This discussion of Nkamouna, a lithiophorite cobalt prospect in...

This discussion of Nkamouna, a lithiophorite cobalt prospect in Cameroon, is a compelling comparative. It is low nickel high cobalt however, so the latter is the economic metal.

They have had success in washing and grading:
"The physical beneficiation of the Nkamouna ore is one of the main economic drivers of the project. In the process, goethite and hematite, the dominant gangue components, are readily separated into tailings by attrition washing with water, producing a low tonnage concentrate with significantly higher Co, Ni and Mn grades. This property is unique to the Nkamouna ore because lithiophorite, the principal ore mineral, is hard and withstands attrition during washing. Secondly, goethite and hematite occur in clay size particles that float in water and are readily separated. Finally, the paramagnetic nature of lithiophorite and its association with magnetite enhances the separation of the concentrate from the tailings."

Like Wingellina... "Excessive scrubbing must be avoided as it would produce ultrafine lithiophorite particles which are difficult to separate from the tailings. However, the recovery of ultrafine lithiophorite could be improved through the use of wet magnetic separation and/or hydrocyclone, and the final concentrate would be reductively leached to release Co, Ni and Mn from the lithiophorite.