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IMPROVED NICKEL LATERITE
PROCESSING THROUGH RECYCLING
CSIRO is testing Direct Nickel’s newly
developed nickel extraction method that
could make millions of tonnes of untapped
nickel laterite reserves economically viable.
The new extraction process uses nitric
acid instead of sulfuric acid to process
nickel laterite. It promises to secure major
economic and environmental benefits
for the minerals industry, creating new
mines, increasing the lifespan of existing
mines and creating new jobs in regional
Australia. A mineral processing pilot plant
is being constructed at CSIRO’s Waterford
site in Perth for large scale testing of
the new method. Direct Nickel leads the
commercialisation of this technology,
with CSIRO providing unique research
infrastructure and testing capability.
FIGURE A: Organisations supporting a
global-scale resources research precinct in WA
• Curtin Resources and Chemistry precinct
• Curtin University of Technology
Department of Exploration Geophysics
• Curtin University of Technology
Department of Petroleum Engineering
• Western Australian School of Mines
• Parker CRC for Integrated Hydrometallurgy
• CRC for Deep Exploration Technologies
• CO2CRC
• Centre of Excellence in 3D Mineral Mapping
• WA Geothermal Centre of Excellence
• iVEC
• Pawsey high performance computing centre
• John de Laeter Centre for Mass Spectrometry
• WA Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis
• University of New South Wales National
Drilling and Well Control Program
• Western Australian Energy Research
Alliance (WA:ERA)
• CSIRO Division of Process Science
and Engineering
• CSIRO Division of Earth Science and
Resource Engineering
• CSIRO Minerals Down Under National
Research Flagship
• CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Research Flagship
• National Measurement Institute
A MINERAL PROCESSING PILOT PLANT IS UNDER
CONSTRUCTION AT CSIRO’S WATERFORD SITE IN PERTH
CSIRO’S RESEARCH
adding value to Australia’s resources
CSIRO is committed to delivering excellent science and innovative solutions for industry.
We are integrating advanced technologies for next-generation tools and solutions to
locate new resources, and to deliver safer and more efficient mining, clean processing
and value-added mineral products. We are also paving the way for new, affordable and
cleaner energy sources.
MINESITE 2011
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