Aker Kvaerner Contract for Major Acid Plant

The Chemetics divison of Aker Kvaerner Canada Inc., has been awarded a contract by Ravensthorpe Nickel Operations Pty Ltd. to build a large, single train sulphur burning acid plant. The lump sum contract, valued in excess of AUD 100 million, includes the complete design, supply, erection, and commissioning of the plant.

The project will be managed from Aker Kvaerner's Chemetics-division's office in Vancouver, Canada, where it will also carry out the majority of the engineering. The Chemetics-division will be supported by other Aker Kvaerner companies including Kvaerner Industrial Constructors (KIC) who will manage site construction.

Ravensthorpe Nickel Operations (RNO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of BHP Billiton, is developing a mine and processing facility near the town of Ravensthorpe in Western Australia. The new acid plant associated with the project will have a production capacity of 4400 metric tons per day.

Technology:
Ravensthorpe Nickel Operations will utilize its Enhanced Pressure Acid Leach (EPAL) hydrometallurgical process at the new plant. This process is a combination of pressure acid leach and atmospheric leach and produces a mixed nickel and cobalt hydroxide intermediate product (MHP). The MHP will contain up to 50,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) nickel and 1400tpa cobalt that will be packaged and shipped through the Port of Esperance to Townsville for final refining at the QNI Yabulu Refinery.

The EPAL process requires large quantities of sulphuric acid and high pressure steam, which will be supplied by the new sulphur burning acid plant.