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Indonesia develops breakthrough nickel ore processing technology

Unlike conventional refining methods that typically process only one type of nickel ore, the new process developed by Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) can handle both saprolite and limonite ores within a single refining sequence.

Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has developed a breakthrough nickel ore processing technology that delivers high efficiency, flexibility and environmental benefits by recovering up to 98% of materials that would otherwise become waste, the agency announced on July 8.

Unlike conventional refining methods that typically process only one type of nickel ore, the new process can handle both saprolite and limonite ores within a single refining sequence.

The technology also shifts away from conventional high-energy pyrometallurgical processing by employing a modified Caron process, reducing energy consumption while maximising the recovery of valuable materials.

Instead of discarding non-nickel components, the process extracts iron and magnesium.

The principle is that no resources are wasted, lead researcher Iwan Setiawan said. Nickel, iron, and magnesium are all processed into products that have economic value, allowing waste to be minimised.

The technology has successfully completed laboratory and semi-pilot testing, with processing trials ranging from dozens to hundreds of kilogrammes of ore, demonstrating its technical feasibility.

The next stage is to scale up the process through a pilot plant so that its economic feasibility can be demonstrated for industrial application, he added./.​

VNA
#Indonesia #mining industry #nickel ore processing #Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency Indonesia
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