Szklary nickel deposit — a review and introduction to attempts in hydrometallurgical processing

Abstract

Szklary Massif is situated about 60 km from Wrocław (southwestern Poland) and around 7 km from Ząbkowice Śląskie. The history of raw materials in this region started in the fifteenth century with the discovery of precious minerals like chrysoprase, chalcedony, and opal. The exploitation of nickel ore in this region started in the nineteenth century and was conducted with few stops until 1983. The remaining 17.21 mln mg of ore with 125,000 mg of nickel might be a chance to satisfy rising demand for raw materials used to develop electromobility. One of the crucial aspects regarding possible investment is the processing of ore. The pilot tests show the efficient use of heap leaching. The authors provide the future project in Szklary within the framework of circular economy.