Information: Nickel
Top Exporters
- **Philippines**: $1.08 billion
- **Zimbabwe**: $647 million
- **United States**: $368 million
- **Finland**: $284 million
- **Brazil**: $244 million
- **Zambia**: $132 million
- **Canada**: $92.9 million
- **Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)**: $85.2 million
- **Guatemala**: $29.1 million
- **Tanzania**: $20.2 million
- **Namibia**: $18.1 million
- **Cyprus**: $3.76 million
- **Germany**: $2.72 million
- **Norway**: $2.41 million
- **France**: $1.48 million
- **Slovak Republic**: $1.41 million
- **Singapore**: $1.33 million
- **Other Asia, nes**: $1.27 million
- **South Korea**: $1.03 million
- **Botswana**: $698,000
Known Methods of Extraction
Nickel extraction depends on the type of ore (sulfide or laterite) and the desired purity level. Here are **20 common methods** used for extracting and processing nickel:
### **1. Mining Techniques**
1. **Open-Pit Mining** – Used for laterite ores found near the surface.
2. **Underground Mining** – Used for deeper sulfide ore deposits.
### **2. Ore Preparation**
3. **Ore Crushing & Grinding** – Reduces the size of the ore for further processing.
4. **Gravity Separation** – Used to separate dense nickel-bearing minerals.
### **3. Sulfide Ore Processing** (Traditional Methods)
5. **Froth Flotation** – Separates nickel sulfide minerals from other rock.
6. **Smelting** – Uses high temperatures to extract nickel from sulfide ores.
7. **Matte Smelting** – Produces a nickel-rich matte for further refining.
8. **Flash Smelting** – More energy-efficient smelting method.
9. **Converter Smelting** – Further refines nickel matte by removing iron and sulfur.
10. **Hydrometallurgical Leaching (Pressure Oxidation)** – Uses acid and oxygen under pressure to dissolve nickel.
### **4. Laterite Ore Processing** (More Common for Low-Grade Nickel)
11. **High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL)** – Uses sulfuric acid at high temperatures to extract nickel from laterite ores.
12. **Heap Leaching** – A slower process where acid is trickled over crushed ore.
13. **Atmospheric Leaching** – A lower-cost method using acid to extract nickel at normal pressure.
14. **Carbothermic Reduction** – Uses carbon to reduce nickel laterites at high temperatures.
15. **Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) Processing** – A common method for ferronickel production.
16. **Nickel Pig Iron (NPI) Production** – A lower-cost method used for making stainless steel.
### **5. Refining & Purification**
17. **Electrowinning** – Uses electricity to plate pure nickel from solution.
18. **Solvent Extraction (SX)** – Separates nickel from impurities using chemical solvents.
19. **Ion Exchange** – Uses resin beads to extract nickel from solutions.
20. **Mond Process (Carbonyl Refining)** – Uses carbon monoxide to create pure nickel carbonyl gas, which decomposes into high-purity nickel.
These methods are often combined, depending on the ore type and the final nickel product (e.g., battery-grade nickel vs. stainless steel production).
