INDONESIA IS THE KING OF NICKEL - This is a Brief Process of Nickel Processing

Summary

The video script highlights Indonesia's significant role in the nickel industry, with the world's largest reserves and a growing number of smelter factories. It details nickel's versatility, from stainless steel production to critical components in lithium-ion batteries, powering electric vehicles and electronic devices. The script also discusses the two types of nickel markets, the environmental impact of processing, and Indonesia's strategy to ban raw nickel exports to encourage domestic processing and industrialization. The future of nickel is bright, with predictions of 20% of global consumption dedicated to electric car batteries by 2030.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Nickel is essential for human needs, with a significant portion of existing products containing it.
• 🌍 Indonesia is one of the countries with the largest nickel reserves in the world, leading to the construction of numerous nickel smelter factories.
• 🔍 Nickel is a hard, silvery-white, ductile, and corrosion-resistant metal that can be recycled without quality degradation.
• 🔩 Approximately 70% of nickel produced is used in stainless steel manufacturing, which is vital for a wide range of applications from flatware to spaceships.
• 🔋 Nickel plays a crucial role in battery production, especially in lithium-ion batteries that power various electronic devices and electric vehicles.
• 🚗 Nickel's high energy storage capacity makes it ideal for electric car batteries, contributing to their compact and lightweight design for long-distance travel.
• 📈 Nickel is a hot topic globally and is predicted to be a commodity of the future, with a significant portion of global consumption expected to be for electric car batteries by 2030.
• 📊 The nickel market is divided into Class 1 (high purity) and Class 2 (lower purity), with different applications for each grade.
• 📍 Indonesia has substantial nickel reserves, accounting for 52% of the world's total, and is the largest producer, surpassing the Philippines and Russia.
• 🚫 Since January 1st, 2020, Indonesia has banned the export of raw nickel to encourage downstream processing and industrialization within the country.
• 🏭 Nickel processing in Indonesia includes smelting and refining to produce high-quality materials for various applications, including electric vehicle battery components.

Q & A

What are some of the benefits of nickel that make it essential for human use?

Nickel is a hard, silvery white, ductile metal that is resistant to corrosion. It is a key material in the production of stainless steel and nickel alloys, which are used in a wide range of products from flatware to spaceships. Additionally, nickel is a recyclable material without quality degradation and is a crucial component in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries.

Which country is mentioned as having the largest nickel reserves in the world?

Indonesia is mentioned as having the largest nickel reserves in the world.

What percentage of global nickel consumption is expected to be used for electric car batteries by 2030?

By 2030, it is expected that 20% of the total global nickel consumption will be used for electric car batteries as well as energy storage system batteries.

What are the two types of nickel market, and how do they differ in terms of grade and usage?

The nickel market is divided into Class 1 and Class 2. Class 1 nickel has a grade above 99.8 percent and is used for products such as electric car battery components. Class 2 nickel, with levels below 99.8 percent, is widely used for the manufacture of stainless steel.

What are the two types of nickel ore mentioned in the script, and where are they typically located?

The two types of nickel ore mentioned are nickel sulfide and nickel laterite. Nickel sulfide is mostly located in subtropical regions, while laterite is typically found at the equator, such as in Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, and the Philippines.

What is Indonesia's current nickel reserve, and what percentage does it represent of the world's total nickel reserves?

Indonesia is known to have nickel reserves of 72 million tons, which represents 52% of the world's total nickel reserves of 139.4 million tons.

What was the Indonesian government's policy change regarding nickel exports starting from January 1st, 2020?

Starting from January 1st, 2020, the Indonesian government banned the export of nickel ore, aiming to develop downstream and industrialization of raw materials within the country.

What is the purpose of the HPL (Hydro Pressure Leaching) nickel processing center in Indonesia?

The HPL nickel processing center is designed to accelerate mineral downstreaming towards battery-based industrialization and the development of electric vehicles. It is the first battery-to-electricity raw material factory operating in Indonesia.

What is the significance of the Morowali Industrial Estate in the context of nickel processing in Indonesia?

The Morowali Industrial Estate, with an area of about 2,000 hectares, is a key part of the government's downstream program aimed at increasing the added value of domestic mineral raw materials. It is equipped with complete and modern infrastructure, including processing and refining plants with a capacity of 2 million tons per year.

What are the two main methods used in the purification process of nickel concentrate, and what are their differences?

The two main methods used in the purification process of nickel concentrate are hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy. Hydrometallurgy involves chemical reactions in an aqueous solution and does not produce air emissions. Pyrometallurgy, on the other hand, uses a calcination process in an electric furnace at high temperatures, which results in the production of waste that needs to be disposed of.

What is the electro-winning process in the context of nickel production, and what is its purpose?

The electro-winning process is an electrochemical process used to capture metals and produce nickel with a purity of 99.9% or pure nickel. It involves the use of aluminum plates as cathodes and other plates as anodes in a special container with a chemical mixture, resulting in the formation of pure nickel that can be cut into pieces for various applications.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Nickel: A Versatile Metal with Global Significance

This paragraph introduces nickel as a crucial metal for various human products, highlighting its benefits such as ductility, corrosion resistance, and recyclability without quality degradation. It emphasizes Indonesia's role as a major holder of nickel reserves and the establishment of numerous smelter factories there. The paragraph also discusses the importance of nickel in manufacturing stainless steel and rechargeable batteries, particularly for electric vehicles and energy storage systems. The future demand for nickel, especially in electric car batteries, is predicted to rise significantly by 2030. The market is divided into Class 1 and Class 2 nickel, with different purities and applications. The paragraph concludes with Indonesia's policy to ban nickel ore exports to encourage domestic processing and industrialization, mentioning specific facilities like the HPL nickel processing center aimed at accelerating battery-based industrialization.

05:01

🔧 The Nickel Processing Journey: From Ore to Pure Metal

This paragraph delves into the technical aspects of nickel processing, starting from the transportation of ore to the plant and its initial crushing and screening. It describes the concentration process, where ore is finely crushed, mixed with water, and separated from other minerals through flotation. The concentrate is then dried to reduce moisture content. The paragraph outlines two primary purification methods: hydrometallurgy, involving chemical reactions in an aqueous solution, and pyrometallurgy, which uses high-temperature calcination. The latter method, more common in countries like Canada, Indonesia, and Brazil, results in the production of ferronickel or nickel matte. The paragraph concludes with the electro-winning process, which produces pure nickel (99.9% purity) through an electrochemical process, and the subsequent sale of this nickel to consumers worldwide for use in a variety of products.

Keywords

💡Nickel

Nickel is a hard, silvery-white metal known for its ductility and resistance to corrosion. It is a key component in various products, from everyday items to high-tech applications. In the video, nickel is highlighted as a crucial material for stainless steel production and as a vital element in rechargeable batteries, particularly for electric cars. The script mentions that Indonesia has one of the largest nickel reserves, emphasizing the country's role in the global nickel market.

💡Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is an alloy that contains nickel as a major component, which gives it its corrosion-resistant properties. The script points out that approximately 70 percent of nickel produced is used in the creation of stainless steel, which is utilized in a wide range of applications from flatware to spaceships, showcasing the metal's versatility and importance in modern industry.

💡Lithium-ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are a type of rechargeable battery commonly used in electronic devices and electric vehicles due to their high energy density and longevity. The script highlights the significance of nickel in the manufacturing of these batteries, as it contributes to their energy storage capacity and efficiency.

💡Recycling

The script mentions that nickel can be recycled without quality degradation, which is an important aspect of its sustainability. Recycling nickel helps reduce the environmental impact of mining and production, while also ensuring a continuous supply of this valuable metal.

💡Energy Storage

Energy storage refers to the capture of energy produced at one time for use at a different time. The video discusses the role of nickel in energy storage systems, particularly in batteries for electric cars, which is a growing market due to the increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions.

💡Nickel Reserves

Nickel reserves refer to the amount of nickel that is economically viable to extract from the earth. The script states that Indonesia has a significant share of the world's nickel reserves, making it a key player in the global supply of this metal.

💡Nickel Smelter

A nickel smelter is a type of industrial plant that processes nickel ore into a more usable form, such as ferronickel or nickel matte. The script describes the construction of several smelter factories in Indonesia, indicating the country's efforts to develop its nickel industry.

💡Downstream Processing

Downstream processing in the context of the video refers to the further refining and manufacturing of raw materials into finished products. Indonesia's ban on nickel exports is aimed at promoting downstream processing within the country, adding value to its raw materials before they are exported.

💡Hydrometallurgy

Hydrometallurgy is a method of extracting metals from ores using aqueous solutions. The script contrasts this with pyrometallurgy, highlighting that hydrometallurgy does not produce air emissions and is thus considered more environmentally friendly.

💡Pyrometallurgy

Pyrometallurgy is a high-temperature process used to extract metals from ores. The script mentions that this method is used in countries like Indonesia and involves calcination, which can produce waste that must be disposed of properly.

💡Electrowinning

Electrowinning is an electrochemical process used to recover metals from solutions. In the context of the video, it is the final step in producing pure nickel, where nickel ions are deposited onto cathodes to form a pure metal product.

Highlights

Nickel is essential in nearly all existing products, highlighting its widespread industrial use.

Indonesia is recognized as having the largest nickel reserves, making it a key player in the global nickel market.

Nickel's properties, such as being hard, silvery white, ductile, and corrosion-resistant, make it valuable in various applications.

Approximately 70% of nickel production is used in stainless steel manufacturing, from flatware to spaceships.

Nickel plays a crucial role in battery production, especially in lithium-ion batteries which are widely used in electronic devices and electric cars.

Electric car batteries benefit from nickel due to its high energy storage capacity, leading to smaller, lighter, and more convenient batteries for long-distance travel.

Nickel's significance in energy use is projected to grow, with 20% of global nickel consumption expected to be for electric car batteries by 2030.

The nickel market is divided into Class 1 and Class 2, with different purity levels and applications, including electric car battery components and stainless steel production.

Indonesia's nickel reserves amount to 72 million tons, accounting for 52% of the world's total reserves.

Indonesia is the world's largest nickel producer, surpassing the Philippines and Russia.

Since January 1st, 2020, Indonesia has banned nickel ore exports to develop downstream industries and increase the value of raw materials.

Indonesia's nickel processing facilities, such as the HPL smelter, aim to accelerate mineral downstreaming towards battery-based industrialization and electric vehicle development.

The Morawale Industrial Estate, with a capacity of 2 million tons per year, is a key part of Indonesia's downstream program to increase the value of domestic mineral raw materials.

Indonesian nickel processing is currently limited to nickel matte and ferronickel, due to technological constraints.

Nickel ore processing involves several stages, including crushing, screening, concentration, flotation, drying, and purification.

Hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy are the two main methods for nickel purification, each with its advantages and applications.

Electrowinning is a key process in producing high-purity nickel, using electrochemical methods to capture metals.

High-purity nickel is then cut into pieces and sold to consumers worldwide, serving as a raw material for various products.

Transcripts

hi all

nickel has many benefits that humans

need where almost all existing products

come from nickel

[Music]

one of the countries that has the

largest nickel reserves in the world is

Indonesia

therefore in recent years many nickel

smelter factories have been built in

several areas in Indonesia

and the following is a brief process of

nickel processing

[Music]

nickel is a hard silvery white metal and

this detail is ductile and resistant to

corrosion

nickel is also a material that can be

recycled without quality degradation

more than two-thirds or about 70 percent

like produced is used to make stainless

steel or stainless steel

everything from flatware to spaceships

is made of nickel alloys

the benefits of nickel that are no less

important are as the main material for

making batteries

one of the energy sources that are often

used by humans today is Lithium-ion

batteries where an important element in

the manufacture of rechargeable

batteries is nickel

lithium batteries are widely used in

various electronic devices such as

smartphones laptops to electric cars

there are several reasons why nickel is

widely used in electric car batteries

namely because the metal provides a high

energy storage capacity

with all these advantages the battery

used in electric cars will be small

lighter so it is very convenient to use

on long distance trips when using an

electric car

that's why in recent years nickel has

become one of the hot topics of

conversation around the world

and every year nickel is predicted to be

a commodity of the future and nickel is

a driver of change in energy use

by 2030 as much as 20 of the total

Global marriage consumption is expected

to be used for electric car batteries as

well as energy storage system batteries

[Music]

for the nickel Market it is divided into

two types namely class 1 and Class 2

nickel

grade one nickel has a grade above 99.8

percent it is used for many products

such as electric car battery components

while in class 2 with levels below 99.8

percent it is widely used for the

manufacture of stainless steel

while the nickel or itself has two types

namely nickel sulfide and nickel

laterite

in general nickel sulfate is mostly

located with the subtropical Earth while

laterite is located at the equator or

the Equator such as in Indonesia Brazil

Australia and the Philippines

currently Indonesia is known to have

nickel reserves of 72 million tons or 52

of the world's total nickel reserves of

139.4 million tons

90 of nickel sources in Indonesia are

spread across Central sulawesi South

sulawesi Southeast sulawesi and North

moloku

and Indonesia is the largest nickel

producer in the world beating the

Philippines and Russia

that's why starting January 1st 2020 the

government banned the export of War

with the ban on nickel exports the

government wants to develop Downstream

and industrialization of raw materials

this is how if the mining products are

still in the form of raw materials or

raw materials they must be processed in

Indonesia after being processed and then

they can be exported abroad

several nickel processing facilities in

Indonesia including the nickel smelter

on Obi Island

this hyper metallurgical

technology-based hpl nickel or

processing center will accelerate

mineral downstreaming towards

battery-based industrialization and the

development of electric vehicles

this hpl smelter is the first battery to

electricity raw material Factory

operating in Indonesia

the next facility is the morawale

industrial estate this marawali

industrial estate has an area of about 2

000 hectares

this Industrial Area becomes the Stick

of the government in realizing the

downstream program which aims to

increase the added value of domestic

mineral raw materials

in this marawali Industrial Area it is

also equipped with a complete and modern

structure

there are free processing and refining

plants with a capacity of 2 million tons

per year

[Music]

nickel processing plant in Indonesia the

process is only nickel matte and Ferro

nickel and then exported abroad

this is because the technology used in

Indonesia is still Limited

while a broad nickel is processed to

become the final product which is pure

nickel because the technology they have

is very sophisticated

in general for processing underground

nickel or nickel containing ore it is

transported by Dam Trek to the

processing plant

or is fed into the crusher machine for

the crushing process so that people

become small and then screen to get a

predetermined size of people

or then put into a concentrator machine

in this machine or crushed again until

or is fine then mixed with water so that

it becomes a concentrate

[Music]

then the concentrate enters the

flotation process which is the process

of separating nickel from other minerals

through flotation in a special container

after that the concentrate is dried with

a rotary dryer at a predetermined

temperature drying or drying is a

process to reduce the moisture content

of the concentrate to reach 20 to 15

percent

[Music]

after drying the concentrate goes into

the referring or purification process

in this process two methods can be used

namely the water-based method or also

known as hydrometallergy

then the fire-based method or also

called pyrometallurgy

for hydrometallergy is a method in which

the process involves chemical reactions

in an aqueous solution

this Hydromet technology has advantages

over the pyrometallurgical method

in the process that is it does not

produce air emissions because it only

uses certain chemicals

while the pyrometallurgical method is

mostly used in countries such as Canada

Indonesia and Brazil

this pyrometallurgical method uses a

calcination process where nickel

concentrate is put into an electric

furnace at a temperature above 1400

degrees Celsius

in the calcination process there are

spots or waste which will later be

disposed of in the damping area

while the rest is concentrate containing

nickel or also called liquid meat

later this meat will go into the

granulation process where the meat will

be sprayed with water so that it becomes

nickel or granules that are shaped like

black sand

granules containing more than 60 nickel

are called meat nickel while those

containing less nickel are called Ferro

nickel

the next process is Electro winning

namely the process of capturing Metals

using an electrochemical process that

aims to produce nickel with a purity of

99.9 or pure nickel

in this Electro winning process the

aluminum plate will act as the cathode

and the other plate will act as the

anode which is then put into a special

container containing nickel or grains

that have been given a special chemical

mixture

after that the plates will be removed

and this is known to be shaped into pure

neutral then the nickel is cut into

pieces according to a predetermined size

the nickel nickel that has been cut will

then be sold to Consumers around the

world

and then it will be used as raw material

for various products