(LA) PROCESS FOR THE RECOVERY OF VALUE METALS FROM LATERITE ORES.

(LA) A process for the recovery of a value-metal from a laterite ore comprising the ateps of grinding or beneficiation of the ore ( if necessary ), leaching the ore in a solution of magnesium chloride and hydrochloric acid at a temperature between 75.C and the ambient boiling point, separating the solids from the liquid, purifying the leach liquor from final traces of impurity metals such as iron, aluminium, chromium and copper by adjusting the pH with recycled magesium oxide, recovery of a mixed nickel/cobalt hydroxide product suitable for further refining, regeneration of lixiviant solution, and recovery of magnesium oxide and hydrochloric acid by lixiviant regeneration which includes a step of pyrohdrolsis. The leaching is carried out countercurrently with hydrochloric acid recycled from lixiviant regeneration, or either cocurrently or countercurrently with a mixed solution of magnesium chloride and hydrochloric acid. Various processes for the regeneration of lixiviant solution are possible. A process for leaching a value metal from a nickel laterite ore comprising the step of leaching the ore with a lixiviant comprising magnesium chloride and hydrochloric acid is disclosed. In embodiments, the process compriese recovery of a value metal from a nickel laterite ore comprising the steps of: leaching the ore with a lixiviant comprising magnesium chloride and hydrochloric acid; separating a value metal-rich leachate from the ore in a first solid-liquid separation; oxidizing and neutralizing the value metal-rich leachate so obtained; and separating a solution of magnesium chloride from the leachate so obtained in a second solid-liquid separation. In an embodiment, lixiviant solution is regenerated from the solution of magnesium chloride. In a furtherembodement, regeneration of lixiviant solution includes a step oof producing magnesiumoxide from the solution of magnesium chloride.