The Direct Leaching of Nickel Sulfide Flotation Concentrates – A Historic and State-of-the-Art Review Part I: Piloted Processes and Commercial Operations

The extraction of nickel (Ni) from sulfide resources commences with flotation to produce a concentrate which is then smelted nickel-enriched phase called matte, and further refined pure Ni products as well by-products, such cobalt (Co), copper (Cu) precious metals. However, the traditional smelting-matte refining process, whilst technologically robust, capital intensive suffers several environmental technical issues sulfur dioxide emissions, poor recovery difficulty processing concentrates high in magnesia arsenic without appropriate blending grade dilute concentration these species. direct hydrometallurgical whole ores may be remedy hydrometallurgy offers advantages over pyrometallurgy potentially lower costs, ability process materials marketable metals or compounds directly ore/concentrate. Despite base metal smelting, has been limited small handful commercial operations, some only an upgraded intermediate for pyrometallurgical processing. In Part I this three-part series, comprehensive review piloted processes presented, followed by survey industrial operations have carried out leaching concentrates. A research activities challenges/opportunities are presented II III series.