Ni-Co 2021: The 5th International Symposium on Nickel and Cobalt: Market, Materials and Mineral Processing
Sponsored by: The Metallurgy & Materials Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, TMS Extraction and Processing Division, TMS: Hydrometallurgy and Electrometallurgy Committee, TMS: Pyrometallurgy Committee
Program Organizers: Corby Anderson, Colorado School of Mines; Dean Gregurek, RHI Magnesita; Mari Lundström, Aalto University; Christina Meskers, SINTEF; Prabhat Tripathy, Batelle Energy Alliance (Idaho National Laboratory); Fiseha Tesfaye, Metso Metals Oy, Åbo Akademi University; Yuanbo Zhang, Central South University; Sari Muinonen, Glencore; Graeme Goodall, XPS- Glencore; Shijie Wang, Coeur Mining, Inc
Thursday 8:30 AM
March 18, 2021
Room: RM 43
Location: TMS2021 Virtual
8:30 AM Invited
Global Electrification of Electric Vehicles and Intertwined Material Supply Chains of Cobalt, Copper and Nickel: Ruby Nguyen1; Roderick Eggert2; Corby Anderson; Mike Severson3; 1Idaho National Laboratory; 2Colorado School of Mines; 3Miami University of Ohio
Electric vehicles (EVs) are deemed a solution to a low-carbon economy. Future EV adoption faces high uncertainty resulting from battery material supply risk, diverse battery technologies, and an incomplete understanding of potential impacts on power and other systems. Various EV projections have been made, but research into supply with market dynamics to support decision-making is inadequate. Using a dynamic market model, we estimate global cobalt, copper and nickel production given different EV growth scenarios from 2020 to 2040. Results suggest that EV targets might not be met if the market and commercial battery technology deployment stay the same for the next two decades. Potential projects, including the Idaho Cobalt Project and Sconi, could add 2% to EV sales during the simulation. While shortening battery lifetime and improving collection and recycling rates increase secondary supply, the overall effects on EV growth are mixed.
8:50 AM
An Innovative Beneficiation Process Developed for Jinchuan Nickel Ore Resources: Shijie Wang1; 1Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copper Corp
In order to comprehensively utilize Jinchuan nickel ore resource, an innovative process of flotation – high-pressure oxidation leaching was developed. The process first produced high-quality concentrates (high-nickel and low-magnesium) for nickel flash smelting furnace; then it treated the flotation intermediate product (nickel-containing pyrrhotite concentrates) with oxidized leaching at high temperatures to solubilize the remaining non-ferrous metals in the solution. Magnesium thiosulfate was used to precipitate copper and nickel separately from the leaching solution. A high quality magnesium (by-product) was ultimately obtained from solution purification and crystallization. This paper will report the study of froth flotation that include mineralogy study and chemical reagent experimental tests. The lab and pilot flotation tests and the results will also be presented.
9:10 AM
Effect of Fluorine on the High Temperature Oxidation Behavior of Nickel-based Alloys: Alexander Donchev1; Mathias Galetz1; 1DECHEMA-Forschungsinstitut
The Al content of conventional Ni-based alloys usually is not enough to form a protective outer alumina layer. Instead a chromia scale develops during high temperature exposure in oxidizing environments with local internal alumina formation. This chromia layer exhibits some disadvantages, e.g. rather high growth kinetics, permeability to nitrogen or Cr oxide evaporation above 900°C. On the other hand, alumina does not show such disadvantages. In a new attempt fluorine is applied on the surface of several conventional Ni-alloys to promote the formation of a protective alpha-Al2O3 layer via the so-called fluorine effect. The almost exclusive formation of gaseous aluminum fluorides in the surface zone of the components and their subsequent transformation towards aluminum oxide stimulates the formation of an outer alumina layer during high temperature service. Results of high temperature exposure tests of untreated and fluorinated specimens of several technical Ni alloys will be presented and discussed.
9:30 AM
The Increasing Use of Nickel in the 21st Century: Gary Coates1; 1Nickel Institute
The use of nickel between 2010 and 2019 increased at a rate of 5.7% per annum. Nickel-containing alloy steels, stainless steels and nickel alloys are finding new uses in pollution control, energy efficiency, long lasting, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, safe food and water, and even the new generation of vehicles that will take us to the moon and beyond. The use of nickel in batteries, a key and rapidly expanding market, will be mentioned, but details will be presented in the Batteries session. The presentation will concentrate on new and innovative applications involving nickel that will contribute to the United Nations Sustainability Development goals.