Outotec has agreed a deal with Enerchem for the delivery of technology for a nickel matte treatment facility to be built in South Korea. This order follows the conceptual study and basic engineering Outotec provided for the project. The contract value exceeds €10 million. Enerchem, a subsidiary of Korean ferroalloy producer and trader Enertec Co, is building a new nickel matte treatment facility. Nickel matte is a commercial intermediate product of nickel smelting and contains about 65% nickel.

The new facility will produce annually 12,000 t of pure nickel sulphate from purchased raw material. Nickel sulphate is used most widely in the battery industry. Outotec’s scope of delivery covers technology and proprietary equipment for the entire plant, such as atmospheric and pressure leaching of nickel matte and iron removal autoclaves, solvent extraction of nickel as well as impurities removal. In addition, Outotec will deliver equipment for crystallisation of nickel sulphate and the process control system for the plant. Outotec also offers spare parts as well as supervision services for the installation and commissioning, expected to take place in the second half of 2013.

“Outotec has wide and long experience in hydrometallurgical technologies. This is an exciting opportunity for us to tailor a solution, which uses atmospheric and pressure leaching and solvent extraction technologies. Enerchem benefits from an optimised and efficient process to produce pure nickel sulphate for the growing demand in Asia”, says Outotec CEO Pertti Korhonen.