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Delegates to Sudbury conference remain bullish on electric vehicles – by Mary Katherine Keown (Sudbury Star – May 31, 2025)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

Sudbury and Canada will benefit because it has the minerals needed to build electric batteries, they say

Despite the code orange threat level emanating from south of the border, delegates attending the BEV In Depth conference said on Thursday they remain optimistic about an electrified future. Steve Gravel, manager of the Centre for Smart Mining at Cambrian R&D, said until recently, the market for industrial battery-electric vehicles has been “red hot, especially in underground mining.” While it has cooled a bit, it is still a booming field.

“When you’re not pumping diesel exhaust into the mining environment, there are a lot of gains to be made around ventilation provision and things like that,” he said. “Some operators think they have more power when they’re in the muck pile, for example. They’re really good pieces of equipment.”

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Taykwa Tagamou Nation closes a $20-million groundbreaking deal on a Timmins nickel project – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – May 29, 2025)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Transaction with Canada Nickel lauded as the largest Indigenous investment in a Canadian critical minerals project

Canada Nickel has banked a $20-million investment by Taykwa Tagamou Nation that’s earmarked for the development of the Crawford nickel mine project, outside Timmins.

The Toronto nickel mine developer announced May 27 that it’s closed the transaction originally announced before Christmas. The investment comes in the form of a convertible note that can be converted into 16.67 million of Canada Nickel common shares.

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North Dakota coal mine to become processing site for Minnesota nickel – by Jeff Beach (North Dakota Monitor – May 28, 2025)

https://northdakotamonitor.com/

Project contingent on approval from regulatory agencies

BEULAH, N.D. – A former coal mine in western North Dakota that will be converted into a processing site for nickel mined in Minnesota was touted Wednesday as a way for the U.S. to reduce its reliance on China and other countries for critical minerals needed for electronics and electric vehicles.

The processing plant operated by Talon Metals will bring 150 jobs to Beulah, with processing expected to begin in 2028. Electric vehicle maker Tesla has contracted to buy about half the nickel processed in Beulah. Mike Kicis, president of Talon Metals, said the Department of Defense is another likely user of the nickel and other minerals.

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Watch: Vale video provides details on dismantling of Superstack – by Len Gillis (Sudbury.com – May 22, 2025)

https://www.sudbury.com/

Project is expected to begin by mid-summer and last for roughly five years

A newly produced video by Vale Base Metals has provided details for the plan to dismantle Sudbury’s Superstack this summer. The stack became operational in 1972 and is regarded as an engineering marvel, said the video. The whole idea of the stack — built to a height of 1,250 feet — was to disperse sulphur dioxide emissions over a wider area of Northeastern Ontario, in response to growing voices of concern and dissent over the smelter pollution being produced by Inco (International Nickel Company) at the time.

In later years, Vale, the new owner of the company, launched the Clean AER (Atmospheric Emissions Reduction) Project at a cost of more than one billion dollars. The project was completed in 2018.

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NEWS RELEASE: Diversification is the cornerstone of energy security, yet critical minerals are moving in the opposite direction (Internationsl Energy Agency Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025 – May 21, 2025)

For the report: https://shorturl.at/aM8Qa

Emphasising major energy and economic implications, new IEA report identifies vulnerabilities over next decade, notably for copper and other strategic minerals

While today’s critical mineral markets may appear well supplied, with prices well down from the highs seen in 2021 and 2022, a new IEA report finds that a combination of increasing supply concentration in a handful of countries and the spread of export restrictions is raising the risk of painful disruptions.

The 2025 edition of the IEA’s annual Global Critical Minerals Outlook, out today, presents the latest data and analysis on supply, demand, investment and more for key energy-related minerals, including copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and rare earth elements. It is accompanied by an updated Critical Minerals Data Explorer, an interactive online tool that allows users to explore the latest IEA projections.

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Energy storage boom drives battery shift, leaving nickel, cobalt behind – by Eric Onstad (Reuters – May 21, 2025)

https://www.reuters.com/

When Fidra Energy acquired a 55-acre (22-hectare) patch of northern England countryside in 2023, its plan to transform it into a 1.45 gigawatt energy storage facility – Europe’s largest once completed – was far from a done deal.

“We were struggling to make the economics work,” Chris Elder, the Edinburgh-based company’s CEO, told Reuters. But that was before the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries being used in the project, which were already recording significant improvements in performance, roughly halved in cost in a period of just 18 months. Fidra now plans to start installing battery units for its 600-million pound ($800-million) Thorpe Marsh project next year.

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Mining and a healthy environment — we can have both in Minnesota – by Julie C. Lucas (MinnPost.com – May 18, 2025)

MinnPost – Nonprofit, independent journalism. Supported by readers.MinnPost –

Julie C. Lucas is the executive director of MiningMinnesota.

It’s understandable why there’s concern about copper-nickel mining upstream from the BWCA, but let’s have a fact-based conversation.

The postcard illustrating this commentary is from the 1940s and sums up the Iron Range, the Minnesota region I call home. At one time, the Hull Rust Mahoning Mine in Hibbing was the world’s largest iron ore producing mine.

Now, it’s one portion of a substantially larger mining operation that produces needed iron ore for our domestic steel industry, as it has since the first hematite mine opened at that site in 1895. Along the Mesabi Iron Range, we have several operating taconite mines and, just outside their gates, we have “shimmering waters” just as we did in the 1940s.

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Greater Sudbury mayor focused on critical minerals – by Jenny Lamothe (Sudbury.com – May 8, 2025)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Mineral processing, a home permitting boom and push to grow the city’s population emphasized in State of the City address

It was the city’s Latin motto, Aedificemus, that gave rise to the theme of Mayor Paul Lefebvre’s annual State of the City address, which he translated as “Come, let us build together.” Hosted by the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce, the May 1 speech was the mayor’s third address since he was elected in 2022.

A packed house heard the mayor speak to the economic progress and vision for the city, and saw the first ever showing of the artist rendition of the new downtown events centre facade.

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Amid low prices, Vale could sell off some of its nickel operations – by Staff (Sudbury Star – May 7, 2025)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

Options could also include forging partnerships or putting some assets in care and maintenance, company says

Vale is eyeing options amid current market challenges that could include full or partial divestment of some nickel operations. Last week, the Brazilian company’s chief executive told reporters that an oversupply of the metal from Indonesia is causing short-term issues that necessitate a serious look at how to keep this side of its business profitable.

“We are evaluating if some assets in the portfolio could have a strategic alternative,” said Gustavo Pimenta, according to a Reuters story. Options could include selling off nickel holdings, forging partnerships or putting some assets in care and maintenance, the Vale head indicated.

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‘Greater Sudbury has the winning hand,’ mayor says – Take our poll – by Mary Katherine Keown (Sudbury Star – May 3, 2025)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

The world needs Sudbury’s critical minerals and the city must take full advantage of its opportunity, Paul Lefebvre says

The horizon looks very promising for Greater Sudbury, Mayor Paul Lefebvre told a packed house on Thursday. As the aromas of chicken parmesan and pasta sauce wafted through the upper hall at the Caruso Club, the audience — mostly members of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce and the regional business community — turned towards the podium, where Lefebvre stood for the annual State of the City address.

The mayor’s speech was uplifting and optimistic. He said Greater Sudbury is poised for great outcomes. After decades, we are finally starting to realize our potential, he said.

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Mining In Canada: Critical Minerals Exploration – Revival of Thompson nickel belt: Drilling into Manitoba’s untapped potential – by Misty Urbatsch (Canadian Mining Journal – May 1, 2025)

https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/

Misty Urbatsch is the CEO, president, and director of Core Nickel Corp.

Core Nickel Corp. (CSE: CNCO) is quickly gaining traction as an emerging exploration company targeting high-grade nickel sulfide systems in northern Manitoba. Since listing in late 2023, the company has raised $3.9 million in capital, secured nearly $0.5 million in non-dilutive government funding, launched multiple drill programs, and initiated airborne surveys across key assets — all while firmly establishing itself in the globally significant Thompson Nickel Belt.

The company’s exploration efforts are centered on the Thompson Nickel Belt, the world’s fifth-largest nickel belt and a globally significant source of high-grade nickel sulfide. Though more than five billion lbs. of nickel have been mined from the region, large portions of the belt remain underexplored using modern geological and geophysical techniques.

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Vale’s Strategic Alternatives for Nickel Assets in 2025 – by John Zadeh (Discovery Alert – April 30, 2025)

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Market Challenges and Future Outlook

Brazilian mining giant Vale S.A. faces critical decisions regarding its nickel operations amid a complex global market landscape dominated by oversupply pressures and shifting demand dynamics. The company’s strategic review of its nickel portfolio, initiated in early 2025, reflects both short-term operational challenges and long-term optimism about nickel’s role in the energy transition.

This report synthesizes Vale’s current challenges, strategic options, and the broader market forces shaping its decisions, with a focus on Indonesia’s disruptive production growth and the evolving electric vehicle (EV) sector.

What Challenges Is Vale Facing in the Nickel Market?

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Power Metallic CEO sees ‘monster-size’ deposit at Nisk – by Frederic Tomesco (Northern Miner – April 10, 2025)

https://northernminer.com/

Power Metallic Mines’ Nisk polymetallic property is probably at least as large as Anglo American’s 44-million-tonne Sakatti copper-nickel-platinum project in Finland, CEO Terry Lynch said.

Nisk – which is located in Quebec’s James Bay region and includes deposits of copper, nickel, platinum-group metals, silver and gold – could even one day rival Vale’s (NYSE: VALE) Voisey’s Bay mine for size, Lynch said Wednesday. Voisey’s Bay, which has been estimated to contain about 140 million tonnes, is Canada’s biggest nickel mine and one of the world’s largest.

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FPX Nickel extends exploration partnership with JOGMEC (Mining Technology – April 8, 2025)

https://www.mining-technology.com/

FPX Nickel has secured 60% ownership in new JV projects.

Canada-based nickel mining company FPX Nickel has extended its Global Generative Exploration Alliance with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), turning it into an open-ended joint venture (JV).

After two years of collaboration, the partnership will continue to focus on identifying and acquiring high-quality awaruite nickel properties globally, particularly those geologically similar to FPX’s flagship Baptiste Nickel Project in British Columbia. The Generative Alliance has established a budget of C$1.5bn for its third year, running from April 2025 to March 2026.

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Pivotal year for Timmins nickel project, says CEO – by Maija Hoggett (Timmins Today – April 3, 2025)

https://www.timminstoday.com/

With ongoing uncertainty around tariffs, Mark Selby says the company’s net-zero focus means they could sell to Europe with no issues

TIMMINS – It’s a pivotal year for Canada Nickel’s local project, says CEO Mark Selby.

In 2025, Canada Nickel is finalizing permits, pushing for funding, and working on securing a site for its processing plants. With ongoing uncertainty around tariffs from the United States, Selby says it’s in a good position as a net-zero project.

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