Characteristics and Controlling Factors on Nickel Laterite Deposits in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Younggi Choi; Byounghan Kim

doi:10.9719/EEG.2023.56.3.343

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Econ. Environ. Geol. 2023; 56(3): 343-363

Published online June 30, 2023

https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2023.56.3.343

Characteristics and Controlling Factors on Nickel Laterite Deposits in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Younggi Choi^*, Byounghan Kim

Author Info. +

Overseas Exploration Team, Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation, Wonju 26464, South Korea

Correspondence to : ^*dudrl@komir.or.kr

Received: March 8, 2023; Revised: April 6, 2023; Accepted: April 25, 2023

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Sulawesi island, as a global producer of nickel resources, is leading the rapid growth of nickel industry of Indonesia. Nickel laterite deposits in Sulawesi was formed by lateritization of the world-scale East Sulawesi Ophiolite (ESO) under the active tectonic setting and tropical rainforest climate. In this paper, exploration cases for nickel laterite deposits in five regions of Sulawesi are reported. Regional characteristics on nickel laterite deposits in Sulawesi are understood based on various exploration activities such as outcrop, trench and pit survey, petrological observation, geochemical analysis, and interpretation of drilling data, etc.. In the northeastern part of ‘Southeast-Arm’, which is a strategic location for nickel industry of Indonesia, ESO is extensively exposed to the surface. In the Morombo and Morowali regions, typical high-grade saprolite-type orebodies with a thickness of 10 to 20 m occur. The cases showed that topographic relief tends to regulate Ni-grade distribution and orebody thickness, and that high grade intervals tend to occur in places where joints and garnierite veins are dense. In the Tinanggea and South Palangga regions in the southern part of the Southeast-Arm, overburden composed of Neogene to Quaternary deposits is a major factor affecting the preservation and profitability of nickel laterite deposits. Despite the overburden, high-grade saprolite-type orebodies composed of Ni-bearing serpentine with garnierite veins occur in a thickness of around 10 m to secure economic feasibility. In contrast, in the Ampana region in the northern part of ‘East-Arm’, low-grade nickel laterite deposits with immature laterite profile was identified, which is thought to be the result of active denudation due to tectonic uplift. Exploration cases in this paper will help to understand characteristics and controlling factors on nickel laterite deposits in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Keywords Indonesia, Sulawesi, Ni-laterite deposits, laterite profile, exploration factors

인도네시아 술라웨시 니켈 라테라이트 광상의 특성과 광화 규제 요인

최영기^* · 김병한

한국광해광업공단 해외조사팀

요 약

인도네시아 술라웨시는 니켈 라테라이트 광상의 세계적인 산출지로 인도네시아 니켈산업의 급속한 성장을 견인하고 있다. 활성경계부 지구조환경과 열대우림기후 그리고, 세계적 규모의 동부 술라웨시 오피오라이트(ESO)로부터 니켈 라테라이트 광상이 형성되었다. 술라웨시에 부존하는 니켈 라테라이트 광상의 특성을 이해하는 일은 니켈자원 탐사에 있어 매우 중요하다. 이 논문에서는 술라웨시 5개 지역에서 수행된 니켈 라테라이트 광상 탐사사례들을 보고한다. 지표지질조사, 트렌치 및 채굴적 단면조사, 암석기재, 전암화학 분석 및 시추탐사자료 해석 등 다양한 탐사활동들을 토대로 술라웨시 니켈 라테라이트 광상에 대한 지역별 특성들을 보고한다. 인도네시아 니켈산업의 요충지인 ‘남동부-암’(Southeast-Arm) 북동부에 위치하는 모롬보와 모로왈리지역에서는 오피오라이트가 광역적으로 분포하고, 전형적인 사프로라이트형 광상이 고품위로 부존한다. 지형기복이 니켈 품위와 광체 기하를 제어하며, 절리와 가니어라이트맥이 조밀한 곳에서 고품위로 산출되는 경향이 있다. 남동부-암 남부 티낭게아와 남팔랑가 지역에서는 신생대 퇴적층으로 구성되는 오버버든(overburden)이 니켈 라테라이트 광상 상위로 놓이므로 탐사 시에 파악해야 할 주요 인자이다. 오버버든에도 불구하고, 가니어라이트맥과 함께 함니켈-사문석류로 구성되는 고품위 사프로라이트형 광체가 10 m 내외 두께로 발달하여 경제성을 확보한다. 이와 달리, ‘동부-암(East-Arm)’ 북부 암파나 지역은 니켈 라테라이트 광상이 저품위로 부존하며, 라테라이트 프로파일이 미성숙하다. 이는 지구조 융기에 따른 삭박률이 니켈 라테라이트 광상의 형성 속도를 앞지른 결과로 생각된다. 이 논문에서 다루어진 탐사사례들은 니켈 라테라이트 광상의 부존특성과 광화 규제요인의 유기적인 상호작용을 보여준다.

주요어 인도네시아, 술라웨시, 니켈 라테라이트 광상, 라테라이트 프로파일, 탐사 인자

Article

Research Paper

Econ. Environ. Geol. 2023; 56(3): 343-363

Published online June 30, 2023 https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2023.56.3.343

Characteristics and Controlling Factors on Nickel Laterite Deposits in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Younggi Choi^*, Byounghan Kim

Overseas Exploration Team, Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation, Wonju 26464, South Korea

Correspondence to:^*dudrl@komir.or.kr

Received: March 8, 2023; Revised: April 6, 2023; Accepted: April 25, 2023

Abstract

Keywords Indonesia, Sulawesi, Ni-laterite deposits, laterite profile, exploration factors

인도네시아 술라웨시 니켈 라테라이트 광상의 특성과 광화 규제 요인

최영기^* · 김병한

한국광해광업공단 해외조사팀

Received: March 8, 2023; Revised: April 6, 2023; Accepted: April 25, 2023

요 약

주요어 인도네시아, 술라웨시, 니켈 라테라이트 광상, 라테라이트 프로파일, 탐사 인자

Sample	Zone	Depth	SiO₂	TiO₂	Al₂O₃	Fe₂O₃	MnO	CaO	MgO	K₂O	Na₂O	P₂O₅	Ni	Co	Cr₂O₃	LOI	Total
		m								wt.%
SL-1-1	SP	1	41.63	0.02	1.44	12.88	0.17	0.93	40.19	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	0.42	0.01	0.72	1.33	99.74
SL-1-2	SP	4	40.49	0.01	1.73	13.24	0.18	1.52	40.08	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	0.44	0.01	0.70	1.36	99.75
SL-1-3	SP	8	33.81	0.03	2.82	30.78	0.42	0.60	20.16	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	1.33	0.04	1.95	7.56	99.52
SL-1-4	SP	11	41.34	0.04	3.34	22.28	0.31	0.51	19.24	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	2.06	0.03	1.09	9.05	99.33
SL-1-5	SP	13	41.91	0.04	3.50	22.85	0.33	0.38	16.92	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	2.69	0.03	1.32	9.20	99.20
SL-1-6	SP	16	40.27	0.03	3.41	21.84	0.31	1.09	22.95	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	1.81	0.03	1.20	6.41	99.38
SL-1-7	SP	20	39.04	0.03	3.18	21.49	0.28	1.23	27.52	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	1.16	0.02	1.11	4.51	99.58
SL-2-1	LM	1	37.53	0.04	4.46	27.68	0.39	2.05	17.06	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	1.15	0.04	1.53	7.60	99.53
SL-2-2	SP	3	41.59	<0.01	1.86	12.42	0.17	1.37	38.21	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	0.57	0.01	0.75	2.79	99.74
SL-2-3	SP	7	37.63	0.03	2.61	21.87	0.32	1.02	29.66	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	1.18	0.03	1.24	3.94	99.55
SL-2-4	SP	11	45.40	0.05	5.15	17.90	0.26	0.87	23.38	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	1.01	0.02	1.20	4.32	99.57
SL-2-5	SP	15	47.10	0.03	2.02	25.96	0.38	0.74	13.95	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	1.42	0.04	1.50	6.32	99.48

Sample	SiO₂	TiO₂	Al₂O₃	Fe₂O₃	MnO	CaO	MgO	K₂O	Na₂O	P₂O₅	Ni	Co	Cr₂O₃	LOI	Total
								wt.%
LM-01	5.36	0.05	6.28	64.94	2.69	0.02	2.27	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01	1.50	0.29	4.20	11.8	99.50
SP-01	39.54	0.02	1.94	12.96	0.163	0.33	29.82	<0.01	0.03	<0.01	2.24	0.02	0.70	11.6	99.40
SP-02	41.39	0.01	0.80	10.06	0.13	0.49	31.85	<0.01	0.03	<0.01	2.12	0.01	0.51	9.7	99.20
SP-03	41.21	0.01	0.98	10.74	0.126	0.77	30.80	<0.01	0.03	<0.01	2.54	0.01	0.58	11.3	99.30
SP-04	42.14	0.02	1.00	9.76	0.131	0.87	34.35	<0.01	0.02	<0.01	1.28	0.01	0.50	9.5	99.70
SP-05	41.85	<0.01	0.76	8.72	0.114	0.51	33.51	<0.01	0.03	<0.01	2.02	0.01	0.47	4.8	99.60
SP-06	42.36	0.02	1.04	10.51	0.134	1.05	32.25	<0.01	0.03	<0.01	0.40	<0.01	0.59	8.7	99.90

Sample	Zone	Depth	SiO₂	TiO₂	Al₂O₃	Fe₂O₃	MnO	CaO	MgO	K₂O	Na₂O	P₂O₅	Ni	Co	Cr₂O₃	LOI	Total
		m								wt.%
TT1-1	YL	1	56.26	0.46	6.86	25.88	0.39	0.18	0.81	0.44	0.14	0.04	0.64	0.06	0.99	6.35	99.53
TT1-2	YL	2	49.01	0.03	3.14	27.96	0.57	0.65	5.19	0.04	0.03	<0.01	2.19	0.09	1.30	9.30	99.53
TT1-3	YL	3	54.98	0.03	2.98	23.27	0.76	0.41	5.81	0.07	0.04	<0.01	1.65	0.06	1.03	8.45	99.55
TT1-4	TZ	4	68.25	0.02	1.32	14.06	0.27	0.15	8.21	<0.01	0.02	<0.01	0.58	0.02	0.57	6.05	99.51
TT1-5	TZ	5	60.14	<0.01	1.25	13.61	0.12	0.64	14.85	<0.01	0.01	<0.01	0.40	0.01	0.72	7.78	99.52
TT1-6	TZ	6	70.17	<0.01	0.86	10.08	0.08	0.12	10.31	<0.01	0.01	<0.01	0.59	<0.01	0.63	6.65	99.50
TT1-7	TZ	7	66.12	<0.01	0.70	12.28	0.15	0.10	12.26	<0.01	0.02	<0.01	0.39	0.01	0.53	7.01	99.56
TT2-1	RL	1	13.16	0.11	8.05	62.20	0.38	0.02	0.68	0.06	0.03	0.06	1.03	0.09	2.49	10.95	99.56
TT2-2	YL	2	47.18	0.03	3.93	26.58	0.96	0.74	6.54	0.01	0.02	<0.01	2.95	0.12	1.24	9.22	99.55
TT2-3	YL	3	50.33	0.02	2.74	28.87	0.33	0.45	5.84	<0.01	0.02	<0.01	1.47	0.04	1.48	7.94	99.55
TT2-4	YL	4	47.90	0.03	2.77	35.44	0.47	0.40	1.99	<0.01	0.02	<0.01	0.98	0.06	1.64	7.77	99.52
TT2-5	TZ	5	73.60	0.02	1.90	14.81	0.13	0.30	2.31	<0.01	0.02	<0.01	0.76	0.02	0.84	4.84	99.56
TT2-6	TZ	6	70.81	0.01	1.73	15.44	0.19	0.28	3.20	<0.01	0.02	<0.01	0.79	0.03	1.04	6.01	99.55
TT2-7	TZ	7	74.54	<0.01	1.59	15.41	0.15	0.17	1.23	<0.01	0.02	<0.01	0.45	0.02	0.93	5.02	99.52

Sample	SiO₂	TiO₂	Al₂O₃	Fe₂O₃	MnO	CaO	MgO	K₂O	Na₂O	P₂O₅	Ni	Co	Cr₂O₃	LOI	Total
								wt.%
SP-01	36.41	0.04	2.54	17.06	0.28	0.47	28.24	<0.01	<0.01	0.02	1.87	0.01	0.71	11.91	99.56
SP-02	32.69	0.02	1.17	21.78	1.95	0.55	25.24	<0.01	<0.01	0.01	1.86	<0.01	0.51	13.06	98.84
SP-03	32.60	0.01	1.34	26.47	0.27	0.32	23.48	<0.01	<0.01	0.01	2.49	0.08	0.50	11.33	98.90
SP-04	39.41	0.02	1.17	12.74	0.09	0.08	32.37	<0.01	<0.01	0.01	1.17	0.03	0.51	12.15	99.75
SP-05	38.44	0.01	0.68	9.88	0.15	1.82	33.78	<0.01	<0.01	0.01	0.77	0.01	0.40	13.72	99.67
SP-06	34.12	0.04	2.14	20.11	0.84	0.28	26.73	<0.01	<0.01	0.02	1.61	<0.01	0.98	12.85	99.72
LM-01	8.07	0.10	6.09	72.53	1.05	0.18	3.02	0.02	<0.01	0.03	1.56	0.13	2.66	4.21	99.65

Zone	n	wt.%	SiO₂	TiO₂	AI₂O₃	Fe₂O₃	MnO	CaO	MgO	Ni	Co	Cr₂O₃	MC	Thickness (m)
Total	446	Average	31.07	0.16	7.59	33.50	0.49	0.61	12.95	1.19	0.05	1.49	27.40	6.70
		Min	4.79	0.01	0.28	5.31	0.04	0.03	0.98	0.03	0.00	0.05	0.00	2.00
		Max	53.75	0.68	20.46	66.82	2.86	11.33	36.52	2.25	0.15	6.26	41.50	20.00
Limonite	171	Average	18.43	0.25	10.74	49.01	0.70	0.21	4.34	1.22	0.08	2.23	29.70	3.60
		Min	4.79	0.03	3.03	24.68	0.11	0.03	0.98	0.42	0.03	0.58	0.00	1.00≤
		Max	42.52	0.68	20.46	66.82	2.86	1.81	11.59	2.13	0.15	6.26	41.00	10.00
Saprolite	245	Average	37.89	0.12	6.04	25.47	0.38	0.79	16.89	1.28	0.04	1.11	27.70	3.60
		Min	12.07	0.01	0.28	5.31	0.04	0.06	5.19	0.19	0.00	0.05	0.00	1.00≤
		Max	51.37	0.53	19.20	54.69	1.92	7.89	34.13	2.25	0.09	3.10	41.50	17.00
Saprock/Bedrock	30	Average	47.43	0.04	2.29	10.66	0.14	1.46	29.93	0.22	0.01	0.41	12.00	-
		Min	41.97	0.01	1.04	5.84	0.08	0.11	24.15	0.03	0.00	0.27	3.70	-
		Max	53.75	0.10	5.78	15.52	0.26	11.33	36.52	0.53	0.02	0.50	22.70	-

Research Paper

Characteristics and Controlling Factors on Nickel Laterite Deposits in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

인도네시아 술라웨시 니켈 라테라이트 광상의 특성과 광화 규제 요인

요 약

Article

Research Paper

Characteristics and Controlling Factors on Nickel Laterite Deposits in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

인도네시아 술라웨시 니켈 라테라이트 광상의 특성과 광화 규제 요인

요 약

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