Ni-smectitic ore behaviour during the Caron process

Niquelândia is a nickel-lateritic ore deposit located in the State of Goiás, Brazil. This deposit is one of the best-known nickel-lateritic orebodies in Brazil and contains both oxidized and silicate ores. In the oxidized ores, nickel is essentially associated with goethite, while in the silicate ores, it is associated with clay minerals, especially smectites. Two types of smectites were found: a nickel-magnesium-rich trioctahedral and an aluminium‑iron-rich dioctahedral structure.