The world class Ramu Nickel project that integrates mining, beneficiation and refining is located in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. It is composed of laterite open-pit mining, 135km slurry pipeline, high pressure acid leaching, deep sea tailings placement (DSTP) as well as a number of supporting facilities. The Project produces nickel/cobalt intermediate product, in which the aggregate nickel metal accounts for 31,000 tones per year and cobalt 3,000 tones per year. The large scale construction commenced in 2008 and by early 2011 the construction is substantially completed. The Project is now being progressively commissioned and expected to commence trial operation by the end of 2011.
Kurumbukari Mine
The KBK Mine is located on the Kurumbukari plateau, 600m to 800m above sea level and 75km to the southwest of Madang. It consists of 19 unit projects in total, including open-pit mine, de-agglomeration plant , beneficiation plant and supporting facilities such as water plant and power plant.
Basamuk Refinery
The Basamuk Refinery is on the coast of Basamuk bay, 5m to 60m above the sea level and 55km to the southeast of Madang. It has 28 unit projects, including slurry treatment, high pressure acid leaching, CCD washing, neutralization ,Fe/Al removal and precipitation as well as supporting components such as limestone preparation, sulfuric acid plant, water plant, power plant and wharf.
Slurry Pipeline
The 135km slurry pipeline runs from the Krumbukari Mine to the Basamuk Refinery. Being the first long distance transportation pipeline in the world for nickel laterite projects, it is specially designed and constructed to make full use of the potential energy difference between the Krumbukari plateau and the coast, as well as the rheology of the slurry.
In PNG, the Project is an unincorporated joint venture between MCC Ramu (85%); MRML (2.5%) and MRRL (with 3.94%) two subsidiaries of Mineral Resource Development Corporation (MRDC) on behalf of PNG government and landowner interests; and RNL (8.56%), a subsidiary of former developer Highland Pacific Ltd. Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Limited, as the Manager of the Project appointed by all joint venture parties, is fully responsible for construction, development and operation of the Project.
In China, MCC Ramu NiCo Limited is wholly owned by MCC-JJJ Mining, whose shareholders include China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC), a Fortune 500 company and three of the largest enterprises in the Chinese nickel and stainless steel industry, namely Jinchuan Group Limited, Jilin Jien Nickel Industry Limited, and Jiuquan Iron & Steel (Group) Limited. These four giants give the Project strong supports on financing, technology and operation, and furthermore form a strategic alliance in developing and consuming nickel and cobalt.