Nickel – Page 45 – Republic of Mining

Opening of Cassini mine marks start of new era for Kambalda’s historic nickel mining industry – by Jarrod Lucas (Australian Broadcasting Corporation – March 29, 2021)

March 30, 2021

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

WA’s Mines Minister Bill Johnston will officially open a new nickel mine at Kambalda today, more than 50 years after the town was put on the map by the discovery of Australia’s first nickel mine.

The Cassini underground mine is Kambalda’s first new nickel development in two decades — since the Miitel mine began production in the year 2000.

More than 200 jobs have been created since September’s decision by Perth-based miner Mincor Resources to green light its $98 million restart plan for Kambalda’s once-booming nickel industry.

Nornickel closes Monchegorsk plant as it ramps up environmentally-friendly transition – by Marek Grzegorczyk (Emerging Europe – March 24, 2021)

March 25, 2021

Start

Russian metal producer Norilsk Nickel has announced that it will close its metallurgical plant in the city of Monchegorsk as part of the company’s programme to move towards greener production.

Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel) is set to close a metallurgical plant in the city of Monchegorsk, in the border region of Russia, Norway and Finland, the main source of sulphur dioxide emissions in the area.

The closure of the workshop is associated with the firm’s ongoing process of transitioning to the environmentally-friendly production of high-quality metallurgical products.

Vale mining boss looks ahead to a sustainable future in the Sudbury Basin – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – March 23, 2021)

March 24, 2021

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Replenishing the diminishing nickel reserves in Sudbury begins with people power and partnerships, says Dino Otranto

The days of senior management thinking that what was good for Inco was good for Sudbury are long over.

The head of operations of its corporate successor, Vale, talked this week about ‘transformational’ change on the operational and technology front in the Sudbury Basin but also within the internal culture at one of the world’s biggest base metal miners.

“What we’ve learned as an organization is how we do what we do is more important than ever before,” said Dino Otranto, chief operating officer for Vale’s North Atlantic Operations and Asian Refineries.

Russian mining giant Nornickel shuts metallurgical plant, aims to cut emissions at Kola Peninsula by 85% in 2021 – by Vladimir Basov (Kitco News – March 22, 2021)

March 24, 2021

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) – Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest producer of palladium and high grade nickel and a major producer of platinum and copper, announced today that it has shut down its metallurgical plant at Kola MMC in Monchegorsk, Russia.

The company said that the plant was shut down on March 20th 2021. It was previously a major source of sulphur dioxide emissions at Kola MMC’s Monchegorsk site.

In early March, the shop stopped pyrometallurgical operations: the furnaces and converters were shut down and sulphur dioxide emissions ceased. Nornickel took another step towards higher efficiency and greener operations.

Firm sets hopes on discovering second major nickel deposit – by Andrew Autio (Timmins Daily Press – March 23, 2021)

March 24, 2021

https://www.timminspress.com/

Grid Metals drilling 100 km south of Timmins

The head of a junior mining company believes a second significant nickel deposit in the area is a distinct possibility. Grid Metals Corp will soon begin a drilling program at its property in Bannockburn Township, approximately 27 kilometres west of Matachewan.

The Toronto-based company’s focus is on the exploration and development of high-demand battery metals for the automotive industry and growing electric vehicle market. They currently have three projects in the works.

The Bannockburn Nickel Project, located approximately 100 kilometres south of Timmins, has actually been owned by Grid since 2003, when it was acquired from Outokumpu Mining.

Vale’s search for new mines, reserves continues in Sudbury – by Harald Carmichael (Sudbury Star – March 24, 2021)

March 24, 2021

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

These are interesting times for Vale’s operations in Sudbury and Canada. World nickel prices are high, but so are inventories. The electric vehicle market, which will need substantial quantities of nickel for the batteries to power those vehicles, is poised to take off globally.

The nickel reserves now being mined in Greater Sudbury and Thompson, Man., however, are starting to head into their senior years.

And while there are numerous projects in the early stages of development or on the books to replace those long-standing operations, Vale’s North Atlantic operations are embarking on a much-different business approach as they head into the next decade and beyond.

Why geopolitics of this green battery metal should be on your radar – CRU – by Anna Golubova (Kitco News – March 17, 2021)

March 17, 2021

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) The security of supply is becoming a key factor for manufacturers, especially when it comes to battery metal like nickel, according to CRU.

Nickel has been making headlines with its massive rally until very recently. Prices neared $20,000 a tonne at the end of February and then suddenly dropped to trade just over $16,000 in March. Just a couple of years ago, the nickel price was substantially lower, trading near the $12,000-13,000 range.

“Its price performed incredibly well through the second half of 2020 and into the start of 2021 until last week. That price strength was there despite relatively weak fundamentals for the market as a whole.

Nickel demand for EVs to outpace lithium and cobalt – report – by Staff (Mining.com – March 16, 2021)

March 17, 2021

https://www.mining.com/

As battery metals continue to rise to the forefront of attention, much has centered around lithium and cobalt.

Governments have enacted policies to encourage investment into the critical raw materials they deem essential to the green energy transition. At the same time, supply chain concerns surrounding nickel have begun to garner increasing focus.

As a key component of battery cathode chemistry in many existing and upcoming electric vehicles (EVs), nickel will remain an important metal to watch in the coming decade, market analyst Fitch Solutions maintains in its latest industry report.

Local battery material champions planning first-mover advances into new geographies – by Martin Creamer (MiningWeekly.com – March 15, 2021)

March 16, 2021

https://www.miningweekly.com/

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South Africa’s team of local battery material champions are planning first-mover advances into new geographies.

Mining Weekly can today report that Thakadu Battery Materials, which is producing high-purity battery-grade nickel sulphate for export, has a pipeline of new projects in place that will involve the use of the locally developed intellectual property, proven process technology and first-mover advantage to fast-track other assets under development in Southern Africa and North America.

In what is a huge story of world-class local innovation, Thakadu, operating as a completely independent startup, has succeeded in turning platinum group metal- (PGM-) linked nickel solution into sought-after battery material that is helping to make the world a greener place.

Nornickel downgrades output forecast by 15-20% after mine restarts delayed – by Polina Devitt and Anastasia Lyrchikova (Financial Post/Reuters – March 16, 2021)

March 16, 2021

https://financialpost.com/

MOSCOW — Nornickel expects its 2021 nickel, copper, platinum and palladium output to fall 15-20% short of original guidance due to waterlogging at two Siberian mines, the Russian company said on Tuesday.

The mines are unlikely to restart fully for another 3-4 months, the company said.

The announcement pushed nickel, platinum and palladium prices higher. Nickel quickly gave back some of its gains, but platinum was up around 1% and palladium shot up 5% to its highest in more than a year. Nornickel shares were down 5.5% in Moscow.

Nickel company and First Nation set the ground rules for exploration: Class 1 Nickel and Matachewan First Nation ink memorandum of understanding – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – March 11, 2021)

March 12, 2021

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

A Toronto junior miner, looking to put a former mine property back into production near Timmins, has struck an agreement with a neighbouring First Nation community.

Class 1 Nickel and Technologies and Matachewan First Nation (MFN) signed of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to advance exploration for nickel, copper and cobalt at the company’s Alexo-Dundonald Nickel Sulphide Project, 45 kilometres east of the city.

A MOU is a first-stage agreement usually signed between an exploration company and a First Nation, establishing the ground rules for how exploration will be carried out on a community’s traditional land. It also provides a formal line of communication as activity progresses and opens the door for a First Nation to participate in the project.

PDAC: Think big, exploration opportunity is huge, says BHP’s Laura Tyler – by Carl A. Williams (Northern Miner – March 11, 2021)

March 12, 2021

https://www.northernminer.com/

“From where I sit, the opportunity in front of us is huge,” BHP’s (NYSE: BHP; LSE: BHP; ASX: BHP) chief technical officer Laura Tyler told the PDAC’s virtual convention.

“I see great prosperity as we collaborate to discover the commodities of the future … faster, more efficiently, and more sustainably than ever before.”

Speaking from Adelaide in Australia, Tyler noted that the last year had been one of “challenge and opportunity for us all.”

A solution to battery metals crunch awaits in ocean – DeepGreen, SPAC CEOs – Taylor Kuykendall (SP Global Market Intelligence – March 9, 2021)

March 11, 2021

https://www.spglobal.com/

A deal between a blank-check firm and a Canadian developer aims to tap into deep ocean resources to become the world’s largest producer of metals for electric-vehicle batteries while keeping its environmental footprint and costs low.

DeepGreen Metals Inc. announced March 4 that it will combine with Sustainable Opportunities Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, to create a combined entity called The Metals Co. with an estimated equity value of about $2.9 billion.

The deal with the SPAC offers DeepGreen the speed and certainty needed to move operations forward, DeepGreen Chairman and CEO Gerard Barron said in an interview with S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Feds announce $7.1M for new wind turbines at Raglan mine – by Staff (Canadian Mining Journal – March 10, 2021)

March 11, 2021

http://www.canadianminingjournal.com/

As part of its climate efforts, the federal government is providing $7.1 million to Tugliq Energy to help fund the installation of two more wind turbines at Glencore‘s (LON: GLEN) remote Raglan nickel mine.

The operation, in the Nunavik region of northern Quebec, already has two 3-MW wind turbines, one constructed in 2014, and the second in 2018. The two turbines currently generate around 10% of mine power, saving over 4 million litres of diesel every year, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12,000 tonnes.

Two more wind turbines would increase the mine’s renewable energy capacity to 12 MW and its energy storage capacity to 6 MW, and reduce diesel use by 6.6 million litres annually.

BHP moves exploration team to Toronto to grow copper, nickel pipeline – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – March 11, 2021)

March 11, 2021

https://www.mining.com/

BHP (ASX, LON, NYSE: BHP) is moving its exploration headquarters to Toronto, Canada’s most populous city, as it looks to growth its pipeline of “green metals” projects, particularly copper and nickel.

The move, announced by chief technical officer Laura Tyler, follows the world’s largest miner’s decision to partner with Midland Exploration (TSX-V: MD) in August last year to explore for nickel in northern Quebec.

Both copper and nickel have taken the centre stage in the “green revolution”, as they are vital metals needed for EVs, battery storage, charging stations and related grid infrastructure.