MINERALS ASSOCIATED

WITH LATERITES
Adopted From :
Nickel Laterites – A Short Training
By Waheed Ahmad

Presented by Setiyo Wibowo

Laterites…???

Laterites  “later” (latin words)

 brick

soils that are rich of AlO & FeO

formed under the influence of

chemical weathering with special

ground water conditions

Laterite Profile

Zone of residual enrichment

Zone of active chemical
of FeO, AlO & MnO plus
weathering & saprolisation of
chromite
rock. Includes supergene
enrichment of Ni

Limonite Slightly altered

bedrock at top with
fresh bedrock below

Saprolite

Bedrock
 MINERALS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH
ULTRAMAFIC ROCKS & NICKEL LATERITES
 SILICATES  Olivines, Pyroxenes

 HYDROUS MAFIC  Serpentine & Talc Div, Kaolin Div,

Chlorite Div, Amphibole Div

 SPINELS  Magnetite, Chromite

 OXIDES  Iron, Manganese

 HYDROXIDES  Iron, Alumunium, Manganese

 NICKEL HYDROSILICATES  Garnierite

SILICATES

The most abundant minerals groups in the earth’s crust (± 90%)

Principles  the silicon tetrahedra with a single small silicon

atom neatly tucked in among four large – size
oxygen atoms

O
Si

O
O O
Crystal structure of the rock-forming silicates
 Olivine, Pyroxene, Amphibole, Clays/Micas
OLIVINE GROUP
Structure Tetrahedra (SiO4)

Type Mg-Olivine  Forsterite Mg2SiO4

Fe Mg-Olivine  Chrysolite (Mg,Fe)2SiO4
Fe-Olivine  Fayalite Fe2SiO4

Nickel in the olivine take up to 0.41% NiO (0.322% Ni)

by replacing some of Fe in the olivine

Alteration & Weathering of olivine

highly susceptible to alteration by hydrothermal fluids &
weathering process  serpentine, chlorite, iron oxide etc.
- 200-500 °C : forsterite  serpentine
- 500-625 °C : forsterite  talc
- 625-800 °C : forsterite  enstatite  talc
• Serpentinisation of Olivines
one most common product of hydrothermal alteration of olivine
is serpentine

Serpentinisation of olivines requires :

- addition water
- addition silica or removal magnesia

Olivine Serpentine
Composition : Mg2SiO4 H4Mg3Si2O9
Composition as oxides : 2MgO.SiO2 3MgO.2SiO2.2H2O
MgO 57.3% 43.0%
SiO2 42.7% 44.1%
H2O 0.0% 12.9%

3Mg2SiO4 + 4H2O + SiO2 2H4Mg3Si2O9 (Addition water & silica)

5Mg2SiO4 + 4H2O 2H4Mg3Si2O9 + 4MgO + SiO2 (Removal of magnesia & silica)

Removed in solution
PYROXENE GROUP

Structure Orthorhombic SiO3

Monoclinic (SiO3)2

Type Orthopyroxene  Enstatite MgSiO3

Bronzite (Mg,Fe)SiO3
Hypersthene (Fe,
Mg)SiO3
Clinopyroxene  Diopside CaMg(SiO3)2
Jadeite NaAl(SiO3)2

Nickel in the Pyroxene avg. 0.07% NiO (ortho-px)

avg. 0.04% NiO (clino-px)
 CLAY GROUP

Definition fine grained particles that are less than 0.002 mm

Minerals hydrated silicates of aluminium, iron & magnesium

Clay groups are commonly recognised among the clay minerals :

 Kaolinite Group  include minerals : kaolinite, dicktite & nicrite
(H4Al2Si2O9)
 Smectite Group  include : montmorillonite (Mg-smectite), nontronite
(Fe-smectite) & beidellite (Al-smectite)
 Illite Group  include : illite & hydromicas
 Chlorite Group  most minerals are green in colour. It’s due to the
presence of ferrous iron
 Mixed-layer Clay Minerals  illite/smectite, chlorite/smectite

Climatic factors also influence the formation of clay minerals

 Weathering in wet climate  formation of kaolinite plus oxide of ironand
aluminium.
 Dryer climate  formation of smectite clay
SPINEL GROUP

Structure isometric crystal system

General formula R++O (divalent) R+++2O3 (trivalent)

Divalent : FeO, MgO, MnO, NiO, ZnO
Trivalent : Al2O3, Fe2O3, Cr2O3, Mn2O3

Primary Magnetite in ultramafic rocks can survive the process of

lateritic weathering  may be found in the laterite profile

Secondary Magnetite  forming during the process serpentinisation

of olivine (in laterites)

Primary chromite  may be present in appreciable quantities in the

lateritic profile
OXIDES

• Oxides of Iron Assosiated with ultramafic rocks

• Oxides of manganese

• Oxide of Iron Hematite Fe2O3

Magnetite Fe3O4
Iron protoxide FeO

• Oxide of Manganese Pyrolusite MnO2

Manganosite MnO
HYDROXIDES

Hydroxides of Iron most common in laterite profile

Hydroxides of Aluminium
Hydroxides of Manganese Less extent in laterite profile

Hydroxide of Iron Goethite Fe2O3.H2O

Limonite 2Fe2O3.3H2O

Hydroxide of Alumunium Boehmite Al2O3.H2O

Bauxite Al2O3.2H2O

Hydroxide of manganese Manganite Mn2O3.H2O

Pyrochroite MnO.H2O
NICKEL HYDROSILICATES

Garnierite  hydrous nickel-magnesian silicate

Nickel replaces the Mg atoms in such minerals are

serpentine, talc & chlorite.

Garnierites occur as filling in open spaces (fractures, joints) or as

coating in joint and fracture surface