G.E.O.S. takes samples from nickel deposit in Brazil - Partners' meet up within the framework of the BioProLat project

In the nickel deposit Barro Alto in the state of Goias (Brazil) are nickel and cobalt containing laterites mined, that are currently smelted to ferro-nickel. A German-Brazilian consortium consisting of the German project partners Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, the German Mineral Resources Agency and G.E.O.S., together with the Brazilian partners, the Brazilian Geological (Service Serviço Geológico do Brasil) and Centro de Tecnologia Mineral, have set themselves within the BioProLat project the task of selectively extracting nickel and cobalt by means of microbiological methods and processing them into a saleable product.

Extensive tests are currently being undertaken at G.E.O.S. and its German partners. The aim is to extract the elements nickel and cobalt, which are important for the future of electromobility on a global scale. To this end, the Brazilian partners sent samples from various laterite deposits to Germany. These samples will be used to extract nickel and cobalt.

As part of the project, the project partners met in Brazil in June 2022. The scientists took the opportunity to inspect some of the deposits and the processing of the ores on site, to take further samples and to discuss options for implementing the project results that have been achieved so far.

The research project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.