Globe 48

Definitive feasibility study for Shevchenko project

BATEMAN has been contracted by Oriel Resources plc for the definitive feasibility study (DFS) on a ferronickel-process plant for the Shevchenko project in Kazakhstan.

This follows the successful completion of the prefeasibility study (PFS) on the project for which BATEMAN was contracted by the South African metallurgical research institute, Mintek, to provide the engineering input due to its previous experience on similar DC-arc smelting studies (see BATEMAN Globe No 44). BATEMAN's share of the approximately US$5,5M contract is some US$3,6M.

With the PFS having established the potential viability of the project, the DFS will develop the project further by quantifying the potential capital and operating costs and identify other aspects such as site infrastructural requirements. The objective is to generate definitive documents for the financial institutions to attract the necessary funding.

The English version of the document is due for completion by the end of August 2005, after which it will be translated and submitted for approval by the Kazakhstan authorities.

Testwork is also being carried out on milling, preheating and smelting to further determine whether the nickel can be extracted successfully in commercial quantities with the proposed DC furnace technology. Polysius of Germany has been contracted to undertake the milling and preheating testwork and to design the commercial scale plant. Mintek has been contracted to do a smelting test on 450 t of ore and to supply the critical design parameters for the DC furnaces.

In the processing tests carried out during the PFS by Mintek, a crude ferronickel product with in excess of 20 % nickel was produced under optimal conditions. Recoveries were conservatively estimated at 89 % and the optimal conditions were determined to be the addition of 4,5 % coal and 9 % magnesite flux to the furnace feed. During the tests, 6 t of the Shevchenko nickel ore was dried, calcined and smelted in Mintek's 200 kVA DC-arc furnace at a temperature of about 1 600°C and at an average feed rate of 65 kg/h.

Further details may be obtained from Ted Fulton, General Manager, DC Furnaces, on +27-11-899-2376 or email dcfurnaces@batemanengineering.com.