philippine nickel deposits 2010
DESCRIPTION
Philippine Mineral Exploration and DevelopmentFernando G. Sajona, Ph.D.TRANSCRIPT
Philippine Exploration: What was and What’s up
STA. CRUZ (Benguet Corp.)
19.52 MMt, 1.36% Ni
ISABELA Geograce
42.38 MMt, 1.16% Ni
NONOC
141 MMt, 1.10% Ni
RIO TUBA
40.45 DMt 1.30% Ni
MINDORO (Intex)
87.53 MMt, 0.95% Ni
ACOJE (Rusina)
30.2 MMt, 1.13% Ni
AGATA (MRL)
18.1 MMt, 1.13% Ni
INFANTA (MacroAsia)
92.43 MMt, 1.01% Ni
TORONTO (Citinickel)
6.39 MMt, 1.80% Ni
PULOT (Citinickel)
8.21 MMt, 1.71% Ni
CASIGURAN Century Peak
10.79 MMt, 1.11% Ni
HINATUAN (NAC)
3.0 DMt 1.50% Ni
PUJADA (Aiaticus)
200 MMt 1.3% Ni
TAGANITO (NAC)
75.6 Dmt 1.14% Ni
GLOBAL
23 MMt, 1.75% Ni
BOTOLAN (Nihao)
MANTICAO
BUKIDNON
GUIAN
SIBUYAN
MT. KADIG
TAWI-TAWI
BERONG (TMM)
140M @1.41% Ni
MANICANI (NAC)
34.31 DMt, 1.11% Ni
CADGIANAO (NAC)
7.37DMt 1.64% Ni
CARRASCAL
21.0 MMt 1.10% Ni
Philippine Exploration: What was and What’s up
ACTUAL LATERITE PROFILE
Philippine Exploration: What was and What’s up
NICKEL UPDATES • Price of nickel recovered to allow suspended DSO
operations to resume (Tubay, Sta. Cruz, Berong, etc.)
• However, current market is for high Fe laterite (Fe>40%, Ni ≤1%) for Fe substitute and high-Ni limonite/saprolite (Ni ≥ 1.8%) for ferro-nickel production.
INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS • Taganito started construction of HPAL Plant
• TMM signed MOU with Jinchuan for joint exploration, mining and processing of TMM’s nickel interests in Palawan
• MPSA granted to Altai Resources Inc. for Sibuyan Project
• Rusina opened Heap Leach Trial Site
• Rusina merged with European Nickel PLC.
Philippine Exploration: What was and What’s up
HIGHLIGHTS • DSO of beneficiated nickel ore to Japan and China, 1.80-
2.30% Ni
• Conversion of a portion of Taganito Mining Corp. MPSA Special Economic Zone (21 December 2009)
• Site preparation and grading works for proposed HPAL plantsite (cost: US$ 1.3 Billion)
• Measured Resource/Reserve:
147.28 million WMT, 1.12% Ni, 38.79% Fe.
TAGANITO HPAL PLANT PROJECT
Philippine Exploration: What was and What’s up
STA. CRUZ (Benguet Corp.)
19.52 MMt, 1.36% Ni
ISABELA Geograce
42.38 MMt, 1.16% Ni
NONOC
141 MMt, 1.10% Ni
RIO TUBA
40.45 DMt 1.30% Ni
MINDORO (Intex)
87.53 MMt, 0.95% Ni
ACOJE (Rusina)
30.2 MMt, 1.13% Ni
AGATA (MRL)
18.1 MMt, 1.13% Ni
INFANTA (MacroAsia)
92.43 MMt, 1.01% Ni
TORONTO (Citinickel)
6.39 MMt, 1.80% Ni
PULOT (Citinickel)
8.21 MMt, 1.71% Ni
CASIGURAN Century Peak
10.79 MMt, 1.11% Ni
HINATUAN (NAC)
3.0 DMt 1.50% Ni
PUJADA (Aiaticus)
200 MMt 1.3% Ni
TAGANITO (NAC)
75.6 Dmt 1.14% Ni
GLOBAL
23 MMt, 1.75% Ni
BOTOLAN (Nihao)
MANTICAO
BUKIDNON
GUIAN
SIBUYAN
MT. KADIG
TAWI-TAWI
BERONG (TMM)
140M @1.41% Ni
MANICANI (NAC)
34.31 DMt, 1.11% Ni
CADGIANAO (NAC)
7.37DMt 1.64% Ni
CARRASCAL
21.0 MMt 1.10% Ni
Philippine Exploration: What was and What’s up
IRON: In terms of volume Philippine Fe deposits are inferior to continental counterparts.
Impurities in the Fe deposits (S, Ti) are key issues in the metallurgy.
Long-term sustained operations or for large-scale supply arrangements might be problematic unless there is thorough exploration and feasibility study.
Revival of the Fe industry is possible with government help in prioritizing this commodity to possibly develop a local steel industry.
GOLD: Despite the high gold prices and the numerous gold prospects in the Philippines, there are only 4
operating medium-large scale mines; only two have positive revenues.
While most of the dormant mines waiting for rehabilitation are in Luzon, most promising prospects are in Mindanao.
Based on current hydrothermal deposit models, explorers for high-level gold deposits should be aware that there could be a related porphyry copper deposit either nearby or underneath the gold mineralization.
Philippine Exploration: What was and What’s up
COPPER: The copper potential of the Philippines remain high
Of the 4 operating copper mines, two are on porphyry copper and the other two are on VMS deposits.
Dormant mines and previously explored deposits provide a rich source of potential projects for junior exploration companies.
NICKEL: DSO for nickel is revived, albeit for only two kinds of laterite products: high Fe low nickel laterite and high
nickel limonite/saprolite.
The construction of a second HPAL plant in the Philippines is the most significant development in the country’s nickel industry.
In terms of volume and grade, there are several deposit sites in which development of Acid Leach plants, either at high (HPAL) or atmospheric pressures (Heap Leach) would be attractive avenues of development. Detailed exploration with metallurgical testing should help determine the best possible process for nickel laterite ore types.
Philippine Exploration: What was and What’s up
Presented by
FERNANDO G. SAJONA, Ph.D. for the
Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the
Philippine Mineral Exploration Association
MINING PHILIPPINES 2010 Conference and Exhibition Sustaining Growth in a New Era
Manila Hotel, Manila, Philippines 14-16 September 2010