Study on Sc-bearing Lateritic Ni deposits in Ultramafic Rock from Sulawesi: A New Paradigm in Indonesia Metal Mining Industry

Abstract

Abstract Scandium (Sc) and its compounds are used in many modern-technology applications such as in optical, electronic, aeronautical, and fuel-cell industries. However, Sc occurrence were only limited in a very specific area with limited deposit and little attention has been paid to the genesis of Sc-bearing deposits in the world. 6 (six) bedrock samples and 15 (fifteen) lateritic samples (saprolite to limonite) were collected and studied to investigate the distribution of Sc grades in lateritic Ni deposits and identify Sc-bearing minerals in laterites from ultramafic rocks in West Blok, East Block and Petea prospect in Soroako, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The study suggests that scandium is enriched in limonite layer in weathering profile. In general, pyroxene bearing rich bedrock (harzburgite in composition) will contain higher Sc content in their weathering product. It is suggested that the Sc are associated with the occurrence of iron oxide from pyroxene. However, as the occurrence of Sc is very limited, the most promising result was shown by East Block profile in which the enrichment of Sc is also supported by enrichment of NiO content. Sc will be viable as by-product of nickel laterite.