PENGARUH TINGKAT PELAPUKAN TERHADAP KADAR NIKEL LATERIT PADA DAERAH USSU, KEC. MALILI KAB. LUWU TIMUR PROV. SULAWESI SELATAN

Abstract

The impact of seasonal changes will affect the level of weathering, and the grade of laterite  nickel. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of weathering levels on the grade  of laterite nickel. The method used is direct observation and description of core samples from  drill holes that represent sloping areas and steep areas. The results of the description will be analyzed so that the grade values in each drill hole are known, both drill holes in sloping areas and drill holes in steep areas. The results obtained showed that the drill holes representing the sloping areas of DH-016, DH-015, DH-014, and DH-O13, had relatively high limonite thicknesses ranging from 8 to 17 meters, and the thickness of the saprolite zone ranged from 8 to 16 meters, and has Ni limonite zone grades ranging from 0.85% to 1.01%, and Ni saprolite zone grades ranging from 1.88% to 2.01%. This is inversely proportional to the drill hole which represents a steep area where the thickness of the limonite zone only reaches 1 meters, and the thickness of the saprolite zone is only 2 to 5 meters, and the Ni grade of the limonite zone ranges from 0.49% to 0.71%, and the grades value the saprolite zone Ni ranged from 1.43% to 1.54%, and bedrock zones were also found with a range of Ni grades ranging from 0.94% to 1.06%. From the results above it can be concluded that weathering affects the Ni content, because the higher the level of weathering in an area, the higher the Ni content in the area.