Cradle to Gate
Identity ID
8e85f04c-2f7c-4c9a-8f5f-ff45e4fe2073
Materials
Associated ID
c948fc48-50a1-41ff-8352-03bd12dcc05c
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
This dataset represents a product that is electrolytic nickel, a high-purity end metal product obtained by purifying high-grade nickel matte via a full leaching–electrowinning process. Its core characteristics are distinctive: a silvery-white metallic appearance, excellent mechanical strength, ductility and high chemical stability, and resistance to corrosion and oxidation; it is a basic material and important strategic resource required for the national economy, the national defence industry and scientific and technological development. The upstream and downstream of its industrial chain are closely linked: the upstream core raw material is high-grade nickel matte, and the leaching–electrowinning process consumes auxiliary materials such as leaching agents, purifying agents, electrolysis additives, acid solutions and process water; the downstream application fields are extensive, with the core use in the steelmaking industry, followed by the alloy, electroplating and casting fields; at the same time, high-purity electrolytic nickel plays an irreplaceable key role in emerging low-carbon frontier technologies such as geothermal-energy development, electrolytic hydrogen storage and power batteries, and can be used to manufacture end products such as power-battery cathode materials and core components of high-end energy-storage equipment, broadly supporting the development of key industrial fields such as metallurgy, new energy, electronics, national defence and aerospace; it is the core end product of the nickel-industry value chain. The entire production process focuses on the leaching–electrowinning stage, with the full process covering the entire high-purity transformation process from the input of high-grade nickel matte to the output of the electrolytic-nickel product. The entire production process focuses on the grinding–flotation–electrolysis stage, with the full process covering the entire high-purity transformation process from the input of copper–nickel mixed concentrate and high-grade nickel matte to the output of the electrolytic-nickel product. The dataset includes the main raw and auxiliary materials, energy and wastes in the production process; infrastructure such as the manufacture of production equipment and plant construction is not included within the boundary of the dataset; the data inventory is formed by merging data from multiple sources.
Activity Description
The entire production process includes the leaching and electrowinning process, covering the whole chain from high nickel matte to electrolytic nickel.
Process Description
Nickel is a silver-white metal with good mechanical strength and ductility, high chemical stability, and is not easily corroded and oxidized. It is considered a basic material and an important strategic material necessary for the development of the national economy, defense industry, and science and technology. Nickel metal is mainly used in the steelmaking industry, followed by the alloy field, electroplating field and casting field. At the same time, high-purity metallic nickel also plays an irreplaceable key role in emerging low-carbon cutting-edge technologies such as geothermal energy development, electrolytic hydrogen storage and power batteries.
Time period
2021
2026
Geography
China
Geography comment
Generated by merging multiple data sets in this geographical location.
Macroeconomic value
Business-as-Usual
Data validation
Yes
Technology
Current Technology
Technology comment
In the high-nickel matte leaching-electrowinning process, the matte is selectively leached to separate copper and nickel. The leachate is purified to remove cobalt, and the cobalt-free solution undergoes electrowinning to produce electrolytic nickel. The leaching residues are sent to the smelting system for recovery of copper and precious metals. The cobalt sulfate solution is further purified to produce cobalt products.