PROCEEDINGS PEKAN ILMIAH TAHUNAN IAGI 2018

Hotel Pangeran, Pekanbaru, October 28th – November 1st,2018

“Physical And Geochemical Characteristic Of Nickel Laterite Deposit In North Mine and South
Mine, Pomalaa Area, Southeast Sulawesi”

Riko Ardiansyah Indra Kusuma1, Nadia Soraya1, Muhammad Elzahir1, M. Hamdhani Astas1
1
PT ANTAM (Persero) Tbk Unit Geomin, Antam Office Park Tower B Lt 10
Jl. TB. Simatupang No. 1, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia

Abstract

Nickel laterite deposit in Pomalaa area is formed by weathering of ultramafic rocks on the leaching process and
accumulate in the supergene enrichment zone. Laterization are controlled by morphology, lithology and structure. In
general, the zone of laterization in the Pomalaa area from top to bottom is composed of top soil, limonite, saprolite
and bedrock zones. Physically, the nickel laterite deposits in the northern and southern blocks show varying
thickness, based on the appearance of color, size and minerals. The most distinguishing thing between the north
mine and south mine has boulder composition in the limonite and saprolite zones. In the north mine, nickel laterite
deposit produces ± 28 meters thickness, but in the south mine produces ± 23 meters thickness. Generally, boulder is
found in the saprolite zone, but in the south mine zone, boulder is commonly found in transition zone between
limonite zone and saprolite zone. Geochemically, it produces major elements of MgO, SiO 2 and FeO, and minor
elements of Ni, Co, Cr, and Al. The element diagram shows the different patterns between the north mine and the
south mine. Vertically, the line of elements in north mine is more smooth than the line in the south mine that
relatively wavy. It is caused by any boulder in the transition zone. The Ni content is concentrated in the saprolite
zone composed of dominant serpentine minerals and filled by garnierite minerals as the economical nickel founder
mineral in the vein.

Keywords: nickel, physical, geochemical

Some important factors that affect chemical

INTRODUCTION weathering to form nickel laterite (Ahmad, 2008),
such as:
Nickel laterites are residual soils that have developed
a. Atmospheric factors (climate): temperature,
over ultramafic rocks through processes of chemical
rainfall, dan seasonality.
weathering and supergene enrichment. Their
b. Biospheric factor: organic material
thickness varies anywhere from a few metres to as
c. Hydrospheric factors: water availability, water
much as 150 metres depending upon the period over
absorption vs. run off, water table.
which the laterites have formed. Significant laterite
d. Lithologic factors: parent rock composition,
deposits range in age from Palaeozoic to Recent and
mineral stabilities, grain size, porosity, fractures
most deposits in the current tropical belts are still
and joints, topography.
undergoing laterisation. (Ahmad, 2008).
e. Combination factors: acidity/basicity (pH), redox
Pomalaa geological is composed of complex
potential (Eh), rate of removal of solids.
ultramafic rock, such as peridotite, harzburgite,
Based on factors that may affect of laterite nickel
dunite and serpentinite. Meanwhile lateritic nickel
characteristic, so that there is difference between of
deposits are formed by the tropical weathering of
the North Mine and South Mine in Pomalaa area,
partially serpentinised. Nickel laterite Pmalaa, well
Southeast Sulawesi (Figures 1 and 2). The
developed in undulating hills that has a slope of 3º-
differences are physical and geochemical
15º. While developing the geological structure has a
trending NE-SW. (Indra Kusuma, et al, 2015)
 PROCEEDINGS PEKAN ILMIAH TAHUNAN IAGI 2018
Hotel Pangeran, Pekanbaru, October 28th – November 1st,2018

characteristic, mineralogy composition, thickness, 50 meters, while outcrop data was taken on the area
and geological structure. that has been done mining process (Figures 4 and 5).

Figure 1. The North Mine in Pomalaa Area,

Southeast Sulawesi

Figure 3. The core drilling data from top to bottom of

profile nickel laterite

Figure 2. The South Mine in Pomalaa Area,

Southeast Sulawesi

DATA AND METHOD

Field data retrieval method is divided into two

method, core drilling and outcrop data in the North
Mine and South Mine. Both of the method aim to
find out the laterit nickel profile, geological process,
such as lithology, structure and depth of nickel Figure 4. Laterite profile at North Mine
laterite. The core drilling data (Figure 3) was carried
out at the point of drill with distance points of 50 x
 PROCEEDINGS PEKAN ILMIAH TAHUNAN IAGI 2018
Hotel Pangeran, Pekanbaru, October 28th – November 1st,2018

X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) is a method used to Physical Characteristic

determine geochemical characteristic in the laterite
nickel. XRF is one of the most widely used
instrumental methods for analyzing rock samples for
major element (Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe)
and selected trace elements (Rb, Sr, Y, Nb, Zr, Cr,
Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ba, Pb, Th, U ± La, Ce, Nd, Sm)
(Wilson, 1989). About 99% of most rocks are made
of 11 major elements oxides: SiO 2, TiO2, Al2O3,
Fe2O3, FeO, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na 2O, K2O, dan P2O5
(Best, 2003).
In general, the physical characteristics of nickel
laterite found in the North and South Mine have
varying thickness, composed of the lower to upper
layer consisting of bedrock, saprolite, limonite, and
top soil (Figure 6).
The bedrock that composes the nickel laterite profile
is ultramafic rocks dominated by peridotite rock
groups. Its physical features are gray-black,
subhedral, massive, phaneritic, equigranular,
pyroxene and olivine composition, low to medium
serpentinization (North Mine) and high
serpentinization (South Mine).
In the upper bedrock zone there are silicate minerals
that fill the rock fractures forming a boulder. The
more upward the weathering process becomes
intensive to form the saprolite zone.

Figure 5. Laterite profile at South Mine

The chemical data required to know the

characteristics of the nickel laterite in the North and
South Mine between the major elements are MgO,
SiO2 and FeO, and minor elements are Ni, Co, Cr,
and Al (Table 1).

Table 1. Range of elements in North Mine and South

Mine
Element Lateritic Zone
s North Mine (%) South Mine (%)
Figure 6. Nickel laterite profile of North Mine and
Ni 0.70 – 2.40 0.70 – 2.30
South Mine
Co 0.01 – 0.17 0.01 – 0.24
Cr 0.40 – 2.40 0.30 – 2.50 The saprolite zone is characterized by greenish to
Al 0.60 – 6.10 0.60 – 6.90 yellowish brown, fine grain sands to coarse grain, in
MgO 0.53 – 38.00 0.32 – 32.00 the saprock and rocky saprolite can still be found
FeO 7.00 – 59.00 6.00 – 56.00 relics of origin rock that have been replaced by
SiO2 8.00 – 55.00 4.00 – 65.00 secondary minerals resulting from weathering, vein
garnierite and vein silica with boxwork textures
evolving in this zone. Composition mineral in this
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
zone, such as serpentine, goethite, garnierite,
 PROCEEDINGS PEKAN ILMIAH TAHUNAN IAGI 2018
Hotel Pangeran, Pekanbaru, October 28th – November 1st,2018

magnetite, silica, manganese, chrome. The depth of limonite zone and decreases in the saprolite zone. Ni
saprolite zone in North Mine ± 13 meter and South elements that have increased in the saprolite zone
Mine ± 8 meter. (Figures 8 and 9).
Weathering is more intensive in upper saprolite zone,
colour changes from reddish brown, clay grain size,
composed of oxide minerals, such as hematite, Geochemical Major Elements In The
goethite, manganese, silica, this zone is called by North Mine
0
limonite zone. The depth of saprolite zone in North -2 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Mine ± 12.5 meter and South Mine ± 10 meter. -4
In the South Mine, the transition from the limonite -6
Limonite
zone to the saprolite zone still found a moderate -8
-10 MgO
weathering boulder (Figure 6). The transition zone is
-12 FeO

Depth
also found in the South Mine with the bright red -14 Transition
SiO2
hematite. -16
In the top zone is a top soil zone with black colour, -18
-20 Saprolite
clay-sand grain size, hematite dominant composition.
-22
The special founder is a dominant organic material in
-24
the form of plant roots. The depth of top soil zone in -26
North Mine ± 2.5 meter and South Mine ± 2 meter. -28
The laterite thickness variation from both mines is % Major Elements
relatively controlled by the geomorphology/
Figure 7. Major elements (MgO, FeO and SiO2) in
topography. Generally, slopes of < 20° are necessary
the North Mine
to retain the laterite ahead of erosion. Ideal conditions
for chemical weathering are attained on rolling to
gently sloping lands that are elevated and where Geochemical Major Elements In The
surface run-off is not excessive and the subsurface South Mine
drainage is good. High levels of supergene nickel 0

enrichment require that the ground waters with -2 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60

dissolved nickel move down to a very low water -4

Limonite
-6
table. Areas that are flat and have a high water table
-8 Transition
will not show significant supergene nickel MgO
-10
enrichment in the saprolite zone. (Ahmad, 2008) FeO
Depth

-12
SiO2
-14
Geochemical Characteristic
-16 Saprolite
-18
The major elements include MgO, FeO and SiO2 and
-20
minor elements such as Ni, Co, Cr and Al is used to
-22
determine geochemical characteristic of nickel
-24
laterite.
% Major Elements
Diagrams of major and minor elements to laterite
depths show that SiO2 is increase from limonite to the Figure 8. Major elements (MgO, FeO and SiO2) in
saprolite zone. FeO concentrations increased in the the South Mine
limonite zone and decreased significantly to the
saprolite zone (Figures 7 and 8). Overall, the North and South Mine element graphs
Al, Cr, and Co element diagrams show the same show a normal pattern of lateritic profiles, where high
direction as FeO, where the enrichment occurs in the mobility elements of SiO2, MgO, and Ni (Ahmad,
 PROCEEDINGS PEKAN ILMIAH TAHUNAN IAGI 2018
Hotel Pangeran, Pekanbaru, October 28th – November 1st,2018

2008) are overheated and are concentrated in the graph pattern for the relative major is more wavy
saprolite zone, whereas the elements with low (Figure 8). This can be seen in FeO and MgO
mobility (FeO, Co, Cr, and Al) concentrated in the elements, where at the time of transition zone FeO
upper zone of the laterite profile. increased and then decreased at depth of ± 10 meters,
as well as with MgO which decreased close to
transition zone but increased before entering limonite
Geochemical Minor Elements In The zone (Figure 8).
North Mine The Ni element graph in the South Mine also shows a
0
-2 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 relatively more wavy pattern (Figure 10) where at the
-4 middle to bottom of the saprolite zone, Ni tends to
-6 increase again. This is because Ni enrichment occurs
Limonite
-8
Ni
in rocky saprolite and saprock.
-10
-12 Co
Depth

-14 Transition Cr CONCLUSIONS

-16 Al
-18 The physical characteristics of the North Mine are
-20 Saprolite composed of limonite zones with thickness of ± 12.5
-22
-24
meters, saprolite zone of ± 12 meters thickness and
-26 boulder found in the lower saprolite zone. The
-28 physical character of the South Mine is over limonite
% Minor Elemnts zone with ± 8 meters thickness, saprolite zone with
thickness ± 10 meters, and boulder found in saprolite
Figure 9. Minor elements (Ni, Co, Cr and Al) in the
zone to transition zone.
North Mine
From top to bottom, nickel laterite is composed of
top soil zone with black colour, clay-sand grain size,
Geochemical Minor Elements In The hematite, organic material; limonite zone are reddish
South Mine brown, clay grain size, consists of hematite, goethite,
0
manganese, silica; saprolite zone are greenish brown,
-2
sand-boulder grain size, composisition mineral such
0

0
0.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

-4 Limonite
as serpentine, goethite, garnierite, magnetite, silica,
-6
manganese, chrome; and bedrock in gray-black,
-8 Ni
Transition subhedral, massive, phaneritic, equigranular,
-10 Co
pyroxene and olivine composition, low to medium
Depth

-12 Cr
serpentinization (North Mine) and high
-14 Al
serpentinization (South Mine).
-16 Saprolite The geochemical characteristic of North Mine shows
-18
a pattern similar to South Mine. The graphic
-20
difference is in the major elements of the saprolite
-22
zone, where the graphic trend is relatively more
-24
wavy, especially in the upper saprolite zone. It
% Minor Elements
indicates boulder in that zone.
Figure 10. Minor elements (Ni, Co, Cr and Al) in the In lateritic zone in North Mine, range of Ni (0.70-
South Mine 2.40%), Co (0.01-0.17%), MgO (0.53-38.00%), and
At the South Mine, physically shows the presence of SiO2 (8.00-55.00%), and in South Mine, range of Ni
intact weathering boulder peridotite in the transition (0.70-2.30%), Co (0.01-0.24%), MgO (0.32-32.00%)
zone between limonite and saprolite zone, so the and SiO2 (4.00-65.00%). Significant differences are
 PROCEEDINGS PEKAN ILMIAH TAHUNAN IAGI 2018
Hotel Pangeran, Pekanbaru, October 28th – November 1st,2018

present in the SiO2 element. It is caused because

geological structure more intensive in South Mine
than North Mine.

REFERENCES

Ahmad, Waheed, 2008, Nickel Laterites:

Fundamental of Chemistry, Mineralogy,
Weathering Processes, Formation, and
Exploration, Vale Inco – VITSL.
Best, 2003, Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology 2nd
Edition, W.H. Freeman and Company, San
Fransisco.
Indra Kusuma, R. A., Hashari K., Romzi R.W., M.
Kamil., 2015, Geological Prospect, Resources
and Ore Reserve Estimation in Pomalaa, Kolaka,
Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, Discovery to
Inventory, MGEI, Balikpapan.
Wilson, M., 1989, Igneous Petrogenesis,
HarperCollinsAcademic, London.

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