Make the development of low-grade laterite nickel ore possible! Indonesia laterite Nickel Mine Wet smelting Project creates "China Model"

In 2018, the site was selected for the first time at the end of June, the engineering design was started in August, and the first pile was driven in December.

In 2021, it was put into operation in March, put into production in May, reached the production standard in July, and produced more than 10,000 tons on November 27th.

In less than three years, the Indonesian laterite nickel ore wet smelting project (hereinafter referred to as OBI project) invested by Ningbo Liqin Resources Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Liqin Resources) and China Enfei Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as China Enfei) provided technical services and core equipment (hereinafter referred to as the Nickel smelting Project) created an amazing Chinese model for the global nickel and cobalt industry, making the large-scale development of low-grade laterite nickel ore possible. Make advanced technology become a sharp weapon for Chinese enterprises to obtain resource development opportunities, and provide a strong material supply guarantee for the development of new energy industry.

The completion and commissioning of the OBI project means that Liqin Resources has set a new example on the journey of "Belt and Road Initiative", thus opening the development of Indonesia's new energy industry chain, marking the successful application of China's patented high-pressure acid leaching technology and core equipment for nickel laterite ores, which makes China's laterite nickel ore hydrometallurgical technology, equipment and engineering technology take the lead in the world. It is proved that the "Enfei scheme", which adopts Chinese technology, Chinese equipment and Chinese standard, is the best solution for the development of low-grade laterite nickel ore resources.

Chinese technology to build classic projects

In 2018, Liqin Resources cooperated with Indonesia's HARITA Company to build a wet smelter on OBI Island according to the strategic prediction for the development of new energy industry, aiming at the low-grade laterite nickel ore resources in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia, which are large in reserves and difficult to develop. Subsequently, after the investigation of a number of international well-known designers and technical support parties, Liqin Resources finally decided to choose China Enfei, which has the core technology and mature industrial application ability, to provide technology, and undertake the design and related work.

The first phase of the OBI project includes mineral processing, smelting, tailings bank, acid plant, power plant, limestone, etc. The smelting part uses the "high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL)-hydroxide precipitation" process to produce mixed nickel hydroxide products, the first phase annual treatment of nickel laterite ore (dry base), the output of nickel metal about 37000 tons, cobalt about 4500 tons, the products are mainly used for the preparation of ternary material precursors for power lithium-ion battery. China Enfei is responsible for experimental research and development, engineering design, core equipment supply, plant-wide control system, construction technical services and production technical services. According to the relevant policies and requirements of the Indonesian country and the project, the project has established the overall goal of "building a demonstration project with advanced technology, green environmental protection, low processing cost, good economic benefits and strong product market competitiveness".

In the selection of process plan, in addition to the principle of "mature, reliable, safe, practical and economical", China Enfei also fully considered the efficient connection with the downstream production of new energy basic materials, opening up the process route from resources to battery material production. Practice has proved that Enfei "high pressure acid leaching-hydroxide precipitation" process in China is one of the advanced hydrometallurgical processes in the world at present, which has the advantages of reliable process, wide adaptability, low cost and wide application range of products.

In terms of high-pressure acid leaching technology, Enfei in China adopted advanced three-stage preheating + autoclave + three-stage flash technology in the project, with high steam cycle utilization (> 80%) and high leaching rate (Ni ≥ 95.5%, Co ≥ 95%), which solved the key material problems in high temperature, high pressure, high acid chemical corrosion and high solid erosion process environment. Titanium palladium alloy, tantalum alloy and other high performance materials have been developed to prepare super-large preheaters, autoclaves and flash tanks, of which the autoclave has a diameter of 5.57 meters, a length of 41.47 meters and a net weight of 850 tons. At the same time, the application of advanced control system is adopted to realize the automatic control and safe, stable and continuous production of high-pressure acid leaching plant.

In terms of the production technology of nickel and cobalt hydroxide precipitation products, Enfei in China adopts the independently developed patent technology of nickel and cobalt precipitation with sodium hydroxide, which solves the problems of high raw material requirements, high cost and high magnesium content in the products of nickel and cobalt precipitated by active magnesium oxide. and successfully developed the crystal precipitation technology, so that the moisture content of the product is reduced from 73% to 50% 55%, the production consumption is low, the operation is simple, and the stability of the production process is greatly improved. At the same time, the products are efficiently connected with the downstream materials.

Independent research and development to fill the domestic gap

Since its establishment 68 years ago, China Enfei has become a pioneer in the smelting of non-ferrous metals in China, developing together with China's nickel industry, and is the first to carry out engineering design and process research and development of extracting nickel and cobalt from raw ores in China. According to the characteristics of different composition and grade of nickel ore, a variety of technological routes for the treatment of nickel ore have been studied and explored, with strong technical strength and talent reserve. It is an engineering company that fully grasps the technologies of atmospheric pressure leaching, pressure leaching, RKEF, side blowing, extraction purification and product deep processing of nickel and cobalt resources, and can provide technical services for the whole process of nickel-cobalt sulphide ore, nickel-cobalt oxide ore mining, mineral processing, smelting and refining.

With a comprehensive understanding of the nickel-cobalt industry chain, Enfei in China has developed a number of core technologies for high-pressure acid leaching of low-grade laterite nickel ores, relying on the Ruimu Nickel-Cobalt Project in Papua New Guinea (hereinafter referred to as the Ruimu Project). The engineering and technical convergence and matching problems of the whole process of "mining-washing-pulp transportation-smelting" have been effectively solved, and many gaps in China have been filled.

At the end of the last century, countries have fully realized the obvious advantages of high-pressure acid leaching technology, but with the technical level at that time, due to the poor working conditions, there are still a series of problems in materials, equipment, system coordination and maintaining stable production. Although the industry has never stopped technological research and development and engineering exploration, most projects still have to face the plight of "procrastination and investment again and again due to the emerging problems of process, equipment and system balance." the dilemma of reaching production has been delayed again and again and basically ended in failure.

At that time, the treatment technology of nickel laterite in China was even more blank, especially the high-pressure acid leaching technology and engineering technology. In China, the high temperature metallurgy technology of acid system with a temperature higher than 180 ℃ has no industrial application, and there is a lack of research in process technology, key materials, equipment and control system. Based on the strategic prediction of resource development and technology application, China Enfei took the lead in setting up a laterite nickel ore technical group in 2000 to carry out technical research and experimental research. In 2003, China Metallurgical Group started the construction of the Rimu project and entrusted China Enfei to undertake the technical development and design work. China Enfei accelerated the independent research and development of high pressure acid leaching process and successfully applied it to the Ruimu project. It broke through the limitations of process technology, materials and equipment, created a new situation of laterite nickel ore hydrometallurgy engineering and process, and made China's high temperature hydrometallurgy technology in the international leading level.

China's strength shows industry responsibility

Now, in the case of further reducing investment, the OBI project has once again set a world record for the fastest construction and fastest production.

In terms of independent core equipment, in line with the principle of project success, China Enfei has gradually promoted localization of core equipment or components, developed a series of efficient, energy-saving, technologically reliable materials and equipment, and effectively saved project investment. With regard to the key equipment affecting project investment and production, China Enfei carefully verified and innovated boldly, and cooperated with the project team to work together, which not only reduced the equipment cost, but also ensured the equipment performance, and won the on-site construction time.

In the process of project construction, the owner's development vision ahead of resources, excellent project team, leading management level and forward-looking technical understanding are also important guarantees for the successful implementation of the project. Under the protection of the full support of the owner unit, careful overall planning and high-level project management, the first phase of the project progressed smoothly, diligently resources to expand the production of the wet part, and increased nickel sulfate, pyrometallurgy, stainless steel and other related or supporting projects, to achieve the omni-directional utilization of OBI island laterite nickel ore resources.

Subsequently, China Enfei further strengthened cooperation with Liqin Resources, and successively signed a series of contracts for engineering and technical services and core equipment procurement, such as Wet Phase II, Nickel Sulfate, RKEF Fire smelting, Wet Phase III, and so on. After the OBI laterite nickel ore project is fully put into operation, it will form 6 high-pressure acid leaching production lines, 20 RKEF production lines, 500000 tons of battery-grade nickel sulfate and 70, 000 tons of cobalt sulfate refineries, 3 million tons of stainless steel plant and supporting 4200MW coal-fired power plant, 4.2 million tons of acid plant, wharf, livable small town large-scale comprehensive intelligent manufacturing industrial park, will achieve 15 million tons of low-grade nickel ore, 26 million tons of high-grade nickel ore annual processing capacity. The output of nickel metal will exceed 400000 tons per year. The project will give full play to the technical, management and cultural advantages of Chinese enterprises, combine the advantages of Indonesia's laterite resources, promote the local economic development of Indonesia, solve the employment problem of local residents, and provide strong support for the security of nickel resources in China.

In the future, on the road of technology going to sea, Enfei of China will courageously stand on the tide, ride the wind and waves, forge ahead bravely in the sea with high cloud sails, and be duty-bound to assume the corporate responsibility of the "national team of non-ferrous mining and metallurgy." contribute Enfei to the implementation of the "Belt and Road Initiative" initiative!

Author: Liu Chuanyan's original title: "China's Enfei high-pressure acid leaching technology is another monument to 'Belt and Road Initiative'-- written at a time when the output of Ningbo Liqin Indonesia OBI laterite nickel wet smelting project exceeds 10,000 tons."

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