CUI Yin-liang^1,2, YANG Xue-shan¹, JIANG Yong-guo¹, CHEN Yan-xia²

(1. Yunnan Nonferrous Metals Geological Bureau, Kunming 650051, China;
2. Faculty of Land Resource Engineering, Yunnan, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China)

Abstract: Lateritic nickel deposits account for 85% of the world’s nickel reserves. Recent years in some countries and areas, it has made a great progress in prospecting for lateritic nickel ore deposit. This paper summarized geological features of the lateritic nickel deposits. The paper showed seven key aspects on mineralized types and metallogenic condition for prospecting for lateritic nickel ore deposits. According to the differences of composition and internal structure, lateritic nickel ore deposit can be divided into four zones, which from top are ferritization zone, clay zone, saprolite zone and efflorescent bedrock zone. According to the characteristics of nickel mineralization and nickel-taking mineral in the different zones, lateritic nickel mineralization can be divided into three types including silicate, clay and oxide types. It can be seen that nickel-rich ultra-basic rocks is under the basic material condition. Evidence shows that the tropical and subtropical climatic conditions provided efflorescent agent, topography, geomorphy and structural assemblage provided the channels and spaces where nickel can be activated, leached and deposited; physical chemistry conditions provided the intrinsic motivation, and the stable tectonic provided a suitable condition for conservation of the deposit. There are many key signs to prospect the lateritic nickel deposits, for example, the structure position where nickel-rich ultra-basic rocks developed, developed weathering crust, ultra-basic rocks.

Key words: metallogenic condition; prospecting indicator; mineralized type; lateritic; nickel deposit