Awaruite, a New Large Nickel Resource: Flotation under Weakly Acidic Conditions
To support the transformation to clean low carbon technologies, there is a demand for critical metals such as nickel. Awaruite is a less common nickel-bearing mineral with unique properties and responses to mineral separation. This paper presents the findings of a flotation study to recover awaruite...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-08-01
|
| Series: | Minerals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/9/1147 |
| _version_ | 1797578716085223424 |
|---|---|
| author | Santiago Seiler Gustavo Sánchez Marek Pawlik Peter Bradshaw Bern Klein |
| author_facet | Santiago Seiler Gustavo Sánchez Marek Pawlik Peter Bradshaw Bern Klein |
| author_sort | Santiago Seiler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To support the transformation to clean low carbon technologies, there is a demand for critical metals such as nickel. Awaruite is a less common nickel-bearing mineral with unique properties and responses to mineral separation. This paper presents the findings of a flotation study to recover awaruite from the Baptiste ultramafic deposit, located in central British Columbia, Canada. Nickel recoveries of up to 65% at the rougher stage were obtained with xanthate as a collector at a pH level of 4.5. Awaruite flotation was shown to be highly dependent on the slurry pH. At weakly acidic conditions, the awaruite surface is activated through the dissolution of the passivation layer formed during grinding in alkaline conditions. Desliming was shown to reduce the acid consumption required to maintain the pH, probably by removing the highly reactive serpentine slimes generated during grinding. Rougher, followed by cleaner stages of flotation, showed that a high-grade concentrate can be produced with up to 45% nickel, 1.3% cobalt, 0.7% copper and negligible concentrations of penalty elements, such as arsenic, lead, and selenium, among others. A nickel flotation concentrate from an awaruite deposit is a promising feedstock for not only stainless-steel production but also for clean energy technologies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:25:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-11fa7dc61cc640a3b899e7bd8ce7688e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:25:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Minerals |
| spelling | doaj.art-11fa7dc61cc640a3b899e7bd8ce7688e2023-11-19T12:04:59ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2023-08-01139114710.3390/min13091147Awaruite, a New Large Nickel Resource: Flotation under Weakly Acidic ConditionsSantiago Seiler0Gustavo Sánchez1Marek Pawlik2Peter Bradshaw3Bern Klein4Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, University of British Columbia, 517-6350 Stores Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaDepartamento Ingeniería de Materiales y Minas, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de la República, Julio Herrera y Reissig 565, Montevideo CP 11300, UruguayNorman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, University of British Columbia, 517-6350 Stores Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaFPX Nickel Corporation, 320-1155 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 2P4, CanadaNorman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, University of British Columbia, 517-6350 Stores Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaTo support the transformation to clean low carbon technologies, there is a demand for critical metals such as nickel. Awaruite is a less common nickel-bearing mineral with unique properties and responses to mineral separation. This paper presents the findings of a flotation study to recover awaruite from the Baptiste ultramafic deposit, located in central British Columbia, Canada. Nickel recoveries of up to 65% at the rougher stage were obtained with xanthate as a collector at a pH level of 4.5. Awaruite flotation was shown to be highly dependent on the slurry pH. At weakly acidic conditions, the awaruite surface is activated through the dissolution of the passivation layer formed during grinding in alkaline conditions. Desliming was shown to reduce the acid consumption required to maintain the pH, probably by removing the highly reactive serpentine slimes generated during grinding. Rougher, followed by cleaner stages of flotation, showed that a high-grade concentrate can be produced with up to 45% nickel, 1.3% cobalt, 0.7% copper and negligible concentrations of penalty elements, such as arsenic, lead, and selenium, among others. A nickel flotation concentrate from an awaruite deposit is a promising feedstock for not only stainless-steel production but also for clean energy technologies.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/9/1147awaruitenickelflotationserpentinedesliming |
| spellingShingle | Santiago Seiler Gustavo Sánchez Marek Pawlik Peter Bradshaw Bern Klein Awaruite, a New Large Nickel Resource: Flotation under Weakly Acidic Conditions Minerals awaruite nickel flotation serpentine desliming |
| title | Awaruite, a New Large Nickel Resource: Flotation under Weakly Acidic Conditions |
| title_full | Awaruite, a New Large Nickel Resource: Flotation under Weakly Acidic Conditions |
| title_fullStr | Awaruite, a New Large Nickel Resource: Flotation under Weakly Acidic Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Awaruite, a New Large Nickel Resource: Flotation under Weakly Acidic Conditions |
| title_short | Awaruite, a New Large Nickel Resource: Flotation under Weakly Acidic Conditions |
| title_sort | awaruite a new large nickel resource flotation under weakly acidic conditions |
| topic | awaruite nickel flotation serpentine desliming |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/9/1147 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT santiagoseiler awaruiteanewlargenickelresourceflotationunderweaklyacidicconditions AT gustavosanchez awaruiteanewlargenickelresourceflotationunderweaklyacidicconditions AT marekpawlik awaruiteanewlargenickelresourceflotationunderweaklyacidicconditions AT peterbradshaw awaruiteanewlargenickelresourceflotationunderweaklyacidicconditions AT bernklein awaruiteanewlargenickelresourceflotationunderweaklyacidicconditions |