In Japan, all smelting plants have been making efforts to reduce their costs by converting from oil to coal, and also by utilizing the heat of the gas exhaust from the rotary kiln and electric furnace as well as the heat of the slag, while continually striving for improvements in technology. Studies on concentrating Ni in laterite with a low Ni content have been made not only in Japan but in many other countries. One of them known as the laterite segregation process, has now reached a successful conclusion; it has been confirmed that with this process 50-60% Ni concentrate can be achieved on a steady basis. As the process takes place at below 950 deg C, compared to 1600 deg C for the smelting alternative, a 25-30% energy saving is anticipated for a full-scale plant. The process also allows great flexibility in determining the chemical characteristics of the ore, particularly the basicity.

--AA