Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How much water can laterite nickel ore contain?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
nickel processing
Nickel briquettes.
Laterite nickel ore contains a significant amount of water, typically in the range of 35 to 40 percent. This water content exists both as moisture and as chemically bound water in the form of hydroxides. Because of this high water content, drying and the removal of chemically bound water are essential operations in nickel processing, which are typically performed using large rotary-kiln furnaces.1