18
WO2019244091A2 (en) 2019-12-26
CU24687B1 (en) 2023-12-07

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