Reuters reported that the Philippines has a strong potential to increase its nickel exports to China as an initial study showed high iron, low nickel laterite ores produced locally can be converted into marketable iron products.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau said that the Southeast Asian country which exports most of its nickel output to China was the world's third biggest producer of nickel ore last year behind Russia and Indonesia.

Mr Leo Jasareno acting director at the state run MGB said that "We can convert even lower than low grade ores into marketable grade concentrate that is acceptable in China. With what we call sintering process it can be done.”

The findings were based on a joint project by the agency with a private local firm using laterite samples from a mine operated by Berong Nickel Corporation a unit of Atlas Consolidated Mining and Toledo Mining Corporation in southwestern Palawan province. Samples were also taken from a mine in southern Agusan del Norte province operated by MRL Gold Philippines Inc a unit of Canadian miner Mindoro Resources Limited.

Mr Juancho Pablo Calvez chief metallurgist of MGB said that the tests showed most of the low grade laterite ores in the country could be potential feed material for iron and steel making.

(Sourced from Reuters)