Post by
Wangotango67 on Jan 27, 2024 1:22am
BACKTRACKING -
Over the years,
Wellgreen deposit has seen standard acid lab assays ( most likely 4 part )
with partial digest.
While peers used peroxide fusion with, full digestion.
Or, sodium peroxide fusion.
During Prophecy term, when retesting significant amounts of historical drill
cores they used peroxide fusion. Resulting in, more accurate grades and
revealing the exotics.
One will not see a deposits best potential if,
inferrior lab assying was performed.
Flawed from, get go.
Even in 2012 Report, standard assaying was practiced.
It revealed a dual nickel - nickel in solution and nickel metallic.
Do other minerals have issue using 4 part acid ?
SEC - 96.1
assays (i.e., peroxide fusion and 4-acid). The result of the study shows that
4-acid based digestion underestimates lithium grades by 4%.
WHERE"S THE ISSUE ?
Can't serve 2 masters.
Nickel and copper react differently to, acids.
If your main focus is nickel, you'll use assying to cater to, nickel.
Do labs use same methods as Majors ?
Majors use concentrated sulphuric acid
Majors use high tempreture
Majors use high preasure
Copper on the other hand...
doesn't respond like, nickel.
Copper is less reactive than hydrogen and hence cannot displaceit from
the acidic solution. so, this is the reason copper does not react with hydrochloric acid.
Sulphuric acid has to be hot
Copper reacts with hot and concentrated sulphuric acid to form
copper sulphate, sulphur dioxide gas and water.
COPPER SULPHIDE
Soluble in nitric acid, ammonium hydroxide, potassium cyanide.
Insoluble in water, ethanol, hydrochloric acid ,dilute acids, sulfuric acid, alkali cyanides,
aqueous ammonia and alkaline solutions. Oct 17, 2023
SUM ?
Nickel - responds to dilute sulphuric acid
Copper - needs hot concentrated sulphuric acid
Copper - good ole nitric acid ( DNi extraction style )
Chase the nickel,
copper could suffer lower recoveries.
Yet... how did phase 2 MET study in mini pilot plant
begin with a copper grade of, 3.06 % and end with 18 %
While nickel only slightly increased ?
PHASE 2 GOAL - just separate nickel from copper.
Theories ?
standard acid in met study didn't detect all copper from get go.
may have employed partial digest ctering to a nickel matte end game
mini pilot plant captured solid solution copper - non sulphide which converted to sulphide
mini pilot plant may have used more reagent throughout process liberating more
mini pilot plant may have used nitric acid in commercial phase
Glencore extraction, has a nitric acid reported in, enviro study. **.
The wild card ?
There are a variety of copper ores in, Yukon.
Silicates contain 45% chlorides.
If nickel sulphide meets chloride it changes the nickel to - nickel chloride.
If copper sulphide encounters chloride
= Cupric copper.
How would a CuCl2 + SO4 respond to gether ?
= CuS ( copper sulphate )
= answer for 18% copper in MET study ???
Could a sulphide copper have converted to another form ?
What if...
Labs and met studies were too focused on just detecting sulphide minerals ?
.
From what i've read...
Entire project has always catered to - sulphide end outcome.
Right from Hudson onwrd.
Silicates minerals came on strong 2012 - 2015
Adding massive resources only to be quelled by, axing the resources.
Chlorides kept out of limelight - while promoting sulphide ore body.
If it were me ?
Perioxide fusion + nitric on all historical and current cores.
There is upto 0.40% Nickel in solid solution ( 80% peridotite composite )
There is far more ore in, silicate ( dunites, peridotite, olivine etc... )
Potential copper in, silicates other than sulphide.
One could target the silicates and extract the solid solution minerals.
And might have a higher percentage than, sulphide.
And more resource than what is now...if 846 M tonnes reinstated.
And by default - capture bonus sulphide minerals.
Cheers....