High pressure acid leaching: a newly introduced technology in Indonesia

Abstract

PT Halmahera Persada Lygend (PTHPL) plans to construct new technology for nickel laterite ore processing in Obi Island, North Maluku Province. The facility is expected to produce 247,000 tonnes of NiSO4.7H2O and 32,000 tonnes of CoSO4.7H2O to be sold for the raw material of electric vehicle battery. Indonesia is one of world largest nickel laterite resources and currently only nickel ore saprolite has been exploited while nickel limonite is abandoned as waste due to the lack of technology. In the last decade, nickel smelter is booming in Indonesia to process nickel saprolite to become Ferro Nickel, Nickel Pig Iron, Nickel Matte. This study is aimed to assess the potential implementation of High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL). HPAL is a proven technology but not utilized in Indonesia due to the high investment, and it requires a large media for waste disposal. Nickel limonite ore with grade 1.1 – 1.4 % can be processed using HPAL technology to produce more than 37% nickel and another beneficial product, which is cobalt. Nickel world demand shifts to support electric vehicle battery even though stainless steel demand is still high. The Government of Indonesia is currently starting to support the electric vehicle market program. Therefore HPAL project in Indonesia is a high opportunity and a good investment for investors.