## 4 Results and Discussion
### Estimated Resources
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Nickel**} & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Cobalt**} \\ \hline
**Cut-Off** & **Horizon** & **Limonite** & **Transition** & **Saprolite** & **Limonite** & **Transition** \\ \hline \multirow{5}{*}{\(\geq\)0.5} & Average abundance of horizon [wt\%] & 0.83 & 1.25 & 1.47 & 0.15 & 0.06 \\ \cline{2-7}  & Average of abundance [wt\%] & & 1.02 & & & 0.14 \\ \cline{2-7}  & Resources of horizon [t] & 90,039 & 26,858 & 68,612 & 16,386 & 1360 \\ \cline{2-7}  & Resources [t] & & 185,510 & & & 17,747 \\ \hline \multirow{5}{*}{\(\geq\)0.7} & Average abundance of horizon [wt\%] & 0.88 & 1.27 & 1.49 & 0.16 & 0.06 \\ \cline{2-7}  & Average of abundance [wt\%] & & 1.08 & & & 0.14 \\ \cline{2-7}  & Resources of horizon [t] & 82,687 & 26,532 & 68,339 & 15,080 & 1266 \\ \cline{2-7}  & Resources [t] & & 177,559 & & & 16,346 \\ \hline \multirow{5}{*}{\(\geq\)1.0} & Average abundance of horizon [wt\%] & 1.11 & 1.44 & 1.60 & 0.19 & 0.06 \\ \cline{2-7}  & Average abundance [wt\%] & & 1.39 & & & 0.15 \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{2-7}  & Resources of horizon [t] & 29,915 & 22,144 & 62,697 & 5185 & 925 \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{2-7}  & Resources [t] & & 114,755 & & & 6110 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 8: Resource of useful elements estimated by the average abundance method for the whole identified area. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Cut-Off**} & **Nickel** & **Cobalt** \\ \cline{2-3}  & & **Resources [t]** \\ \hline \(\geq\)0.5 & 179,440 & 17,988 \\ \(\geq\)0.7 & 171,214 & 16,604 \\ \(\geq\)1.0 & 108,167 & 5832 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 9: Resources of useful elements estimated by the polygon method (Boldyrev) for the whole identified area. Figure 12: Nickel resources (kg/m\({}^{2}\)) throughout the deposit profile in the area of block B. Inter- and extrapolation of data between exploration points performed for illustration purposes using the Radial Basis Function (RBF) method. WGS 84 UTM 52N coordinate system. Made in Surfer 9 software (Golden, CO, USA). Figure 13: Cobalt resources (kg/m\({}^{2}\)) for limonite and transition horizons. Inter- and extrapolation of data between exploration points performed for illustration purposes using the Radial Basis Function (RBF) method. WGS 84 UTM 52N coordinate system. Made in Surfer 9 software (Golden, CO, USA). It is important to stress that only the uppermost part of the weathering profile was sampled, and one can assume that economically valuable concentrations of elements continue at least a few meters below the end of sampled zone. It is necessary to conduct further detailed prospecting studies with the use of rotary drilling machine (hydraulic machine) in order to obtain the maximum depth down to the bedrock. In addition, there are other potential areas indicated as laterite zones and expected to have the same characteristics as the central area. They should be investigated too. It is then suggested to plan drillings that reach at least 25-30 m deep below ground level in order to reach the expected deeper parts of the deposit. A dense network of boreholes is necessary in order to achieve the required level of deposit recognition. Boreholes should not be further away from each other than 25 m.  
Comparing the size and quality of the estimated resources of Block B to other Ni deposits around the world (Figures 14 and 15), it can be concluded that the preliminarily proven deposit belongs to the category of small or very small deposits and of low or average quality depending on the cut off criterion applied. With cut-off Ni \(\geq\) 0.5 wt%, the deposit has an overall low average Ni content, whereas with cut off Ni \(\geq\) 1.0 wt%, the Ni abundance of the deposit is slightly higher than the average for the 117 deposits analyzed worldwide [4]. Figure 14: Compilation of Ni laterite ore resources data for 117 global deposits with plotted resource estimation results for Block B of the Central Halmahera deposit for several selected cut-off criteria.