Nickel (Ni) is used to fabricate a variety of products, including various alloys- stainless steel being a prominent one, batteries, and catalysts. Global Ni demand is projected to increase by up to 350% by the year 2050 relative to 2017, while the high-grade Ni sulfide ore deposits have largely been depleted. The increasing demand for Ni from emerging markets such as electric vehicles and energy storage requires newer sources of nickel. In addition, the systemic exploration of nickel sulfide ores has led to resources that are more challenging to process due to the higher impurities. The processing complexity necessitates the development of new technologies and pathways to sustainably process globally abundant low-grade Ni sulphide ores. This work systematically reviews and compares various Ni resources in terms of their composition, occurrence, challenges, and opportunities. The conventional processing methods of low-grade ultramafic Ni ore are discussed along with emerging technologies. Key challenges remaining and future perspectives that tie together fundamental and applied research are also provided.

中文翻译：

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低品位超镁铁质镍矿石的加工：批判性综述


镍 （Ni） 用于制造各种产品，包括各种合金——不锈钢是其中的主要合金、电池和催化剂。预计到 2050 年，全球镍需求将比 2017 年增长 350%，而高品位的硫化镍矿床已基本枯竭。电动汽车和储能等新兴市场对镍的需求不断增长，需要更新的镍来源。此外，硫化镍矿石的系统勘探导致由于杂质较高，资源加工更具挑战性。加工复杂性需要开发新技术和途径，以可持续地加工全球丰富的低品位硫化镍矿石。这项工作系统地回顾和比较了各种 Ni 资源的组成、出现、挑战和机遇。讨论了低品位超镁铁质镍矿石的常规加工方法以及新兴技术。还提供了将基础研究和应用研究联系在一起的关键挑战和未来前景。