Bottle Roll Tests for Kinetic Evaluation of Nickel Ores: Capabilities, Limitations, and Misinterpretations – A Critical Review

Bottle roll testing is widely used to evaluate leaching performance due to its simplicity, low cost, and rapid execution. However, its results are often misinterpreted when extrapolated to industrial systems. This critical review examines the capabilities and limitations of bottle roll tests, with emphasis on their role in representing intrinsic chemical kinetics rather than full process behavior. Key discrepancies between laboratory and industrial conditions are analyzed, including particle-size effects, the absence of hydraulic constraints, limited representation of secondary-phase formation, and underestimation of acid consumption. Comparative analysis shows that bottle roll tests can achieve 85–95%…