DUAL NICKEL ORE PROCESING Wellgreen was once under the ownership of, Hudbay Mining.
Hudbay sold concentrates to, Sumitomo Metal Mining Co ( Japan ).
Sumitomo Metal Mining Co has teamed with, FPX in B.C.
Wellgreen deposit is far richer in, grade more mineral variety.
Makes sense ?
Nope.
Sumitomo Metal Mining Co
Is into HPAL processing of Nickel ores. ( high preasure acid leaching )
able to handle sulphides and silicates.
In the following paper ( link below )
It discusses HPAL, PAL, and direct acid leaching ( DNi ) process out of Australia
and specifically the project - Ravensthorpe, whereas, saprolite ( silicate nickel )
is treated separately in a benefication process and then combined with the sulphide
or iron type nickel thereby, increading the overall feed grade.
= total nickel ( terminology )
The combined Ravensthorpe Nickel Project RNP and Yabulu
Refinery Expansion (BHP BILLITON 100%) was a US$ 1.4 billion project
in regional Australia in 2004 that has produced high quality nickel metal
and cobalt for global export markets.
The Ravensthorpe orebody is
distinctive in that it has a high silica content which enables the limonite
ore to be upgraded to almost twice the mined grade through a
beneficiation plant-a simple scrubbing and screening process to remove
the barren hard silica (Adams, et al., 2004, pp.193-202).
The saprolite ore also upgrades but to a lesser extent. Limonite and
saprolite are to be treated separately in two purpose-built beneficiation
circuits, thereby increasing the nickel grade of the ore prior to leaching. The
average grade of ore shipped from Berong has been greater than 1.5% Ni.
The Ravensthorpe Nickel Project consists of 152 million tonne-resource of
nickel laterite of the south coast of Western Australia. The project involves
the mining and beneficiation of the nickel laterite ore, hydrometallurgical
processing using Pressure Acid Leaching (PAL) technology and marketing
of nickel and cobalt products.
https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/6617/661770084005.pdf
Imagine if NCP, ran with the silicate benification process ?
= total nickel
Imagine if, NCP followed through with pulling PGM's from the iron ?
We'd have a significant increase in, economics.
Do take note of the Australian Direct Acid Leach Diagram.
- Iron credit
- Magnesium Oxide credit
- Aluminum credit
2014 Wellgreen Crew Mine Model
- process the silicates after original mine life
- on the right track - total nickel ( but goofed - deducting 0.10% Ni solid solution )
Current ?
Sulphide extraction and.... waste ores increased in tonnage.
= most likely silicates and cut off tweaking.
Both FPX and GIGA account for total nickel.
Groovey...
What am i to say that i've not already addressed in, post ?
What am i thinking ?
Electrum should revamp extraction.
Show investors some real value.