1500 TPD Cobalt-Nickel Laterite Processing Pilot Plant in Uganda

Ore Preparation & Beneficiation:

• Crushing & Scrubbing: Two-stage crushing and attrition scrubbing to break down clayey material and liberate fines.
• Size Classification & Desliming: Hydrocyclones and vibrating screens remove fine, low-grade silts and clays to upgrade the feed to the leaching circuit.

Counter-Current Decantation (CCD) & Solution Purification:

• Equipment: Multi-stage thickener series.
• Function: Separates the pregnant leach solution (PLS) from residual solids (leach residue).

Tailings & Residue Management:

• Equipment: Paste thickener, filter press, lime dosing system.
• Function: Neutralizes and conditions leach residue for safe, dry-stack disposal.

Adaptable to Variable Feed: The process flow and equipment are designed to handle the natural variability in Ugandan laterite ore types (limonite vs. saprolite ratio).

Data-Driven Design: The pilot plant is fully instrumented to collect comprehensive metallurgical, operational, and economic data essential for bankable feasibility studies and ESG reporting.

High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) – Pilot System:

• Equipment: Titanium-clad autoclaves, acid pre-heaters, and flash tanks.
• Function: Leaches nickel and cobalt from upgraded laterite ore using sulfuric acid under high temperature and pressure.

Metal Recovery & Precipitation:

• Equipment: Reactors, neutralization tanks, and filters.
• Function: Purifies the PLS (removes iron, aluminum) and precipitates Nickel and Cobalt as a high-grade Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) using limestone slurry and magnesia.

Modular HPAL Pilot Unit: A compact, skid-mounted HPAL system designed to generate accurate scale-up data, process kinetics, and acid consumption rates for a future full-scale commercial plant.