Alliance Magnésium inc.

Published purpose

AMI is preparing to become a producer of metallic magnesium and amorphous silica using residues from the asbestos industry as a resource (the tailings). The tailings also contain magnetite (Fe3O4) and awaruite (FeNi3). AMI wants to recover the nickel from the tailings, which requires industrial research. AMI wants to take advantage of the fact that awaruite is intimately linked to the magnesium silicates in the tailings. Under an appropriate particle size, only magnetite could be removed from the tailings. Lizardite, chrysotile and awaruite will then be leached during an acid treatment. The possible way to recover the nickel in solution without impacting the magnesium is selective precipitation and capture on ion exchange resin.