National Mineral Resources University (Russia):

Nikolayev A. K., Associate Professor, Doctor of Engineering, kafedra-thng@yandex.ru

Andreyev Ye. Ye., Associate Professor, Ph. D. in Technical Sciences, opiopi@bk.ru

Bazhin V. Yu., Associate Professor, Doctor of Engineering, kafmetall@mail.ru

Scientific Instruments Company, JSC (Russia):

Nikolayev V. I., Technical Director, nikolaev@sinstr.ru

Moa (Instituto Superior Minero Metalurgico de Moa — ISMMM, Republic of Cuba):
Piligrim M., Associate Professor, Higher Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

The authors of this paper discuss the problem of dressing laterite nickel ores of the Cuba Republic deposits and recovery of PGM metals as by products from these ores and slime wastes. 100 kg of ore and 120 kg of concentration tailings were taken for sampling. Screen analysis and magnetic separation results obtained at the Che Gevara metallurgical mill are given.The chemical composition of the ore is now determined at the specialized pilot processing research center in Cuba on eight elements only (Ni, Co, Si, Fe, Mg, Al, Mn, Cr), but rare and PGM metals content is not included in the assessment scope. Within the scope of science and engineering cooperation between the National Mineral Resources University (St. Petersburg) and the Higher Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Moa (ISMMM, Republic of Cuba) a dressability assessment of laterite ores involving recovery of PGM metals has been performed. For investigations the equipment provided by JSC «Nauchnye pribory» («Sientific instruments») has been used. The investigation of the performance data available allowed to arrive at a conclusion that the most expedient means of production cost reduction to make it competitive with no capital reconstruction of metallurgical shops will be a pre-concentration process. It was found that in the process of nickel-cobalt sinter production Rhodium (0,069 %) and Platinum (0,017 %) are contained in the slimes.

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