Evaluation of Sc Concentrations in Ni-Co Laterites Using Al as a Geochemical Proxy
Scandium (Sc) is used in several modern industrial applications. Recently, significant Sc concentrations (~100 ppm) were reported in some nickel-cobalt lateritic ores, where Sc may be valuably co-produced. However, Sc is typically not included in routine analyses of Ni-Co ores. This contribution exa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-05-01
|
| Series: | Minerals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/5/615 |
| _version_ | 1797497593468551168 |
|---|---|
| author | Yoram Teitler Sylvain Favier Jean-Paul Ambrosi Brice Sevin Fabrice Golfier Michel Cathelineau |
| author_facet | Yoram Teitler Sylvain Favier Jean-Paul Ambrosi Brice Sevin Fabrice Golfier Michel Cathelineau |
| author_sort | Yoram Teitler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Scandium (Sc) is used in several modern industrial applications. Recently, significant Sc concentrations (~100 ppm) were reported in some nickel-cobalt lateritic ores, where Sc may be valuably co-produced. However, Sc is typically not included in routine analyses of Ni-Co ores. This contribution examines the relevance of using routinely analysed elements as geochemical proxies for estimating Sc concentration and distribution. Three Ni-Co lateritic deposits from New Caledonia were investigated. In each deposit, Sc is well correlated with Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>. The slopes of deposit-scale Sc-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> regression lines are remarkably controlled by the composition of enstatite from the parent peridotite. In all deposits, maximum Sc enrichment occurs in the yellow limonite, above the highest Ni and Co enrichment zones. Sc- and Al-bearing crystalline goethite is predominant in the oxide-rich zones, though Sc shows a higher affinity for amorphous iron oxides than Al. We propose that, in already assayed Ni-Co lateritic ores, the concentration and distribution of Sc can be estimated from that of Al. Deposit-scale Sc-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> correlations may be determined after analysing a limited number of spatially and chemically representative samples. Therefore, mining operators may get a first-order evaluation of the Sc potential resource in Ni-Co lateritic deposits at low additional costs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:21:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bc9c42695ab041e28281d3cd3ddcbf73 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:21:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Minerals |
| spelling | doaj.art-bc9c42695ab041e28281d3cd3ddcbf732023-11-23T12:19:28ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2022-05-0112561510.3390/min12050615Evaluation of Sc Concentrations in Ni-Co Laterites Using Al as a Geochemical ProxyYoram Teitler0Sylvain Favier1Jean-Paul Ambrosi2Brice Sevin3Fabrice Golfier4Michel Cathelineau5Université de Lorraine, CNRS, GeoRessources, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, FranceUniversité de Lorraine, CNRS, GeoRessources, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, FranceAix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, CEREGE, CEDEX 4, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, FranceService de la Géologie de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Direction de l’Industrie, des Mines et de l’Énergie, 1ter Rue Unger, BP 465, CEDEX, 98845 Nouméa, New CaledoniaUniversité de Lorraine, CNRS, GeoRessources, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, FranceUniversité de Lorraine, CNRS, GeoRessources, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, FranceScandium (Sc) is used in several modern industrial applications. Recently, significant Sc concentrations (~100 ppm) were reported in some nickel-cobalt lateritic ores, where Sc may be valuably co-produced. However, Sc is typically not included in routine analyses of Ni-Co ores. This contribution examines the relevance of using routinely analysed elements as geochemical proxies for estimating Sc concentration and distribution. Three Ni-Co lateritic deposits from New Caledonia were investigated. In each deposit, Sc is well correlated with Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>. The slopes of deposit-scale Sc-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> regression lines are remarkably controlled by the composition of enstatite from the parent peridotite. In all deposits, maximum Sc enrichment occurs in the yellow limonite, above the highest Ni and Co enrichment zones. Sc- and Al-bearing crystalline goethite is predominant in the oxide-rich zones, though Sc shows a higher affinity for amorphous iron oxides than Al. We propose that, in already assayed Ni-Co lateritic ores, the concentration and distribution of Sc can be estimated from that of Al. Deposit-scale Sc-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> correlations may be determined after analysing a limited number of spatially and chemically representative samples. Therefore, mining operators may get a first-order evaluation of the Sc potential resource in Ni-Co lateritic deposits at low additional costs.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/5/615scandiumlateriteNi-lateritesequential extractionNew Caledonia |
| spellingShingle | Yoram Teitler Sylvain Favier Jean-Paul Ambrosi Brice Sevin Fabrice Golfier Michel Cathelineau Evaluation of Sc Concentrations in Ni-Co Laterites Using Al as a Geochemical Proxy Minerals scandium laterite Ni-laterite sequential extraction New Caledonia |
| title | Evaluation of Sc Concentrations in Ni-Co Laterites Using Al as a Geochemical Proxy |
| title_full | Evaluation of Sc Concentrations in Ni-Co Laterites Using Al as a Geochemical Proxy |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of Sc Concentrations in Ni-Co Laterites Using Al as a Geochemical Proxy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of Sc Concentrations in Ni-Co Laterites Using Al as a Geochemical Proxy |
| title_short | Evaluation of Sc Concentrations in Ni-Co Laterites Using Al as a Geochemical Proxy |
| title_sort | evaluation of sc concentrations in ni co laterites using al as a geochemical proxy |
| topic | scandium laterite Ni-laterite sequential extraction New Caledonia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/5/615 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yoramteitler evaluationofscconcentrationsinnicolateritesusingalasageochemicalproxy AT sylvainfavier evaluationofscconcentrationsinnicolateritesusingalasageochemicalproxy AT jeanpaulambrosi evaluationofscconcentrationsinnicolateritesusingalasageochemicalproxy AT bricesevin evaluationofscconcentrationsinnicolateritesusingalasageochemicalproxy AT fabricegolfier evaluationofscconcentrationsinnicolateritesusingalasageochemicalproxy AT michelcathelineau evaluationofscconcentrationsinnicolateritesusingalasageochemicalproxy |