New insights into nanomineralogy and geochemistry of Ni-laterite ores from central Greece (Larymna and Evia deposits) |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Zographou, Athens, Greece;2. Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zographou Campus, 15784 Zographou, Athens, Greece;3. Centre for Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis, Jožef Stefan” Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;4. Center for Electron Nanoscopy, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark;5. LARCO GMMSA, Fragkokklisias Str. Maroussi GR 15125, Athens, Greece;1. GeoBioTec, Department of Geosciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;2. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3030-790, Coimbra, Portugal;3. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Minho, Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal;4. União Temporária de Empresas IGME-LNEG-IIA, 4466-956 S. Mamede de Infesta, Portugal;5. CEMMPRE, Department of Geology, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-911, Vila Real, Portugal;1. Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;2. Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;3. Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, University of Athens. Panepistimioupolis, 15784 Zografou, Greece;4. Institute for Photon Science and Synchrotron Radiation, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany;5. Department of Geology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa;6. Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, 3001 Leuven, Belgium;7. Departamento de Petrologia e Metalogenia, Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista - Julio de Mesquita Filho, 13506-900, Rio Claro, Brazil;8. Institute of Nuclear Physics, NCSR “Demokritos’’, Aghia Paraskevi 15310, Greece;9. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Perugia, Piazza Università, 06100 Perugia, Italy;1. UFRJ Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;2. CETEM Centre for Mineral Technology, Brazil;3. Instituto Tecnológico Vale/Vale S.A, Brazil;1. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell’Ambiente e delle Risorse, Università di Napoli Federico II Complesso Universitario di Monte S. Angelo, Via Cintia 26 80126 Napoli, Italy;2. Departamento de Geología and CEACTierra, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas sn, 23071 Jaén, Spain;3. Earth Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK;4. Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano, 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy;5. Metals X Limited, L5/197, St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA 6000, Australia;6. Core Research Laboratories, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK |
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| Abstract: | Nickeliferous laterite ores from two typical central Greece deposits (Larymna and Evia), currently used in the LARCO GMMSA smelting plant to produce ferronickel, were characterized using a combination of diffraction, microscopic, and analytical techniques. X-ray diffraction patterns of various fractions, with emphasis to the clayey material (<2 μm), after glycolation and heating at 550 °C, indicated that both materials contain crystalline Fe3+ oxide (hematite) and chlorite-group phyllosilicates, whereas the Evia sample contains additional illite. Transmission electron microscopy investigations revealed that the LARCO laterite ores consist of complex nanoscale aggregates of the above-mentioned phases. Different Ni-bearing Mg-Fe-phyllosilicates (mainly chlorite-group minerals), occur in mixture with hematite. Nickel is present in all examined phases, and therefore the separation of pure Ni-phases, by physical or chemical methods, is practically unfeasible. Trace element bulk analyses showed that there no significant differences, with regarding to Ni content concentrations (ca. 0.6–0.7 wt.%), between the initial ore and the clay fraction, for both the Larymna and Evia laterites (ca. 30% and 26% wt.% enrichment respectively). However, the Larymna ore contains double quantities of Co and it is enriched in rare earths compared to Evia (ΣREE = 774 ppm and 76 ppm respectively), while Sc concentrations are comparable in both mining areas (64 ppm and 42 ppm respectively). Discrimination diagrams (e.g. Th/Sc vs. Zr/Sc and Ce/Ce* vs. Eu/Eu*) showed that LARCO laterite Ni-ores do not exclusively originate in ultrabasic -ophiolitic- rocks as previously considered. |
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| Keywords: | Laterite ore Nickel Clays Phyllosilicates Mineral nanoparticles Rare earth elements |
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