Canadian exploration and development company FPX Nickel has announced plans to build a nickel refinery with an annual capacity of 32 000 tons of nickel sulphate.
The company will conduct a scoping study after the results of a value engineering study for the Baptiste nickel project in central British Columbia and pilot hydrometallurgical testing. The scoping study is set for completion in the first quarter of 2025.
“Our refinery value engineering studies have substantially improved the business case and reduced the risk profile for a standalone refinery to convert awaruite concentrate into battery-grade nickel sulphate,” commented Andrew Osterloh, FPX senior vice president for projects & operations.
To demonstrate Baptiste’s strategic flexibility to also produce nickel and cobalt for the battery material supply chain, the company envisioned the development of a standalone refinery on the property in the 2023 pre-feasibility study. According to FPX, the refinery would benefit from the infrastructure, services, and labour which would be available at an integrated battery material processing hub, such as those being developed in eastern Canada and other locations worldwide.
The early-stage Baptiste project has the potential to be a high-margin, long-life, large-scale, and low-carbon mine that will produce a high-grade concentrate (60% nickel) for direct feed into the stainless steel industry or further refining into battery-grade nickel sulphate, cobalt precipitate, and copper concentrate products for the battery material supply chain. FPX expects the project would produce an average of 59 100 t/y of nickel over a 29-year mine life.
Theodor Lisovoy, Managing Editor, Rough&Polished
