Nickeliferous lateritic ores are the product of ultramafic bedrock weathering in warm and humid climates. Two ore types are important for the production of nickel by the sulfuric acid pressure leaching process. These are limonite, which analyses 1.0 - 1.6 wtpercent Ni and contains goethite as the predominant mineral phase, and saprolite, which analyses 1.6 - 3 wtpercent Ni and consists mainly of magnesium silicates.
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