Mineralogical Investigation and Washability Treatment of the Nickeliferous Lateritic Deposit of Nome (Albania)

Abstract

The Nome nickel laterite deposit is located in the North East of Albania. The ore deposit, developed between ultramafic rocks and limestones during Early Cretaceous to Eocene, represents part of the Albanian Mirdita ophiolite zone. The lateritization of the deposit was observed mainly in three separate areas, the Has-Kukes-Lure in the North, Pogradec-Librazhd in the center and Devoll in the South. The main mineralogical components of the ore are goethite, hematite and quartz, while the secondary ones are chlorite (clinochlore, Ni-chlorite), kaolinite and lizardite. Nickel is mainly found in chlorite. The ore is characterized by the presence of spheroid particles, such as oval, pisoid, peloid and composite spheroid. According to the microscopical examination the ore is characterized in general as allotriomorphic, inequigranular and the texture is oolitic-pisolitic. For the mineral processing gravimetric and magnetic separation are used in the size fraction s &#45 8 + 4 mm, &#45 4 + 1 mm, &#45 1 + 0.250 mm and &#45 0.250 + 0.063 mm. The chemical and mineralogical analyses, as well as the microscopic examination have shown that mineral processing by magnetic separation gives the most satisfactory results for the size fractions &#45 1 + 0.250 mm and &#45 0.250 + 0.063 mm.