Vale Indonesia Weighs Technology Options for Bahodopi Nickel Smelting Project

JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – The Indonesian nickle giant PT Vale Indonesia Tbk (INCO) has clarified its position regarding the use of the Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) technology at the Bahodopi nickel smelting project.

This statement comes amid discussions about the potential adoption of alternative technology, High Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL).

The Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) is a technology used in the smelting of nickel ore, combining a rotary kiln and an electric furnace to process nickel laterite ores. In this process, nickel ore is heated in a rotary kiln with a reducing agent, typically coal, at high temperatures (around 1,500°C), which helps extract nickel from the ore.

The reduced material is then transferred to an electric arc furnace for further heating to produce ferronickel, a nickel-iron alloy. RKEF is considered efficient for processing low-grade nickel ores, improving recovery rates compared to traditional methods, while also aiming to minimize emissions through integrated environmental management practices.

This technology is widely employed in regions rich in nickel laterite deposits, playing a crucial role in the global supply of nickel for applications such as stainless steel.

High Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) is a hydrometallurgical process used to extract nickel and cobalt from laterite ores. In this method, the ore is mixed with sulfuric acid and subjected to high pressure and temperature in a pressurized autoclave.

The conditions facilitate the dissolution of nickel and cobalt into the solution while leaving behind impurities. After leaching, the metal-laden solution undergoes further processing, including precipitation and solvent extraction, to recover the metals.