Nickel – Page 23 – Republic of Mining

Why Canada’s ‘orphan’ mineral explorers are struggling despite surging commodity prices – by Gabriel Friedman (Financial Post – August 26, 2022)

August 26, 2022

Many junior companies remain stuck in the doldrums during one of the best nickel markets in years

On Tuesday, Volkswagen AG chief executive Herbert Diess travelled to Toronto to meet with Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne. After months of emails, texts and meetings in Germany, Deiss rewarded Champagne’s persistence by crossing the Atlantic Ocean to sign agreement that signalled VW’s interest in investing in Canadian mining and exploration companies — a sign that plans to turn Canada into a major player in the electric vehicle industry may amount to more than hype.

While Deiss made no firm commitments to invest in Canada, the agreement marked the latest effort by a Western government to forge closer collaboration between automakers and mining companies, amid growing concerns about dependence on China for much of what’s needed to make batteries.

Twin Metals sues Biden administration to regain mine leases – by Steve Karnowski (Associated Press/Arizona Daily Star – August 22, 2022)

August 23, 2022

https://tucson.com/

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The developers of a proposed copper-nickel mine upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota sued the Biden administration Monday to seek the reinstatement of federal mineral rights leases that are crucial to the $1.7 billion project.

Twin Metals Minnesota alleged in its lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, that the Department of the Interior acted illegally earlier this year when it canceled the leases. The company asked the court to declare that those leases remain valid and in force, so that it can proceed with the environmental review and permitting process.

Billionaires Like Bill Gates Are Mining for Cobalt in Greenland. Are They Heroes or Villains? – by Caroline Delbert (Popular Mechanics – August 18, 2022)

August 19, 2022

https://www.popularmechanics.com/

With sea ice receding, billionaires want to mine Greenland for rare Earth metals to power batteries. It could be part of a climate solution … or “a perfect symbol for our dystopian times.”

Earlier this month, CNN published a piece provocatively titled “Billionaires are funding a massive treasure hunt in Greenland as ice vanishes.” In the story, reporter René Marsh explains that investors including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos have helped fund an expedition to explore the mineral wealths of Greenland, a feat made easier by the ravages of climate change.

It inspired a ton of predictable responses about billionaires dancing on Earth’s grave. But the participating startup, KoBold Metals, says the materials it wants to mine—nickel and cobalt—will actually help us fight climate change more effectively. But can both takes be true at once? We spoke to a few experts to find out.

Magna Mining looks to revive former Sudbury nickel, copper mine – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – August 17, 2022)

August 18, 2022

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Company acquiring former Crean Hill Mine on its path to become a mid-tier Canadian nickel miner

A Sudbury junior miner, with big ambitions to become a major Sudbury-area nickel producer, has picked up a choice piece of ground.

Magna Mining has entered into a definitive share purchase agreement to acquire all of the shares of Lonmin Canada in a deal worth $16 million.

Column: U.S. hits the EV accelerator to cut Chinese metals ties – by Andy Home Reuters – August 16, 2022)

August 18, 2022

https://www.reuters.com/

LONDON, Aug 16 (Reuters) – The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes the “largest investment ever in combating the existential crisis of climate change”, according to President Joe Biden, who will sign the bill into law later on Tuesday.

Around $369 billion of federal funds will flow into climate change and energy security, boosting domestic capacity to produce wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles. However, the green investment comes with a metallic sting in the tail. The IRA extends and expands the existing electric vehicle (EV) subsidy of up to $7,500 but conditions the tax credit on the sourcing of the mineral content of the battery.

Giga Metals, Mitsubishi to jointly develop Turnagain nickel deposit in Canada – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – August 15, 2022)

August 16, 2022

https://www.mining.com/

Junior Giga Metals (TSX-V: GIGA) and global trading and investment firm Mitsubishi Corporation agreed on Monday to form a joint venture company, Hard Creek Nickel Corp, to develop the Turnagain nickel-cobalt deposit in northern British Columbia.

As part of the deal, Mitsubishi will acquire a 15% equity interest in the joint venture firm for C$8 million ($6.2m) cash. Giga will receive an 85% equity interest in Hard Creek in exchange for contributing all related assets for the Turnagain project, its core asset. It will also be the project administrator.

About 50kg of nickel goes into each Tesla battery but the world isn’t producing enough to keep up with demand – by Rachel Pupazzoni (Australian Broadcasting Corporation – August 15, 2022)

August 16, 2022

https://www.abc.net.au/

Mining companies in Australia are racing to find the next big reserve of one of the world’s most in-demand metals. Nickel is a critical metal in batteries, and as the world keeps moving toward renewables, more batteries are needed to store energy.

In fact, there’s a strong case that much more of it is needed than lithium — a commodity many people know of, because it is in the name of lithium batteries. But there are a variety of batteries made with different metal compositions and, as Elon Musk puts it, batteries need a sprinkle of lithium compared to nickel.

Is sustainable mining possible? The EV revolution depends on it. – by Evan Halper (Washington Post – August 11, 2022)

August 15, 2022

https://www.washingtonpost.com/

A proposal for a ‘sustainable mine’ in Minnesota has the backing of Tesla. But will it win over the community?

TAMARACK, Minn. — Electric cars are still rare in this marshy stretch of central Minnesota, where it is more common to pass a flock of wild turkeys on the country roads than a Nissan Leaf.

But the region could have an outsize impact on America’s transition to zero-emission vehicles. Tamarack, sitting atop a treasure trove of metal used to power electric cars, is fast becoming a test case of whether the auto industry can meet this critical climate moment by sourcing colossal amounts of battery materials domestically and sustainably.

Talon Metals to explore 400,000 acres of Upper Peninsula for nickel deposits – by Riley Beggin (The Detroit News – August 10, 2022)

August 11, 2022

https://www.detroitnews.com/

A metal mining company has acquired rights to explore around 400,000 acres of Upper Peninsula land for nickel deposits near the nation’s only nickel mine.

Talon Metals Corp. announced the land acquisition Wednesday from UPX Minerals Inc., which has owned it since 2013, when it was sold by Rio Tinto Group. Before that, it was owned by Ford Motor Co., whose founder Henry Ford first bought it for lumber and iron ore to build early Model Ts.

Talon aims to use the area once again to fuel American autos — this time with a crucial mineral for electric vehicle batteries.

Diggers and Dealers: BHP tips EVs will send nickel demand up to 300% higher in the next 30 years – by Josh Chiat (Stockhead.com.au – August 2022)

August 10, 2022

https://stockhead.com.au/

EVs are here to stay, and the world’s biggest miner says it’s going to spur a run for nickel demand well beyond anything seen before.

Following on from IEA figures last week, which show we could need a ludicrous 60 new nickel mines by 2030 to achieve announced carbon reduction pledges, BHP’s Nickel West boss Jessica Farrell told delegates at the Diggers and Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie demand for nickel to 2050 would increase 200-300% on the previous three decades.

Mind-boggling. No wonder BHP has decided to reinvigorate the division which almost closed down a few years ago when stainless steel demand fell off a cliff and tanked prices.

Billionaires are funding a massive treasure hunt in Greenland as ice vanishes – by René Marsh (CNN.com – August 8, 2022)

August 9, 2022

https://www.cnn.com/

Nuussuaq, Greenland (CNN)Some of the world’s richest men are funding a massive treasure hunt, complete with helicopters and transmitters, on the west coast of Greenland.

The climate crisis is melting Greenland down at an unprecedented rate, which — in a twist of irony — is creating an opportunity for investors and mining companies who are searching for a trove of critical minerals capable of powering the green energy transition.

Canada Nickel begins federal permitting process for Crawford project – by Jackson Chen (Canadian Mining Journal – August 8, 2022)

August 9, 2022

https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/

Canada Nickel Company (TSXV: CNC; OTC: CNIKF) has commenced the federal impact assessment permitting process for its Crawford nickel project, following acceptance

Canada Nickel Company (TSXV: CNC; OTC: CNIKF) has commenced the federal impact assessment permitting process for its Crawford nickel project, following acceptance by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada of the company’s initial project description (IPD).

The agency has determined the IPD conforms to the regulations and it has been posted online for an official 180-day comment period.

BHP rebuffed in $5.8 billion takeover bid for OZ Minerals – by Praveen Menon and Shashwat Awasthi (Reuters – August 8, 2022)

August 9, 2022

https://www.reuters.com/

Aug 8 (Reuters) – BHP Group (BHP.AX) was rebuffed in its A$8.34 billion ($5.8 billion) takeover bid for OZ Minerals (OZL.AX) on Monday, in a setback as it pushes to secure copper and nickel assets for a shift into clean energy and the electric vehicles (EVs) market.

Australia’s OZ Minerals said the A$25 per share unsolicited, conditional and non-binding indicative offer undervalued the nickel and copper miner and was “opportunistic” as it comes when copper prices and its stock price have fallen from recent peaks.

EVs are about to break new ground deep, deep under Sudbury – by John Michael McGrath (TVO Today – August 2, 2022)

August 3, 2022

https://www.tvo.org/

Running diesel engines two kilometres belowground would be prohibitively expensive — so this mine is turning to battery power

It would be a lot easier if mining were just a matter of getting ore out from deep underground. But mining is done by miners, and those workers need air they can breathe.

As mining companies go deeper and deeper into the Earth searching for the minerals that go into steel and the other metals that make up modern life — including, now, high-capacity electric batteries — supplying something as basic as fresh air becomes more and more difficult.

Sudbury’s economy humming along: Conference Board of Canada – by Jim Moodie (Sudbury Star – July 22, 2022)

July 25, 2022

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

Sudbury’s economy is continuing to grow and by next year should be humming along at a better clip than was the case before COVID-19 applied the brakes. That’s the prediction of the Conference Board of Canada, which issued an outlook for the city this week.

“Sudbury’s GDP (gross domestic product) is set to rise by 3.9 per cent this year,” the economic think tank said. “The healthy gain of 2.7 per cent forecast for 2023 will finally lift the city’s economic output beyond pre-pandemic levels.” A key driver, the outlook notes, is the strong market for locally produced metals.