Nickel heap

Aker Kvaener’s Ausralian (AKA) arm has won a contract for a feasibility study for a nickel heap leach facility in Caldag, Western Turkey, which will provide a cheaper route to nickel production than conventional technologies.

European Nickel, which has awarded the contract, hopes that AKA’s experience with nickel projects in its homeland will assist in developing the project. ‘Early performance results from the heap leach studies are very encouarging,’ comments European Nickel managing director Simon Purkiss.

AKA is to design a full-scale heap operation and metallurgical plant using a simple acid leach process, and will determine capital and operating costs for the facility. First estimation of capital expenditure is around $150million. Construction on the plant is expected to start next year, with first shipments of metal in 2007.

The company is already working at the site, acting as EPC management contractor for a small trial separation unit to process downstream liquor from European Nickel’s pilot plant.

The new contract is larger, however; run from AKA’s Brisbane office, it will involve the secondment of heap leach experts from Aker Kvaerner Engineering & Construction Worldwide in Santiago, Chile.