The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) are working together on a program that will develop the production of nickel pig iron by way of optimization of the reduction parameters of low-grade nickel ores.
It is a two-year collaboration titled “Pilot Scale Production of Nickel Pig Iron from Low-Grade Laterite Ore” and will be spearheaded by MGB’s Metallurgical Technology Division (MeTD) and DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD).
This is the mining regulator’s response to DOST’s call for research proposals subject to fund assistance.
The project is part of MGB’s research and development sector and is expected to establish a pilot blast furnace testing for the production of nickel pig iron – a cheaper alternative to pure nickel using laterite nickel ores. The practice originated in China.
It will begin in the second quarter of the year after much deliberation from various teams – reviews, technical panel evaluation, and management team evaluation, among others – following its endorsement early last year.
Along with DOST’s 6P’s standard – Publications, Patents, Products, People Services, Places, and Policies – the project also met the criteria in terms of technical feasibility, financial viability, and sustainability.
The MGB is waiting for the release of the memorandum of agreement from DOST-PCIEERD following its pre-implementation meeting with the agency.
Nickel laterite ores are found to be in abundance in Indonesia, which if added to the nickel deposits in the Philippines would account for nearly 40 percent of the known world reserves.
The Bureau is also currently eyeing to introduce another project on the economical hydrometallurgical extraction of nickel and possible rare earth contents of laterite ores.
