Nickel – Page 27 – Republic of Mining

Opinion: Is This a Mine Elon Musk and Joe Biden Can Both Support? – by Adam Minter (Bloomberg – May 9, 2022)

May 10, 2022

https://www.bloomberg.com/

A Minnesota project has to overcome tribal and environmental concerns. But the U.S. needs its own source of nickel, which is key to electric-vehicle expansion.

The future of US-made electric-vehicle batteries might be found in a modest white shed in Tamarack, Minnesota, population 104.

Beneath bright fluorescent lights, foot-long cylindrical pieces of rock are laid out in cardboard boxes, where they sparkle with grains found in the millions of pounds of nickel that Tesla Inc. committed to buy on Jan. 11. That commitment has the potential to turn into a savvy buy for the electric carmaker.

Sudbury, Northern Ontario well positioned to reap the global rewards of the electric vehicle revolution – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – May 9, 2022)

May 9, 2022

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

The global nickel squeeze should turn the world’s critical mineral attention on this region, says mining columnist Stan Sudol

The big splash agreement that Elon Musk and his Tesla car company made last week with Brazilian miner Vale should have a ripple effect in the nickel-rich Sudbury basin and across Northern Ontario, according to a Toronto-based mining columnist.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to highlight the enormous potential of the Sudbury basin for clean, low-carbon nickel,” said Stan Sudol, owner of the Republic of Mining website, who heaped praise on the Tesla CEO.

EPA deals fresh blow to PolyMet’s $1 billion copper-nickel mine – by Editor (Mining.com – May 5, 2022)

May 6, 2022

https://www.mining.com/

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has dealt a fresh blow to PolyMet Mining’s (TSX: POM) plans to build an open pit copper-nickel mine in Minnesota, by recommending the US Army Corps of Engineers not re-issue a key water-related permit.

The agency said this week the $1 billion NorthMet project, the first large-scale project to be permitted within the Duluth Complex in northeastern Minnesota, risked increasing levels of mercury and other pollutants in the St. Louis River downstream from the proposed mine.

Vale strikes nickel supply deal with Tesla – by Neil Hume (Financial Times – May 6, 2022)

May 6, 2022

https://www.ft.com/

Tesla has agreed a long-term deal to buy nickel from global miner Vale as the carmaker looks to secure the raw materials needed for its batteries. Nickel is needed for the most powerful lithium-ion cells used in electric vehicles and the supply agreement with the Brazilian group marks the latest move by Elon Musk’s group to lock down non-Chinese supplies.

Analysts estimate more than 80 per cent of the world’s nickel processing is based in China and 60 per cent of the world’s nickel mines are Chinese owned.

Canada Nickel Bid Is ‘Tip of the Iceberg’ of BHP Growth Ambition – by James Attwood (Yahoo/Finance – Bloomberg – May 5, 2022)

May 5, 2022

https://finance.yahoo.com/

(Bloomberg) — BHP Group’s unsuccessful attempt to buy a junior Canadian nickel miner last year should be seen as “almost the tip of the iceberg” for its ambitions in the resource-rich country, says one of the company’s top executives.

The world’s biggest mining company sees nickel as one of three “future-facing commodities” — along with copper and potash — and has set up its exploration and business development team in Canada, partly to scour for opportunities in Ontario’s highly prospective Ring of Fire region.

Russia’s Potanin dodges politics and sanctions to flourish (Reuters – May 4, 2022)

May 5, 2022

https://www.reuters.com/

May 4 (Reuters) – So far, at least, “Nickel King” Vladimir Potanin is Russia’s ultimate survivor. Unlike many of Russia’s notable oligarchs, he has not been sanctioned by the United States or the European Union for his closeness to President Vladimir Putin.

And as Western companies quit Russia because of those sanctions, imposed as retaliation for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, he has snapped up assets to expand his own banking business. On Monday, Potanin’s Interros holding company said it had bought United Card Services, the Russian unit of U.S.-listed Global Payments, for an undisclosed sum.

The Drift: Mining and movement in the Ring of Fire six years out, says Noront boss – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – May 4, 2022)

May 4, 2022

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Wyloo Metals preparing to puts its stamp on James Bay mineral projects

Expect 2028 to be the year when the first truckloads of nickel concentrate will be rumbling out of the James Bay lowlands to market.That was the best educated guess from Noront Resources CEO Alan Coutts on an approximate date when the Eagle’s Nest nickel mine in the Ring of Fire will go into production.

During a Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce webinar on May 3, Coutts delivered an update to an online audience on the latest goings-on with the company and a basic primer on how Noront’s new Australian owners, Wyloo Metals, intend to approach development in Ontario’s Far North. Wyloo’s $616.9-million acquisition of Noront was finalized in early April.

Wyloo takeover could be refresh needed for stalled Ring of Fire project: Noront CEO Alan Coutts speaks to Sudbury chamber of commerce – by Mia Jensen (Sudbury Star – May 4, 2022)

May 4, 2022

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

Fifteen years without material progress has made Northern Ontario’s Ring of Fire mining project the source of much talk and scrutiny. But Noront Resources CEO Alan Coutts said Tuesday that the company’s recent acquisition by Australian company Wyloo Metal Ltd. may be the kick-start the project needs.

Coutts made the comments during an address hosted by the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commons. His goal was to provide details of the tumultuous last few months, where a bidding war for control of Noront raised questions about the Ring of Fire’s future. Due to its prevalance in the mining industry, Sudbury has always had a particular interest in the project.

Ontario car plants get $1B boost to build electric vehicles – by Rob Ferguson (Toronto Star – May 2, 2022)

May 2, 2022May 2, 2022

https://www.thestar.com/

On the eve of Ontario’s June 2 election call, Chrysler and Dodge factories in Brampton and Windsor are getting a $1-billion infusion from the federal and provincial governments to build the next generation of hybrid and electric vehicles.

The money for the automakers’ parent company, Stellantis, goes toward flexible vehicle assembly lines as the 3,000-employee Brampton plant was preparing to lose production of muscle cars like the V-8 Dodge Challenger to a factory in Illinois, where new electric versions will be made.

The Drift: Junior miners chasing nickel, palladium and gold in the Sudbury area – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – April 28, 2022)

April 28, 2022

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

SPC Nickel emerging as new nickel player in the Sudbury basin in seeking to resurrect former nickel mine

A new nickel player in the Sudbury mining camp expects great results toward resurrecting a former mine, while two other junior miners pursue palladium and gold at the opposite ends of the basin.

SPC Nickel cashed up over the winter with more than $3 million to go exploring for nickel, copper and platinum group metals (PGM) on its three properties in the Sudbury area.

Ontario budget promises billions for infrastructure, critical minerals; could eliminate deficit sooner than expected – by Barbara Shecter (Financial Post – April 28, 2022)

April 28, 2022

https://financialpost.com/

Doug Ford’s government said the economic recovery plan could eliminate Ontario’s deficit two years earlier than projected

In a budget delivered just over a month before voters head to the polls, in what amounts to an election platform, the Ontario government is promising to invest billions of dollars during the next three to five years to shore up infrastructure, boost the supply of critical minerals and commercialize promising technologies.

Despite the spending, the government said the economic recovery plan laid out Thursday could eliminate Ontario’s deficit two years earlier than projected in the 2021 budget.

Battery-mineral shortage likely to impede Canada’s goals for electric vehicles, industry expert says – by Jonathan Migneault (CBC News Sudbury – April 28, 2022)

April 28, 2022

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/

Steve LeVine says the world only produces enough nickel to meet half the demand for EVs

It’s unlikely automakers will be able to meet their projections for electric vehicles (EV) as demand for the critical minerals that make up the batteries for them continues to rise, according to a noted business journalist.

Steve LeVine is editor of The Electric, a publication that focuses on electric vehicles and the lithium ion batteries that power them. LeVine, who’s based in Washington, said the world’s mines only produce around half of the critical minerals necessary to meet the auto industry’s EV goals.

As Canada builds its battery metals industry, can it compete with the world’s behemoths? – by Niall McGee (Globe and Mail – April 26, 2022)

April 27, 2022

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Canada’s battery metals sector is showing signs of life, but impediments remain to this country gaining meaningful global market share in an industry dominated by China. Over the past few months, Canada has landed its first electric-car battery plant, and a new deep-pocketed owner has taken possession of Ontario’s Ring of Fire mining assets, which the province is hoping will supply battery-grade nickel.

The federal government delivered another potential boost to the battery sector when it said in its 2022 budget that it is prepared to spend $3.8-billion to fund the critical minerals industry over the next eight years.

European electric car makers have a Russian nickel problem – by (Grist.org – April 22, 2022)

April 27, 2022

https://grist.org/

Europe may need Russian nickel to meet its climate goals — and Indigenous activists may need Europe to hold a Russian mining giant to account.

About two weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, a metal that plays a key role in batteries for electric vehicles, or EVs, was thrust suddenly into the spotlight. On March 8, the price of nickel doubled within hours on the London Metal Exchange, prompting the world’s leading metals market to shut down trading for the material.

The price spike occurred amidst fears that nickel from Russia, the world’s third-largest producer of the metal, would soon become “untouchable due to sanctions risk,” as one group of analysts put it.

Musk’s tweets fuel mining industry’s hopes of a buyout by Tesla – by Ernest Scheyder (Reuters – April 19, 2022)

April 20, 2022

https://www.reuters.com/

Elon Musk’s recent musings that high lithium prices may force Tesla Inc to make its own supply of the electric vehicle battery metal have fueled hopes by some that the billionaire entrepreneur will instead opt for a buyout of an established mining company.

The auto giant already has supply contracts for nickel, lithium and a range of other EV metals from suppliers across the globe. But it needs more, and industry analysts say Tesla may soon realize that building a mine or processing facility from scratch is not as easy as it sounds and the automaker should instead consider a buyout.