MODEL FOR PROFILE DEVELOPMENT

• IF THE EXPONENTIAL DECREASE OF FE

AND INCREASE OF MGO DOWNWARD IS
APPLIED TO THE THICKNESS OF A
SAPROLITE RIM ON CORESTONES OF
VARYING SIZE THE THEORETICAL
PROFILE ON THE LEFT RESULTS
• THE COMPLETE DISAPPEARANCE OF
CORESTONES OCCURS FASTER AND
PENETRATES DEEPER IN ZONES OF
CLOSE-SPACED JOINTING
• THESE WILL FORM CUSP-SHAPED
TONGUES OF LIMONITE PENETRATING
THE SAPROLITE ZONE
• MORE NICKEL SHOULD ACCUMULATE
BELOW SUCH LIMONITE TROUGHS
THAN BELOW THE BEDROCK
PINNACLES
• THE TROUGHS SHOULD SHOW A
SUBTLE EXPRESSION IN SURFACE
TOPOGRAPHY
 MODEL FOR PROFILE DEVELOPMENT
LIMONITE
SAPROLITE
RIMS

CORESTONES

A COMPUTER GENERATED VERSION OF

THE PREVIOUS CONCEPT
 TOPOGRAPHIC CONTROL OF NI-LATERITE

THE LAKE DISTRICT OF CENTRAL

EASTERN SULAWESI
THE NORTHWARD DRAINAGE OF THE
TERTIARY PREDECESSOR OF THE
TAMBALAKO VALLEY WAS DAMMED BY
MOVEMENT ON THE MATANO
TRANSFORM FAULT
MECHANICAL EROSION IN THE
SOUTHERN PART HAS BEEN RETARDED
EXTENSIVE AREAS IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE VALLEYHAVE HAD NO SIGNIFICANT NEXT SLIDE
LATERITE PROFILE DEVELOPMENT
FLANKING MOUNTAIN AREAS HAVE HAD
NO PROFILE PRESERVATION
PERIPHERAL ZONES AT SOROAKO ON
THE WEST SIDE AND SE OF LAKE TOWUTI
HAVE THE CORRECT BALANCE OF
MECHANICAL AND CHEMICAL LEACHING
TO ENCOURAGE NI-LATERITE
DEVELOPMENT
DRAINAGE CAPTURE BY LARONA RIVER
 TOPOGRAPHIC CONTROL OF NI-LATERITE
THE FOLLOWING TWO SLIDES SHOW LARGE SCALE TOPOGRAPHIC
FEATURES OF THE SOROAKO DISTRICT
NOTE:
• ALMOST ALL THE TERRAIN SHOWN IS UNDERLAIN BY PERIDOTITE
• THE RELATIVELY ROUNDED FORM OF HILLS UNDERLAIN BY NI
LATERITE ORE BODIES AT SOROAKO
• KARSTIC SINKHOLES (“K”) IN THE LATERITIC TERRAIN
• FLAT, LOW-LYING PLATEAUX WITH ODD LINEAR RIDGES SOUTH OF
LAKE MAHALONA
• SHARPLY DISSECTED V-SHAPED VALLEYS IN THE VERBEEK MTNS.

AN AIRPHOTO SURVEY OF EASTERN SULAWESI WAS A KEY COMPONENT OF

THE INCO EXPLORATION PROGRAM IN 1969 THROUGH THE EARLY 1970’s.
THE ORE-HOSTING LATERITIC LANDFORM ILLUSTRATED HERE IS
DISTINCTIVE AND IT’S DETECTION BY W. AHMAD WAS A MAJOR TOOL IN
RECONNAISSANCE EXPLORATION

PICTURES ARE PRE-EXPLORATION AIRPHOTO MOSAICS PREPARED BY KLM

 Topographic Control of Nickel Enrichment:
Brolga Deposit Queensland
• UPPER LINE = PRE-LATERITE
TOPOGRAPHY NECESSARY TO
PROVIDE NI ENRICHMENT - “E”
interpolated where erosion removed
PALEO-TOPOGRAPHY
Nickel during development
• SAPROLITE NI ZONE THICKEST
ON TOP AND CONCAVE LOWER
SLOPE
• THINNEST ON THE CONVEX
SLOPE
• 30-50 M. OF ROCK COLUMN
TYPICAL TO PROVIDE NICKEL
IN ECONOMIC SAPROLITE
PROFILE
H - Harzburgite D - Dunite
n- Nontronite s- Saprolite
f- Pisolitic Ferricrete X-pattern - Quartz
veinlet boxwork in saprolite
 Relationship of Nickel Laterite Profiles to
Topography in Central Brazil

From Melfi, Trecasses, Carvalho, Barros de Oliveira,

Ribeiro Filho & Laquinitine Formoso, 1988, The
Lateritic Ore Deposits of Brazil, Sci. Geol. Bull., v41,
1, p5-36
Development of Nickel Laterites on the South American Erosion Surface

1,2. silicrete deposited on ultramafics at watertable, early semi-dry climate.

3. silcrete retards erosion during erosional down-cutting.
4. silcrete plateau with with Ni saprolite at edges e.g. Onca & Puma.
5. Silcrete protects erosional remnants e.g. Barro Alto.
Tranported Ni Limonitic ores possible in adjacent lowlands, stream sediment
geochemistry are very low grade and diluted by non ultramafic-derived sediment.
From Melfi, Trecasses, Carvalho, Barros de Oliveira, Ribeiro Filho & Laquinitine Formoso, 1988, The Lateritic Ore Deposits of Brazil, Sci. Geol. Bull., v41, 1, p5-36
Development of Nickel Laterites on the South
American Erosion Surface

SOUTH
SOUTHAMERICAN
AMERICAN(=PEGA
(=PEGAPEGA)
PEGA)SURFACE
SURFACE
IS PRINCIPAL LATERITE HOST AS
IS PRINCIPAL LATERITE HOST AS
REMOTE
REMOTEAS ASBOLIVIA
BOLIVIA