Beleggen in nikkel

[nobody]

Canada Nickel reports best results at Reid property in Ontario

Canada Nickel (TSXV: CNC) has announced assay results from its 2024 exploration program at the Reid property, located 37 km northwest of Timmins, Ontario. The best interval reported is 661 metres of 0.29% nickel, including 100 metres of 0.42% nickel and 40 metres of 0.51% nickel in drill hole REI-24-35.

All eight holes targeting the central core at Reid intersected lengths greater than 620 metres, with nickel grades ranging from 0.21% to 0.29%.

A total of 34 holes have been drilled at Reid this year, all of which intersected mineralized dunite and minor peridotite. Assay results are complete for 18 holes, with 13 announced Aug. 8 and results for the remaining holes still pending.

Results for five holes were previously released on March 18 and May 6, 2024.

“With a target geophysical footprint larger than our flagship Crawford project and a width in the central core more than double Crawford, we look forward to the initial resource estimate for Reid expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2024,” Canada Nickel CEO Mark Selby said in a news release.

Currently, seven drill rigs are active, targeting Reaume, Reid, Mann Central, Mann Northwest-SE and Mann Northwest-NE.

The Reid property is situated 16 km southwest of the Crawford nickel project, which is under construction. Crawford’s feasibility study, published late last year, includes a carbon capture process that will be used at the mill, as well as by third parties.

The first production at Crawford is planned by year-end 2027, with an expected annual output of 45,000 tonnes of nickel.

https://www.mining.com/canada-nickel-re ... n-ontario/

[nobody]

Chalice downsizes board, cuts costs amid nickel prices slump

Australia’s Chalice Mining (ASX: CHN) became on Friday the latest nickel player forced to take steps towards reducing costs amid a sharp decline in the price of the metal, crucial for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Chalice announced a series of measures aimed at mitigating the impact of weak nickel prices, including reducing the its board size to four members from six. It also said that is implementing targeted cuts in corporate overheads and project expenditures.

The move, which will cut the company’s monthly expenditures from A$2.4 million to A$1 million ($1.6m to $672k), means the company will fail to meet its diversity goals as the two board members dismissed were the only female directors — Linda Kenyon and Jo Gaines.

In its 2023 annual report, Chalice said it had 29% female representation on its board and pledged to at least maintain this level.

“The company extends its sincere thanks to Linda and Jo for their significant contributions over several years and wishes them the very best in the future,” it said in the statement.

These measures, Chalice said, are part of a strategy to maintain a strong financial position and continue advancing the wholly-owned Gonneville project, as well as pursuing targeted exploration activities.

Investors reacted positively to the news, with the stock closing up 5.14% at A$1.13 a share. This leaves Chalice with a market capitalization of A$437.66 million ($295m).

Nickel prices dropped 40% last year, extending losses into 2024. The metal fell a further 2.02% this week, closing at $16,657 per tonne on Friday, according to data from Markets Insider.

The market conditions have pressured miners, including the world’s largest mining company BHO (ASX: BHP) to halt operations and projects, and to reassess their financial strategies.

Anglo American (LON: AAL) is exploring options to either divest or close down its nickel division, while Glencore (LON: GLEN) has decided to suspend and sell some of its operations on the islands of New Caledonia.

Australian producers have long been key suppliers of refined nickel, which influences prices on the LME. In January 2023, Australia accounted for 72% of the nickel in the exchange’s warehousing network, but by June this share had dropped to 29%.

According to the International Nickel Study Group (INSG), mined nickel production declined by 6% in June compared to the same month last year, reaching an annualized rate of 3.7 million tonnes. While output increased by 3% in both Indonesia and the Philippines, this growth was outweighed by major declines in other top producing nations such as Russia, Canada, Australia, China, and New Caledonia.

The INSG also noted that global primary nickel supply decreased by 2% year-on-year to 3.4 million tonnes, while nickel demand rose by 5% to the same level, resulting in an apparent market surplus of 37,000 tonnes annually.

https://www.mining.com/chalice-downsize ... ces-slump/

[nobody]

Is Europe’s Economic Future in Peril? The Shocking Impact of Indonesia’s Nickel Ban on Europe!

VOC

Indonesia’s bold decision to ban the export of raw nickel ore has sent shockwaves through global markets, with significant implications for industries worldwide. As the world’s largest producer of nickel, Indonesia's move to assert greater control over this critical resource is reshaping the landscape of global trade.

The ban, grounded in Indonesia's Law No. 3-2020, aims to promote domestic value-added processing and economic empowerment, challenging the traditional power dynamics that have long favored foreign industries.

Nickel is indispensable in the production of stainless steel and electric vehicle (EV) batteries, making this policy shift particularly impactful for European industries, especially the automotive sector. As Europe aggressively transitions to electric vehicles, the reliance on Indonesian nickel has become more pronounced.

The ban threatens to disrupt supply chains, potentially leading to higher costs, production delays, and economic instability across various sectors, including aerospace and construction.

Historically, Indonesia has been subjected to resource exploitation by European colonial powers, a practice that has entrenched economic dependency. By halting the export of raw nickel, Indonesia is not only seeking to break this cycle but also to ensure that the benefits of its natural resources are retained within the country. President Joko Widodo has emphasized that this policy is a move towards economic self-determination and sustainable development.

The European Union's legal challenge against Indonesia at the World Trade Organization (WTO) highlights the tension between traditional global trade practices and the emerging trend of resource-rich nations asserting greater sovereignty. As European industries scramble to adapt, they may be forced to innovate or seek alternative sources of nickel, potentially accelerating advancements in recycling technologies and alternative materials.

Indonesia’s nickel ban is a watershed moment in its economic history, reflecting a broader shift towards resource sovereignty and more equitable global trade practices. As this policy unfolds, it is set to have lasting effects not only on Indonesia’s economy but also on the global economic order, challenging the established norms and potentially paving the way for a more balanced and sustainable approach to resource management.

[nobody]

Nickel flowing to Europe shows Indonesia’s grip on global supply

European makers of stainless steel are turning to Indonesia for nickel as the country’s booming output forces plants in other countries to shutter.

Exports to Europe of Indonesian nickel pig iron — an ingredient for stainless steel used primarily by Chinese producers — to Europe have surged to 87,485 tons this year from just 1,006 tons in 2023, according to Indonesian government data. The Netherlands, Italy and the UK have taken the shipments, the data show.

The swelling exports reflect Indonesia’s growing dominance of the nickel market, with its output now accounting for more than half of the world’s total. European mills typically use ferronickel, a higher-purity alloy than nickel pig iron, but many plants that make it have shut down due to competition from Indonesia.

Those include plants in New Caledonia and the Dominican Republic, which were formerly significant exporters of ferronickel to Europe. Meanwhile, imports from Russia, formerly a major supplier of purer forms of nickel also used for stainless steel, have been curtailed since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

That’s a headache for European stainless-steel producers trying to source the metal without sacrificing their green credentials. Indonesia’s nickel industry has been criticized for its association with environmental destruction, lax safety standards, and high carbon intensity, which has deterred some companies from buying it.

Producers shipping nickel products from Indonesia to Europe include Gunbuster Nickel Industry, owned by China’s ailing Jiangsu Delong Nickel Industry Co., and local firm PT Trimegah Bangun Persada, better known as Harita Nickel, according to people familiar with the matter.

Lukito Gozali, head of investor relations at Harita Nickel, said the firm was always open to the opportunities to work with customers globally. A spokesperson for Gunbuster Nickel Industry didn’t respond to an emailed request for comment.

China’s economic woes could also be undermining demand for the metal and driving shipments to Europe as producers are forced to diversify. Asia’s largest economy has long bought the lion’s share of Indonesia’s nickel, but consumption of stainless steel there is flagging due to its struggling property and industrial sectors.

(By Eddie Spence)

https://www.mining.com/web/nickel-flowi ... al-supply/

[nobody]

Nornickel opens EV battery R&D centre

Russia’s Nornickel opened an R&D centre in St. Petersburg on Monday to study the use of nickel-containing cathode active materials in electric batteries, marking the first stage of the Russian firm’s entry into battery production.

The company, a major producer of high-grade nickel, said that the launch “is expected to lay the groundwork for future projects aimed at establishing production facilities in the battery materials sector.”

Nornickel, which reported a 22% fall in first-half profit on Aug. 23 due to weak nickel prices, logistical difficulties, and issues related to cross-border payments, is closely looking at the EV batteries sector.

Nornickel’s Vice President for Innovations, Vitaly Busko, said the move to open an R&D centre also “aligns with Russia’s goals of ensuring a full-cycle battery production for electric transportation.”

Busko told the Russian media at the launch event that the company will decide within one year whether to open a cathode active materials production facility. He said that the company is looking for a possible location for such a facility.

Nornickel’s CEO, Vladimir Potanin, said in April that the company planned to develop a nickel supply chain in the EV batteries sector and create joint ventures with Chinese EV battery producers.

Potanin also named Russia’s nuclear power monopoly, Rosatom, as a potential partner for an EV battery venture in Russia.

The company also said it is looking for ways to integrate in the global EV battery production as a way to weaken the impact of the Western sanctions against Russia on its business.

In July, sources told Reuters that Nornickel is in talks with several Chinese battery companies to build a plant jointly producing nickel material from Russian semi-finished products.

EV batteries are charged and discharged by the flow of lithium ions between the graphite-containing anode and the cathode. Cathodes contain nickel, which delivers high energy density, allowing the vehicle to travel further.

(By Anastasia Lyrchikova and Gleb Bryanski; Editing by David Evans)

https://www.mining.com/web/nornickel-op ... rd-center/

[nobody]

Fathom Nickel CEO Ian Fraser Discusses High-Resolution Geophysical Survey Results at Gochager Lake

Proactive Investors

Fathom Nickel CEO Ian Fraser joined Steve Darling from Proactive to announce the results of an unmanned drone high-resolution geophysical survey at the Gochager Lake Property during a discussion with Proactive.

Conducted on August 7, the survey covered 367.2 line-kilometers and utilized drone technology for cost-efficient, high-resolution magnetic data collection. The survey, flown over a 9.58 km² area, included traverse and tie lines spaced at 30 meters and 300 meters respectively.

The survey confirmed the effectiveness of UAV technology in capturing valuable geophysical insights, correlating well with soil geochemistry data from June 2024. One notable feature identified is an intriguing "eye-like" signal within the expanded footprint of the survey area, which may indicate a dilatant zone within a broad regional feature.

This feature could potentially represent the magma conduit of the historic Gochager Lake deposit. Fraser emphasized that these results significantly enhance the company’s understanding of the structural complexity of the deposit area, further aiding future exploration efforts.