(Kitco News) - Brazilian Nickel, the privately held UK company developing a nickel laterite heap leach project in Brazil, announced today that, after an 18 month construction and commissioning period, continuous nickel production has begun from the Piauí nickel project (“PNP”).
The company said that the first nickel hydroxide product (“NHP”) was produced from the world’s first stand-alone nickel laterite heap leaching operation, adding that this initial production from the PNP1000 will ramp up to produce 1,400 tonnes per annum of nickel in NHP and this is the first step towards much high production rates later.
According to the company’s statement, annual production guidance from PNP1000 for 2022 is 300 tonnes of nickel and 3 tonnes of cobalt, while anticipated annual production for 2023 is 1,400 tonnes of nickel and 35 tonnes of cobalt.
CEO Mike Oxley stated, “We are a producer! Although only a junior mining company with a small team and budget, we have successfully put the PNP1000 into operation. The production of nickel and cobalt at PNP1000 is a great achievement for the company. We are particularly proud to be bringing online a new stream of critical metals in this current environment where there is a growing need for a secure supply of nickel and cobalt which is required in green technologies, such as electric vehicles and solar panels.”
Brazilian Nickel is a privately held UK company established in May 2013 to develop nickel laterite heap leach projects worldwide, beginning with its flagship project in Brazil.
The Piauí nickel project is an advanced-staged battery metals project. The key environmental permits (Licenças Previas) have been awarded for the larger scale project which envisages production of nickel and cobalt hydroxide products.
