The subject of the study are oxidized nickel ores of the Kulikovsky deposit (South Ural) - substandard iron and nickel-containing raw materials. The work is devoted to the study of the chemical and phase composition to substantiate the choice of the method of processing this material in order to obtain valuable inorganic substances, in demand in the chemical and metallurgical industry: magnesium oxide and (or) nitrate, iron and nickel concentrates, silicon dioxide. The chemical composition of ore is shown, demonstrating the advisability of developing technology for its integrated processing. X-ray powder diffraction showed the presence in the oxidized nickel ores of the Kulikovsky deposit of silicates of the serpentine group (lizardite-1M and lizardite-1T) and the group of spinels (magnesioferrite). Literary analysis suggested the presence of other hydrosilicates (antigorite, chrysotile, nimit, talc, revdinskite, clinochlor, etc.). In addition, IR spectroscopic analysis was performed to confirm the phase composition. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed, which will allow further to determine the conditions for preliminary preparation of the crushed feedstock. Based on the described properties of minerals and previous work on the hydrometallurgical technology for processing oxidized nickel ores and metal-containing silicate raw materials for the production of inorganic substances, nitric acid is offered as a leaching agent.