DEPARTEMEN TEKNIK GEOLOGI

FAKULTAS TEKNIK UNIVERSITAS GADJAH MADA

Geopedologi
(TKG 212112)

Semester 1 Th 2021/2022

Tanah Sebagai Bahan Tambang

(Ore Deposits by Weathering Processes)

Dr. Lucas Donny Setijadji

November 2021
Endapan Nikel Laterit
Nickel for Electric Vehicles Battery
Metals in Electric Vehicles

EV lithium battery types

 LATERITE vs. SULPHIDE NICKEL DEPOSITS

CUBA
PHILIPPINES

INDONESIA

NEW CALEDONIA

AUSTRALIA

LATERITES
Nickel laterite Nickel sulphides
SULPHIDES
Nickel laterites

Secondary nickel ore (laterite), characterized by

nickeliferous silicates such as garnierite
((Ni,Mg)6(OH)8Si4O10) containing Ni between 4-36 %.

Ø Formed by chemical weathering and enrichment on

parental ultramafic rocks such as peridotite,
harzburgite and lherzolite that are affected by
serpentinization processes
Ø The enrichment zone occurs within saprolite zone

Ø Example: lateritic nickel deposit at Soroako, Sulawesi.

World Nickel Laterite Resources
Nickel source: Ultramafic Rocks (Peridotite, common in Ophiolite)

Layer 4
Upper part = layered
peridotite, cumulate
origin (olivine and
pyroxenes sink to
the bottom of the
axial magma
chamber)
Lower part =
unlayered tectonite
peridotite, the
original residual
mantle material
 Source of Nickel: Olivine-rich Ultramafic
Intrusive Rocks

Dunite : ultramafic plutonic rock, phaneritic texture, with Peridotite : coarse-grained ultramafic igneous
composition is > 90% olivine, with minor amounts of rock, consisting mostly of olivine and pyroxene.
other minerals such as pyroxene.
 IUGS Classification for Mafic and Ultramafic Igneous Rocks
Batuan Mafik
Plagioclase
(Gabbroit) Anorthosite
90 A classification of the phaneritic igneous rocks.
b. Gabbroic rocks. c. Ultramafic rocks. After
IUGS.
Batuan Ultramafik
(c)
ro

Tro
bb

cto
Ga

Olivine lite 90

gabbro

We
i te

hr
urg

l i te
Plagioclase-bearing ultramafic rocks

rzb
Ha
Pyroxene Olivine
(b)
40

Olivine Websterite
10

Websterite
10
(Evans, 1993)
Profil Nikel laterit dan proses
pembentukannya
 Sorowako, Sulawesi Selatan

Limonite horizon

Saprolite horizon

Garnierit di zona transisi saprollite-bedrock LDS 2006/04 Bedrock ultramafik

 Mineralogy and Ore Composition

Idealized Orebody Profile

Cap
-Lateritic soils and re-crystallized iron oxides formed by sequential leaching and re precipitation.
-Generally has a low nickel grade, therefore classified as overburden.

Limonite
-Main consituents are goethite, chromite, manganese wad (asbolane), silica and silicates.
-Most of Nickel is in Goethite (Fe,Ni)O(OH) nH2O
-Most of Cobalt is in the coarser grained wad, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni Oxide

Altered Peridotite (Saprolite)

-Generally called silicate or saprolite zone
-In dry climates saprolite my contain upper clay rich zone.
-Saprolite Zone can also contain wad and chromite to lesser dgree than limonite.
-Nickel is commonly present in silicates, clay goethite, and wad material.
-Saprolite generally conrains portion of reject low grade bed rock and silica boxwork. Nickel enriched rim
may occur around rock pieces.

Bed Rock
- Low grade Peridotite, which is not mined. However nickel enrichment can occur in upper cracks.
Typical profile of lateritic Ni deposits

(a) Exmibal deposit, Guatemala, and (b) Soroako deposit, Indonesia (Edwards
and Atkinson, 1986)
Other Critical Metals in Circular Economy Era

Other potential metals in Nickel Laterite: Fe, Co, Sc

The End