LATERITE GEOLOGY

Vale Inco Exploration

Guest Lecture for HMTG “GEA” ITB, May 23 2016

 Nickel and its usage

• Nickel was first discovered in 1751

• Derived from German “kupfernickel”  false copper
• Major uses of nickel:
 Stainless steel 65%
 Specialty alloys 12%
 Plating 8%
 Other uses 15%
• Addition of nickel imparts corrosion resistance, and ability to
withstand high temperatures and pressures
• Primary nickel supply comes from newly mined ores
• Secondary nickel supply comes from recycling scrap
Waheed Achmad 2007
 Major Nickel Producers of the World
(per Eramet 2005 Reference Document)

• Major Nickel producing companies:

1. Norilsk 243,000 t (19%)
2. CVRD Inco 221,000 t (17%)
3. BHP-Billiton 146,000 t (11%)
4. Falconbridge 114,000 t (9%) [Now Exstrata]
5. Jinchuan 93,000 t (7%)
6. Eramet 59,000 t (5%)
7. Sumitomo 51,000 t (4%)
• Major Nickel producing countries:
1. Russia (Norilsk Nickel group)
2. Canada (CVRD Inco, Falconbridge, Sheritt)
3. Australia (BHP-B, Minara, Cawse, LionOre)
WORLD’S LAND-BASED Ni RESOURCES

Excluding sea-based manganese nodules

Mt % Contained Relative
Ore Ni Nickel %
Mt

SULPHIDES 10,594 0.58 62 31%

LATERITES 10,382 1.32 140 69%
TOTAL 20,976 0.96 202 100%
WORLD Ni PRODUCTION & RESOURCES

PRIMARY Ni PRODUCTION WORLD Ni RESOURCES

60% 70%

SULPHIDE LATERITE

LATERITE SULPHIDE

40% 30%
 World Nickel Laterite Deposits

Albania
Greece
Cuba Dominican India Burma
Republic Ivory Coast Philippines
Guatemala
Columbia VenezuelaBurundi Ethiopia Indonesia
Brazil Zimbabwe PNG
Madagascar New
Caledon
Australia
Producing Countries
Non Producing Countries
LATERITE vs. SULPHIDE DEPOSITS

CUBA
PHILIPPINES

INDONESIA

NEW CALEDONIA

AUSTRALIA

LATERITES SULPHIDES
 Ultramafic rocks
(Upper Mantle Origin)

Expose on the Earth’s Surface

(oceanic or orogenic peridotite)

Equatorial Location Magmatism

Laterite Development Sulphides Mineralization

Nickel Laterite Nickel Sulphides

Kadarusman 2007
Ultramafic rocks of oceanic origin emplacement onto continental margins or
island arcs :
- Obduction
- Accretion
 LATERITE PROFILE
On Unserpentinised Peridotite, Sorowako

Red Laterite

Yellow Laterite

Saprolite zone

Bedrock pinnacle
STRATIFICATION IN LATERITE PROFILE

Ferruginous
Red Laterite Hematite zone

Zone
Yellow Laterite Limonite zone

Intermediate zone

Saprolite zone Zone of altered bedrock

(clayey matrix + boulders)

Bedrock
Fresh bedrock
 BEDROCK ZONE

• Fresh bedrock
• Joints and fractures opening up as
hydrostatic pressure is removed
• Percolating rain water circulating along
Red Laterite
joint and fracture surfaces

Yellow Laterite • Signs of incipient weathering

• Original rock composition and texture
fully preserved
Saprolite zone

Bedrock
• Foto Bedrock
 SAPROLITE ZONE

• Rock fragments + saprolised boulders +

precipitated silica + garnierite
• Chemical weathering proceeding actively
along joints and fractures
Red Laterite • Silica and magnesia being leached out
• Rock porosity increasing with time
Yellow Laterite • Bulk density decreasing with time
• Zone still not collapsed
• Original rock texture still preserved
Saprolite zone • Upper part more ferruginous than lower
part
• High SiO2 and MgO contents
Bedrock • Low Fe content
• Zone of supergene Ni enrichment
 INTERMEDIATE ZONE

• Soft smectite clays + silica

• Chemical weathering (silica & magnesia
leaching) extremely advanced
• Rock porosity at its maximum
Red Laterite • Bulk density at its lowest
• Zone is ready to collapse
Yellow Laterite • Moisture content at its highest
• Original rock texture barely discernible
• Upper part more ferruginous than lower
Saprolite zone part
• Often the preferred location for Mn and
Co enrichment
Bedrock
 LIMONITE ZONE

• Zone rich in hydrated Fe oxides +

• Chemical weathering near complete
• Silica and magnesia fully leached out
• Residual concentrations of other
Red Laterite
elements at near maximum
• Rock porosity decreasing with time
Yellow Laterite
• Bulk density increasing with time
• Zone is collapsed

Saprolite zone
• Original rock texture obliterated

Bedrock
 HEMATITE ZONE

• Zone rich in hematite and less hydrated

Fe oxides (goethite)
• Chemical weathering complete
• Silica and magnesia fully leached out
Red Laterite
• Residual concentrations of other
elements at maximum
Yellow Laterite
• Rock porosity decreasing with time
• Bulk density increasing with time
• Zone is completely collapsed
Saprolite zone
• Original rock texture obliterated
• Further changes include formation of
Bedrock duricrust (ferricrete or silcrete)
• Foto limonit, saprolite dan bedrock

Lim

Sap

BZ/BD

Sap
 Ore zone definition

BEDROCK

SAPROLITE
Supergene
Supergene Nickel
Cobalt enrichment
enrichment
 An Ideal Profile

Scale for MgO, Fe2O3, SiO2 wt%

1-20m Limonite Fe2O3

Saprolite
1-20m
Ni
BEDROCK
Scale 2 Ni,3Cr O4, Al5O 6
1 for 2 wt%
3 2 3
 Exploration

Mine Technology

Mine Planning

Mine Operation

Mine Ore Quality

Assurance
Exploration
Drilling & Logging
Sample House

Validation
& Geo-evaluation

MRI
 Exploration Data Flow

Logging
Data

Surveying

• SURVEYING
• DRILLING AND Sample Preparation
SAMPLING
• SAMPLE
PREPARATION
• ASSAYING
• DATA VALIDATION
• GEOLOGICAL
MODELLING
Assay laboratory

Geo-Modeling
 Mineral Resource/Reserve Terminology

• Mineral Resource:
 A mineral deposit in which sampling has demonstrated a certain
size and grade but which has no mine plan based on a positive
feasibility study
 Inferred :
• quantity & grade are based on geological evidence and limited
sampling.
• (Grade variation <20%, tonnage can vary by 40%)
• Note: Inferred can not be added to total Mineral Resource
 Indicated :
• quantity & grade are sufficiently well estimated to allow mine
planning and economic evaluation
• (Grade variation <15%, tonnage can vary by 25%)
 Measured :
• size, configuration, and grade are very well established by
observation and sampling to allow production planning and
economic evaluation (Grade variation <10%, tonnage can vary by
15%)
• Mineral Reserve:
 Part of a measured or indicated mineral resource for which
mining plan has been prepared which enables the deposit to be
economically extracted.
 Probable :
• Economically mineable part of Indicated mineral resource
• (Grade variation <15%, tonnage can vary by 25%)
 Proven :
• Economically mineable part of Measured mineral resource (Grade
variation <10%, tonnage can vary by 15%)

• Implementation to PT Inco
 Inferred : >100m
 Indicated/Probable : ≤100m
 Measured/Proven : ≤ 50m
Ore Type of Sorowako
and Petea
Ore chemistry and Characteristic
 Ore Type Characteristic

WEST BLOCK PETEA / EAST BLOCK

• 5-15 meter ore thickness • 2-6 meter ore thickness
• Front shovel / 375 backhoe • 375 backhoe and smaller
• -1” ore • -6” ore
• -2” SSP • -6” SSP
• +1” – 2” rejected at Dryer • +1” – 6” crushed to –1”
• DKP to ROM Rec 25%-27% • DKP to ROM rec 50%-60%
• High Ni, high Fe, low MgO, high • Good Ni, low Fe, high MgO , low
SM SM
• 65%-75% blending ratio • 25%-35% blending ratio
 ORE TYPE

Petea (East Block) Sorowako (West Block)

MOQA
(Mine Ore Quality Assurance)
 Mine Ore Quality Assurance (overview)

VISION
To be reliable supplier of Ore Quality to maximize through put on PTI Plant.

OBJECTIVE
Maximizing Ni grade and chemistry of on specification Blended Feed

Land clearing stripping Mining screening

MOQA

Process plant Stock Pile

Strategy :
- Minimize dilution potential with apply zero tolerance
- Minimize Fe variability with produce on spec batching
- Minimize variability of S/M with blend 2 stockpile by 2 loader
Tree Cutting Stripping Mining

CLEANED ORE CLEANED ORE

Bullring Dumping to SS#

Hauling To WOS Wet Ore Stockpile (WOS) Hauling To Dryer

 Section MOQA

General Mine QA
- Ore Control
- Quality System
- Reconciliation and Project
- Ore Blending
 Ore control
Responsibility:
Control mine activity process (stripping/mining) to produce ore with
on spec chemistry (Fe dan S/M match with plant requirement) and
grade nickel more high.
West Block (Sorowako) : East Block (Petea) :
Ore Type –1 inch Ore Type –6 inch
Chemistry: Chemistry :
Ni COG > 1.6 % Ni COG > 1.5 %
On spec On Spec :
Fe : 19.5% - 23.5% Fe : 13.5% - 16.5%
S/M : 2.4 – 2.7 S/M : 1.55 – 1.7

• Strategy:
 There is a sampler for every stripping and mining area to make sure that there isn’t ore loss and
waste hauled together with ore.
 sampling at every specific sequence of activity to make sure stripping process and mining is right.
 Use batching system to monitor ore progress achievement.
 Apply Rom Pile management as other option for blending to get on spec material and as temporary
pile.
 Clean up silica with backhoe pc 200
 Blend face to get material on spec
 Jenis - jenis Sampling
Untuk jenis sample dari Face – MRAL ada 5 jenis yaitu :
1. Sample cek stripping (setiap 1000 wmt Overburden)
• Metode : mengkomposit material di 9 titik desekitar patok
• Kegunaan : Untuk mengontrol stripping agar tidak ada ore yang terbuang
2. Sample Persiapan mining
• Metode : Aggregasi material yang dianggap mewakili, khusus di daerah tebing sampling dilakukan
dengan bantuan backhoe, kemudian sampler mengambil material di 9 titik pada bucketnya.
• Kegunaan : Sebagai guideline untuk mengontrol proses mining bahwa dia daerah tersebut siap di
mining
3. Sample control produksi : (setiap 500 wmt Ore/ ROM)
Metode : metodenya Sama dengan sample persiapan mining tetapi dilakukan ketika proses mining
berlangsung
• Kegunaan : untuk menguotrol produksi mining untuk mengetahui apakah nilai chemistry masih dalam
range plan batching atau tidak, jika ya, maka produksi mining lanjut.
4. Sample Spesial
• Metode : Agregasi material random di tempat2 yang dicurigai grade nya bagus, biasanya dilakukan
ketika proses mining berlangsung
• Kegunaan : untuk mengetahiu nilai chemistry suatu material yang meragukan atau memiliki
karakteristik berbeda dengan yang lainnya dan untuk antisipasi/alternative mining jika hasil sample
control produksi tidak lagi dalam range batching, dengan syarat sample special ini gradenya diatas
COG & chemistrynya dapat diperkirakan dapat mengontrol range.
5. Sample cek ore expose/ bluezone expose
• Metode : mengkomposit material di 9 titik desekitar patok
• Kegunaan : untuk mengetahui elevasi aktual top dan bottom ore yang sangat ktirikal dalam
rekonsiliasi antara block model dan aktual produksi.
Sampling
Sampling Sampling
 Quality System
Activity
- Screening Stasion and Trommel
Objective
- Screening stasion sampling prosedure
- Trommel sampling prosedure
- Ore data bank
 Flowchart Screening Station SS#8,5,11

ROM SS#

Reject
+ 18”
Screen
18“
Disposal

Screen 4“ Reject Ni
< COG
+ 4”

Disposal

Screen 2“ Reject Ni
+ 2” < COG
-4“
Disposal

SS# Sampling

WOS
Bullring
 Screening Station

SSP (-2”) Reject +2” Reject +4” Reject +18”

Screeening Stasion sampling prosedure (SS#5,8,9,11)

1st Sub 3rd Sub 4th Sub 5th Sub 6th Sub 5th Sub 6th Sub
2nd Sub Sample Sample Sample Sample
Sample Sample Sample
Sample /175 wmt /175 wmt /175 wmt /175 wmt
/175 wmt /175 wmt /175 wmt
/175 wmt

1st Sample(+ 75Kg) 2nd Sample(+ 75 Kg) 3rd Sample(+ 75 Kg) 1st
Sample(+75Kg
/ 500 wmt / 500 wmt / 500 wmt )
/ 300 wmt

1 Test / 1500 wmt

 Flowchart Screening Station SS#10 (Petea)

ROM SS# 10
Reject
+ 18”

Screen 18 “ Disposal

- 18 “

Reject Ni
+ 6” < COG

Screen 6“ Disposal

-6“
Ni >COG
Crusher Necessary Low Fe

SS# Sampling

WOS
Bullring
 Screeening Stasion sampling prosedure
(SS#10, 9 East)

1st Sub 3rd Sub 4th Sub 5th Sub 6th Sub
2nd Sub
Sample Sample Sample Sample Sample
Sample
/250 wmt /250 wmt /250 wmt /250 wmt /250 wmt
/250 wmt

1st Sample(+ 75Kg) 2nd Sample(+ 75 Kg) 3rd Sample(+ 75 Kg)

/ 500 wmt / 500 wmt / 500 wmt

1 Test / 1500 wmt

 Flow Chart Trommel West Block Material

Material Sample Test (3 x + 75 Kg)

Ket :
Pengeringan di trommel < 100 C

Pemisahan material *1B+1 sample pulp

1 sample H20
1 sample duplikat

-4 + 1.5” -1.5 +1 “ -1 “
Sample Pulp,
Sample B
Bulk,Sample
Timbang Timbang Timbang Di baca di
H2O Di baca
minipal
di Prostech
Crusher 1” Crusher 1”
Splite Buang

Splite Splite

25%
1 sample pulp
1 sample pulp
1 duplikat 1 duplikat Crusher

Buang Buang Screen -1/4

+1/4” -1/4”

Dikatakan sample -6 + 3 (@+ 2Kg)* Dikatakan sample -3 + 1 (@+ 2Kg)* Dikatakan sample -1 (@+ 2Kg)*
 Flow Chart Trommel Petea/ East Block Material

Material Sample Test (3 x + 75 Kg)

Ket :
Pengeringan di trommel < 100 C

Pemisahan material *1B+1 sample pulp

1 sample H20
1 sample duplikat

-6 + 3” -3 +1 “ -1 “
Sample Pulp,
Sample B
Bulk,Sample
Timbang Timbang Timbang Di baca di
H2O Di baca
minipal
di Prostech
Crusher 1” Crusher 1”
Splite Buang

Splite Splite

25%
1 sample pulp
1 sample pulp
1 duplikat 1 duplikat Crusher

Buang Buang Screen -1/4

+1/4” -1/4”

Dikatakan sample -6 + 3 (@+ 2Kg)* Dikatakan sample -3 + 1 (@+ 2Kg)* Dikatakan sample -1 (@+ 2Kg)*
 Batching System
Batching is a number of material that have specific tonnage
and chemistry. Batching is measured from a batch of sample
in screening station to control SSP to achieve on spec
chemistry.
Structure of batching sample:

- Batching consists some test sample

- 1 test sample consists 4 multiply sampling for Screening station 5, 8, 9,
and 11 or 3 multiply sampling for SS 2.
- Once sampling consists 2 multiply take sample by autosampler.
- Once sampling by autosampler represent 250 ton SSP that produced
by screen stasiun for SS 5,8,9 West and 11, except SS 10 dan 9 east
represent 175 ton.
- 1 sample have + 80 Kg material.
- 1 test sample have MRAL sample with 2 kg that trough spesific
preparation.
 Rom Pile Management

Reason why ROM be piled ? :

1. Chemistry of ROM at Face is not match with Batching,
example batching have high Fe-nya and ROM at Face have
high Fe and there isn’t other optional screeniong station that
match with it, so material can be pile, and look for ROM
with low Fe from other pile to make on-spec batching.
2. Chemistry of ROM Face is not match with chemistry
achievement, example : chemistry achievement for 3 days
later is lower than plan, ROM at Face have low nickel grade,
so material can be piled or activity change to stripping or
equipment be moved.
3. If SS# down, material can be piled.
 Reconciliation and Project

The system which compare model as plan with production

as actual that covered tonnage and grade with
analysis from that comparing.
Scope of area:
Small Fleet (bootom ore)
- maximize ore actual acheivement
- mining in West block for rock type 1
- mining in area that ore exist as spot form
- for progress mine out
2. Ore Expose mapping
3. MMS mapping for General face boundary
4. Project development
 Reconciliation

BASIC PRINCIPLE

Data

Model Planning
(Prediction)

Actual
Reconciliation
(Verification)
 Ore Blending
.

Why Ore Blending ?

 Ore chemistry characteristic
 Batching system
 WOS chemistry
 Proses plant requirement
 Blending Process Flows
Mining Face ROM Pile Screening Station Bullring

On Spec Fe 3
2
Face A 5
On Spec
1 Low Fe SS Batching Fe SSP
Face B 4
High Fe 7
6

Reduction Kiln DOS Dryer Wet Ore Stockpile

On Spec Fe
9
1 WB On Spec SM
2 DKP
RKF
1 Drying On Spec Fe 8
1 Low SM
EB
1
DKP 0 On Spec Fe
High SM
Key sampling point
 Problem Impact
The Slag Can’t flow from furnace and nickel production is
Fe < On Spec / stopped result difficulty of skimming and tapping.
Fe > On Spec

S/M > on spec The Wall of furnace protector will be thin so the age of furnace
have been short and the rebuild should be faster ( once rebuild
complete of the cost about U$ 30 M )

S/M < on spec

The Slag can’t flow (difficulty of smelting) from furnace cause
production of nickel is stopped
Very wet SSP
The consumption of fuel for drying ore is going to be loose ( The
cost of fuel for dryer is 40 % of total mining cost)

SSP > 6” There are rock which is involved in apron feeder Dryer so impact
to stop production
Ore Chemistry Spesification