Deposit types/Nickel, Cobalt

Nickel laterite

Nickel-rich soil layers made by deep tropical weathering of ultramafic rock.

What it is

Nickel-rich soil layers made by deep tropical weathering of ultramafic rock.1,2

How it forms

Warm, wet climates weather peridotite and dunite in place. The top is iron-oxide limonite with 0.5 to 2% nickel; below is a saprolite and boxwork zone that holds richer nickel silicates such as garnierite.1,2

Host rocks

Peridotite, dunite and serpentinite.1,2

Where it forms

Convergent margins where ophiolites have been emplaced and uplifted.1,2

How old

Source rocks Precambrian to Tertiary; weathering typically Cenozoic1,2

Typical grade

Limonite zone 0.5 to 2% Ni1,2

Mines of this type

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Mines

An example ofSorowakoSee Sorowako, an example of this deposit type.1An example ofWeda BaySee Weda Bay, an example of this deposit type.1An example ofMurrin MurrinSee Murrin Murrin, an example of nickel laterite.1An example ofMoaSee Moa, an example of nickel laterite.1

Sources

  1. Mineral Deposit Models (Bulletin 1693, Cox and Singer, eds., 1986) US Geological Survey
  2. Mineral Deposit Models for Resource Assessment, Chapter H: Nickel-Cobalt Laterites: A Deposit Model (SIR 2010-5070-H) US Geological Survey

From the Prospector Trails mining history dataset: each fact links to the source it was checked against. Figures are as the source gives them, in the money of their day. Not investment advice.

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Pictures: Salar de Atacama, Chile, NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Space Systems, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team (Public domain (NASA media, no copyright)); Kopermijn te Kolwezi in de provincie Shaba (Katanka), Mieremet, Rob / Anefo / Europeana (Public Domain Mark 1.0).