Evaluation of Sc Concentrations in Ni-Co Laterites Using Al as a Geochemical Proxy

Minerals

Jean-Paul Ambrosi¹  Brice Sevin²  Sylvain Favier³  Michel Cathelineau³  Yoram Teitler³  Fabrice Golfier³ 

[1] Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, CEREGE, CEDEX 4, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, France;Service 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 Caledonia;Université de Lorraine, CNRS, GeoRessources, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France;

关键词: scandium;    laterite;    Ni-laterite;    sequential extraction;    New Caledonia;   

DOI  :  10.3390/min12050615

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

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 Al₂O₃. The slopes of deposit-scale Sc-Al₂O₃ 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-Al₂O₃ 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.

【 授权许可】

Unknown