Petrology of ultramafíc Rocks from PT. Sebuku Iron Lateritic Ore (SILO) concession area and Its Effect on Ni and Fe in Sebuku Island, South Kalimantan, Indonesia

Widely distribution of serpentinization rock especially ultramafic rocks in Sebuku Island, South Kalimantan, primarily in the concession area of PT. Sebuku Iron Lateritic Ore (SILO). Some representative samples were taken from the site and analyses the level of serpentinization to determine the characteristic of the rocks. The ultramafic rocks in the study area consist of peridotite with a low to high degree of serpentinization to serpentinite. The pseudomorph textures are shown like mesh, bastite, blades/flaky, hourglass, vein, and veinlet. Serpentine occurs as lizardite, chrysotile, and antigorite. Geochemical analysis like XRF (X-ray fluorescence) was used to find out the composition element. By this analysis, the wt.% of the element will be shown and determine the level of Nickel (Ni), and Iron (Fe), and the level of serpentinization also. The Serpentinization levels are affecting Ni and Fe. The higher the serpentinization level, the higher Fe (wt.%), whereas the higher level of serpentinization, the lower Ni (wt.%).

Characterization of Iron Removal Process Products from Atmospheric Lateritic Ore Leaching Solution by using 20 and 25% of Calcium Carbonate

Electric vehicles become the alternative to solve the climate change and global warming problems by providing a more eco-friendly and sustainable source of energy. As the demand for sustainable vehicles increased, the functionality of batteries become crucial. One of the important aspects inside the batteries is nickel. Nickel plays a big role in lithium-ion batteries by delivering greater amounts of energy density with a higher storage capacity, which means it provides bigger efficiency to the batteries. Yet, the attempt of optimizing nickel extraction remains a challenge. Therfore, nickel extraction process of lateritic ore with high efficiency is investigated by using hydrometellurgy process, specifically the iron removal process in atmospheric condition in mixed hydroxide precipitates (MHP) route.The reagent solution of (20% w/w and 25% w/w) calcium carbonate (CaCO3) at pH (1, 2, 3) were utilized as additive in this process. The precipitates resulted from PLS were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy - Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM–EDS), while the filtrates were investigated by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Analysis based on precipitates demonstrates that the acid neutralization process took place with a sufficient amount of iron in the precipitates with the least amount of nickel. In addition, all pH and concentration of precipitates qualitatively illustrate the same neutralization process involving calcium and sulfur. From the results of filtrate through ICP testing in this study, pH 1 for both 20% and 25% concentration provides the lowest recovery rate alongside the smallest ppm compare to pH 2 and 3; thus, the iron precipitates in the formation of iron sulfide and/or iron sulfate. Overall, the optimum parameter is 25% of calcium carbonate, pH 1, 90oC for 2 hours of agitation to reduce the amount of iron in the solution.

The Nature of the Technosols on the Waste from Nickel Production

The aim of the study was to investigate the properties of the metallurgical sludge—waste from nickel production—on the landfill of a former nickel plant in Sereď, Slovakia, in relation to the technosols soil group. The sludge is a loose material which is a toxic industrial technological anthropogenic sediment of an unnatural black colour which originated from the crushing, washing, and leaching of poor iron–nickel lateritic ore in ammoniac solution and other caustics substances. The terrain reconnaissance enabled us to identify the points for the location of the probes. Here we dug seven probes and took 17 samples. In the samples the pH levels, the content of heavy metal and iron TOC, IC, C, and N, and the C:N ratio were determined. This study provides substantial empirical data on the properties of the metallurgical sludge. The results of the analyses clearly demonstrate that the sludge is a strongly alkaline material and contains toxic amounts of heavy metals (Cr, Ni). It is an artefact whose properties are unfavourable to living organisms and their communities. On the basis of the results of the probes analysis we identified the nature of the technosols on the given locality.