FOUND IT - giggles.... I decided to a bit of research ( surrounding area ) to see if my hunch was correct.
Nickel silicate and the potential chloride synthesis.
BOOM.
I found my answer -
LANMUIR NICKEL MINE- TIMMINS.
Go figure - Inspiration Mining - Langmuir Mine - abutts EV Nickel...
MICON TECHNICAL REPORT - https://digigeodatareports.b-cdn.net/3124.pdf PAGE - 19 -
85% of the Ni units are associated with sulphide minerals. The
remaining Ni is tied up in serpentine and chlorite and, therefore, considered non-recoverable by means of flotation
Back then... they chased the easy sulphide nickel.
But let's probe deeper...
Back up a few pages and let's see what type of - acids they used to detect the nickel...
PAGE - 17 -
All initial sample preparation and assaying was completed at Swastika Laboratories, located in Swastika, Ontario. The analytical portion consists of a 0.5 gram sample dissolved in a breaker with 5 ml Nitric Acid (HNO3) plus 10 ml of Hydrochloric Acid (HCl), diluted to 100 ml with distilled water and the solution is analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The system detection limit for nickel is 0.001% up to 0.50% then reported to 0.01%. An analytical run consists of 30 samples, 3 repeats, a blank and a control standard. EACH OF THESE ACIDS...
Dissolve silicate. ( wink )
Which means... Inspirations original ( nickel grade ) most likely included not only sulphide nickel but also sepentines.... !
Now... advance a few pages again...
Thet report on recoveries in the 70+ percent range...
Why such lessor recoveries ?
My hunch says... they didn't waste thier time on the serpentine / olivine nickel.
For shhh's and giggles... it would be nice to compare the actual grade,
versus, what they mined in tonnage vs what was actually pulled...
It could very well point to how much - nickel - the serpentine offered up in original assaying
versus how mcuh was mined.
A rough way to know what the serpentine ores have in nickel percentages.
The PDF also eludes to,
Replacement geology.
Which is " right up my alley " when speaking serpentines and olivines.
if magnesium, or alumin is replaced by nickel and chloride is involved due to serpentines,
chances are that the serpentines could host more nickel than meets the eye.
CNC used - plain peroxide ( which can target oxide nickel
EVNI - used - sodium peroxide ( but.... as mentioned in prior post if there's a nickel chloride,
one should use a sodium hydroxide to allow a conversion swap.
And... i will add....
It would be nice to see a double take on our serpentines / olivine ores....
using the HCl and Nitric acids...
I would like to see the indiffrentation between current results of - sulphide nickel recovery.
Versus - HCL and NITRIC acids dissolving ( sulphides + serpentines )
Our nickel could increase in - percentage.
OTHER INTEL -
When using sodium peroxide to test for, nickel - others will employ a latter acid phase.
Here is EVNI's assay method - At ALS, samples are crushed to 70% less than 2mm. A riffle split is pulverized to 85% passing 75 microns. Nickel, copper, cobalt and sulphur are analyzed by sodium peroxide fusion with an ICP finish and platinum, palladium and gold by fire assay and ICP-AES finish. https://ceo.ca/@accesswire/ev-nickel-phase-3-drilling-results-the-a-zone-continues
As one can read... no additional acids were used after the - sodium peroxide.
HERE'S A PAPER DISCUSSING THE USE OF -
SODIUM PEROXIDE +
ACIDS After cooling, water is carefully added to the crucible to leach the contents, and then, the alkali solution is dissolved with HCl or HNO3 https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/sodium-peroxide
Did you catch it ?
Yes... the same acids used as did, Inspiration mining - Timmins Nickel.
HCl + Nitric.
SUM IT UP....
There's nickel in the silicate / olivines.
It's a chloride. ( my hunch was right )
HCL + Nitric acids will dissolve all sulphides + silicates.
= full nickel percentage values will be obtained.
Then... once all nickdel values are known...
It's off to what extraction technique can be used.. .which most often chops down the grades.
I would rather know all nickel values....
With fully dissolved ores.
versus
only using a sodium peroxide that might only - target sulphide nickel .
which i feel.... maybe the case for, EVNI....
They could be short changing themselves on full potential .
Why.... ?
Just incase...
there's an extraction model.... that can accommodate all ore geologies.
The simple fix ?
Pull a few cores... asap
and retest using HCL and Nitric...
Given the immense coloration - green serpentines / olivines...
And now knowing the Langmuir depsoit hosted nicle in the serpentines...
I'd make that bet.. .and say, more nickel could be tacked on to the current average percentages.
Cheers....
There.... I'm happy with my ( nickel - chlorite/chloride ) findings...
lol