Canada Nickel Closes Previously Announced US$10 Million Loan Facility with Auramet International LLC

Canada Nickel Company Inc. (" Canada Nickel " or " The Company ") (TSXV: CNC) (OTCQX: CNIKF) announces that it has closed a secured loan facility with Auramet International LLC ("Auramet") of US$10 million previously announced on December 21 2021.  The proceeds will be used to ensure the Company remains well-funded as it continues to aggressively advance the Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project through the first quarter of 2022 when the Company expects to conclude its strategic investor process.

Canada Nickel Company logo (CNW Group/Canada Nickel Company Inc.)

The loan is due on April 5, 2022 and will carry an interest rate of 1% per month and has an arrangement fee of 2% of the loan amount.  In addition, the Company has issued to Auramet 325,000 one-year warrants at a strike price of $3.94 per share, a 10% premium to the Company's 10 day VWAP when loan terms were agreed.  The term of the warrant was reduced from two years to one year, and the number of warrants increased by 75,000 to 325,000. The loan will be subject to such terms and conditions including certain specified positive and negative covenants that are customary for a transaction of this nature. The warrants will be subject to a four month hold period under applicable Canadian securities law.

About Auramet
Auramet is one of the largest physical precious metals merchants in the world with over $22 billion in annual revenues and provides a full range of services to all participants in the precious metals chain, from extraction and production to manufacturing and consumption. Auramet is a private company established in 2004 by a team who had worked previously together since 1989. Their business is comprised of three main activities: physical metals trading, metals merchant banking and advisory. Auramet has built a consistently successful and prominent franchise in the metals space on the back of an experienced management team that has proven to be innovative and capable of delivering the highest quality service to participants in the sector. In fiscal year 2020, it purchased over 6 million ounces of gold, 70 million ounces of silver and 3.2 million ounces of PGMs sourced from a diversified base of over 75 mining companies, 15 recycling companies and 20 refineries/smelters (with none comprising more than 5%). Auramet has also provided term financing facilities in excess of $850 million to date in the mining sector and is looking to grow its capital investment business in the precious metals and battery-related metals mining space.

About Canada Nickel
Canada Nickel Company Inc. is advancing the next generation of nickel-cobalt sulphide projects to deliver nickel and cobalt required to feed the high growth electric vehicle and stainless steel markets. Canada Nickel Company has successfully registered and applied for trademarks in various jurisdictions for NetZeroNickel™, NetZero Cobalt™ and NetZero Iron™ and is pursuing the development of processes to allow the production of net zero carbon nickel, cobalt, and iron products. Canada Nickel provides investors with leverage to nickel and cobalt in low political risk jurisdictions. Canada Nickel is currently anchored by its 100% owned flagship Crawford Nickel-Cobalt Sulphide Project in the heart of the prolific Timmins - Cochrane mining camp. For more information, please visit www.canadanickel.com .

Contact:
Mark Selby , Chair and CEO
Phone: 647-256-1954
Email: info@canadanickel.com

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, the metallurgical results, the timing and results of the feasibility study, the results of Crawford's PEA, including statements relating to net present value, future production, estimates of cash cost, proposed mining plans and methods, mine life estimates, cash flow forecasts, metal recoveries, carbon footprint and sequestration levels, estimates of capital and operating costs, timing for permitting and environmental assessments, realization of mineral resource estimates, capital and operating cost estimates, project and life of mine estimates, ability to obtain permitting by the time targeted, size and ranking of project upon achieving production, economic return estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production and capital, operating and exploration expenditures and potential upside and alternatives. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canada Nickel to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The PEA results are estimates only and are based on a number of assumptions, any of which, if incorrect, could materially change the projected outcome. There are no assurances that Crawford will be placed into production. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: the actual results of development activities; project delays; inability to raise the funds necessary to complete development; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future prices of metals or project costs could differ substantially and make any commercialization uneconomic; availability of alternative nickel sources or substitutes; actual nickel recovery; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, labour disputes, the availability and productivity of skilled labour and other risks of the mining industry; political instability, terrorism, insurrection or war; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, necessary permitting or in the completion of development or construction activities; mineral resource estimates relating to Crawford could prove to be inaccurate for any reason whatsoever; additional but currently unforeseen work may be required to advance to the feasibility stage; and even if Crawford goes into production, there is no assurance that operations will be profitable.

Although Canada Nickel has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Canada Nickel disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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SOURCE Canada Nickel Company Inc.

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Canada Nickel Achieves Best Drill Results to Date at Reid

Canada Nickel Achieves Best Drill Results to Date at Reid

Highlights

  • Best Reid interval to date – 661 metres of 0.29% nickel including 100 metres of 0.42% nickel and 40 metres of 0.51% nickel in REI-24-35
  • All 8 holes targeting Reid Central Core intersected core lengths greater than 620 metres with average grades of 0.21% to 0.29% nickel

Canada Nickel Company Inc. (" Canada Nickel " or the " Company ") (TSXV: CNC) (OTCQX: CNIKF) is pleased to announce positive assay results from its ongoing 2024 exploration program at its Reid property, located 37 kilometres northwest of Timmins, Ontario .

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Canada Nickel Announces Results from Crawford PGM Zone Infill Drilling Campaign

Canada Nickel Announces Results from Crawford PGM Zone Infill Drilling Campaign

Highlights

  • Successful infill drilling campaign targeted PGM Zones at Crawford with 45 holes intersecting drill intervals of > 1g/t palladium + platinum
  • Results include:
    • 2.19 g/t palladium + platinum over core length of 76.5 metres in Crawford Main Zone including 3.90 g/t over core length of 13.5 metres
    • 1.15 g/t palladium + platinum over 38.5 metres in Crawford East Zone including 2.94 g/t over core length of 4.5 metres
  • PGM results will be included in development of a Crawford PGM Zone resource estimate and incorporated into the Crawford nickel mine plan

Canada Nickel Company Inc. (" Canada Nickel " or the " Company ") (TSXV: CNC) (OTCQX: CNIKF) today announced additional results from its drilling program targeting the PGM zones that occur along the Crawford Main and East Zone boundaries and within the existing mine plan outlined in the Crawford Nickel Project feasibility study.

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Canada Nickel Provides Update on Crawford Project Optimization and Commencement of Pilot Plant Operation

Canada Nickel Provides Update on Crawford Project Optimization and Commencement of Pilot Plant Operation

Highlights

  • Testwork demonstrates opportunity for improvements in recovery from the Crawford East Zone
    • Locked cycle test delivered a 60% nickel sulphide concentrate – believed to be world's highest nickel grade sulphide concentrate produced – and a total nickel recovery of 47% exceeding the feasibility study model by 9%
    • Ten new open circuit variability tests demonstrated nickel recoveries averaging 28% higher than the feasibility study model
  • Pilot plant program initiated at SGS Lakefield

Canada Nickel Company Inc. (" Canada Nickel " or the " Company ") (TSXV:CNC) (OTCQX:CNIKF) is pleased to announce the successful completion of further metallurgical testing on Crawford East Zone material.

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Canada Nickel Company Announces Initial Deloro Nickel Sulphide Project Resource

Canada Nickel Company Announces Initial Deloro Nickel Sulphide Project Resource

Highlights:

  • First of seven new nickel resources expected to be published by end of the first quarter of 2025 demonstrating the potential scale of the Timmins Nickel District
  • Initial Deloro indicated Resource of 81 million tonnes grading 0.25% nickel containing 202kt of nickel plus a further Inferred Resource of 357 million tonnes grading 0.25% nickel containing 885kt of nickel
  • Seven exploration rigs currently drilling across the Timmins Nickel District

Canada Nickel Company Inc. (" Canada Nickel " or the " Company ") (TSXV: CNC) (OTCQB: CNIKF) today announced an initial mineral resource for its 100% owned Deloro Nickel Sulphide Project ("Deloro") near Timmins, Ontario .

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Canada Nickel Closes Previously Announced US$15 Million Loan Facility with Auramet International, Inc.

Canada Nickel Closes Previously Announced US$15 Million Loan Facility with Auramet International, Inc.

Canada Nickel Company Inc. (" Canada Nickel " or the " Company ") (TSXV: CNC) (OTCQX: CNIKF) today announced that it has closed a secured loan facility with Auramet International, Inc. ("Auramet") of US$15 million previously announced on June 24, 2024 .

Canada Nickel Company Inc. logo (CNW Group/Canada Nickel Company Inc.)

The loan is due January 9, 2025 , carries an interest rate of 1.00% per month, and is subject to a 2.5% arrangement fee.  At closing, Auramet also received 750,000 1-year warrants with a strike price of $1.42 per common share. The loan is subject to such terms and conditions including certain specified positive and negative covenants that are customary for a transaction of this nature. The warrants and the underlying shares are subject to a four month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company expects to use the proceeds from the loan for working capital purposes.

About Auramet

Auramet is one of the largest physical precious metals merchants in the world with over US$20 billion in annual revenues and which provides a full range of services to all participants in the precious metals supply chain. Auramet is a private company established in 2004 by seasoned professionals who have assembled a global team of industry specialists with over 350 years combined industry experience. Their business consists of three main activities: physical metals trading, metals merchant banking (including direct lending) and project finance advisory services. The company has built a consistently successful and prominent franchise in the metals space on the back of an experienced management team that has proven to be innovative and capable of delivering the highest quality service to participants in the sector. In fiscal year 2023 it purchased over 7 million ounces of gold, 126 million ounces of silver and 3 million ounces of PGMs, and has provided term financing facilities in excess of US$1 billion to date. Auramet is looking to grow its capital investment business in equity, royalties and streams in the precious metals and battery related metals mining space. Auramet is proud to have been awarded a Gold Medal the past two years for its ESG commitment by EcoVadis, the most trusted provider of ESG ratings with a network of more than 90,000 rated companies. For more information on Auramet, please visit www.auramet.com .

About Canada Nickel Company

Canada Nickel Company Inc. is advancing the next generation of nickel-sulphide projects to deliver nickel required to feed the high growth electric vehicle and stainless steel markets. Canada Nickel Company has applied in multiple jurisdictions to trademark the terms NetZero Nickel™, NetZero Cobalt™, NetZero Iron™ and is pursuing the development of processes to allow the production of net zero carbon nickel, cobalt, and iron products. Canada Nickel provides investors with leverage to nickel in low political risk jurisdictions. Canada Nickel is currently anchored by its 100% owned flagship Crawford Nickel-Cobalt Sulphide Project in the heart of the prolific Timmins - Cochrane mining camp. For more information, please visit www.canadanickel.com .

For further information, please contact:

Mark Selby
CEO
Phone: 647-256-1954
Email: info@canadanickel.com

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, the use of proceeds from the loan, the ability of the Company to deliver nickel required to feed the high growth electric vehicle and stainless steel markets, and the development of processes to allow the production of net zero carbon nickel, cobalt, and iron products. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canada Nickel to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. There are no assurances that Crawford will be placed into production. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: inability to repay the loan or comply with the covenants set out in the loan agreement; the actual results of development activities; project delays; inability to raise the funds necessary to complete development; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future prices of metals or project costs could differ substantially and make any commercialization uneconomic; availability of alternative nickel sources or substitutes; actual nickel recovery; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in applicable laws; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, labour disputes, the availability and productivity of skilled labour and other risks of the mining industry; political instability, terrorism, insurrection or war; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, necessary permitting or in the completion of development or construction activities; mineral resource estimates relating to Crawford could prove to be inaccurate for any reason whatsoever; additional but currently unforeseen work may be required to advance to the feasibility stage; and even if Crawford goes into production, there is no assurance that operations will be profitable. Although Canada Nickel has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Canada Nickel disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cision View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canada-nickel-closes-previously-announced-us15-million-loan-facility-with-auramet-international-inc-302192435.html

SOURCE Canada Nickel Company Inc.

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Grid Battery Metals (TSXV:CELL)

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Nickel Investor Report

Nickel Investor Report

2024 Nickel Outlook Report

Five times the amount of nickel will be needed to meet global demand by 2050. Don't miss out on investing in a metal that is crucial to the EV revolution!

The Investing News Network spoke with analysts, market watchers and insiders to get the scoop on the trends and stocks that you need to watch to stay ahead of the markets in 2024.

Table of Contents:

  • Nickel Price Update: Q1 2024 in Review
  • Nickel Price Update: Q2 2024 in Review
  • Top 3 Canadian Nickel Stocks of 2024
Nickel Outlook

A Sneak Peek At What The Insiders Are Saying

“Global nickel consumption is expected to increase due to recovery of the stainless steel sector and increased usage of nickel in EV batteries. Batteries now account for almost 17 percent of total nickel demand, behind stainless steel."

— Ewa Manthey, ING

"While LME nickel prices are expected to find support from a weaker US dollar in 2024 as the Federal Reserve eases monetary policy, we expect prices to remain subdued as further primary nickel output growth from Indonesia and China keeps the market in a surplus for the third consecutive year."

— Jason Sappor, S&P Global Commodity Insights.


Who We Are

The Investing News Network is a growing network of authoritative publications delivering independent, unbiased news and education for investors. We deliver knowledgeable, carefully curated coverage of a variety of markets including gold, cannabis, biotech and many others. This means you read nothing but the best from the entire world of investing advice, and never have to waste your valuable time doing hours, days or weeks of research yourself.

At the same time, not a single word of the content we choose for you is paid for by any company or investment advisor: We choose our content based solely on its informational and educational value to you, the investor.

So if you are looking for a way to diversify your portfolio amidst political and financial instability, this is the place to start. Right now.

Nickel and the Battery Boom in 2024

Nickel Price Update: Q1 2024 in Review

At the start of the year, experts were predicting that nickel prices would be rangebound in 2024.

With the first quarter in the books, that story seems to largely be playing out. After opening the year at US$16,600 per metric ton (MT) on January 2, nickel was stable during January and February. However, March brought volatility to the sector, with strong gains pushing the base metal to a quarterly high of US$18,165 on March 13.

Nickel's price rise failed to hold, and it once again dropped below the US$17,000 mark by the end of the month. Ultimately, the metal fell to US$16,565 on March 28, resulting in a slight loss for the quarter.

Indonesian supply dampens nickel prices

Lackluster pricing in the nickel market is largely the result of the metal's ongoing oversupply position.

The largest factor is elevated production from Indonesia, which is the top producer of the metal by far. The country produced 1.8 million MT of nickel in 2023, according to the US Geological Survey, representing half of global supply.

Indonesia's output has climbed exponentially over the past decade, and has been exacerbated by government initiatives that placed strict limits on the export of raw materials to encourage investment in production and refinement.

In an email to the Investing News Network (INN), Exploration Insights Editor Joe Mazumdar wrote, “The growth in electric vehicle (EV) production and the escalating demand for nickel in batteries prompted the Indonesian government to mandate increased local refining and manufacturing capacity from companies operating in the country.”

Despite the lower quality of material coming from Indonesia, the investment was made to shore up supply lines for Chinese battery makers and was earmarked for EV production. However, EV demand has waned through 2023 and into 2024 due to high interest rates, range anxiety and charging capacity, increasing nickel stockpiles.

A report on the nickel market provided by Jason Sappor, senior analyst with the metals and mining research team at S&P Global Commodity Insights, shows that short positions began to accumulate through February and early March on speculation that Indonesian producers were cutting operating rates due to a lack of raw material from mines.

The lack of mined nickel, which helped push prices up, was caused by delays from a new government approval process for mining output quotas that was implemented by Indonesia in September 2023. The new system will allow mining companies to apply for approvals every three years instead of every year. However, the implementation has been slow, and faced further delays while the country went through general elections.

The nickel market found additional support on speculation that the US government was eyeing sanctions on nickel supply out of Russia. Base metals were ultimately not included in the late February sanctions, and prices for the metal began to decline through the end of March as Indonesian quota approvals accelerated.

Western nickel producers cut output on low prices

According to Macquarie Capital data provided by Mazumdar, 35 percent of nickel production is unprofitable at prices below US$18,000, with that number jumping to 75 percent at the US$15,000 level.

Mazumdar indicated that nickel pricing challenges have led to cuts from Australian producers like First Quantum Minerals (TSX:FM,OTC Pink:FQVLF) and Wyloo Metals, which both announced the suspension of their respective Ravensthorpe and Kambalda nickel-mining operations. Additionally, major Australian nickel producer BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) is considering cuts of its own.

Nickel price, Q1 2024.

Nickel price, Q1 2024.

Chart via the London Metal Exchange.

Meanwhile, the nickel industry in French territory New Caledonia is facing severe difficulties due to faltering prices.

The French government has been in talks with Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF), Eramet (EPA:ERA) and raw materials trader Trafigura, which have significant stakes in nickel producers in the country, and has offered a 200 million euro bailout package for the nation's nickel industry. The French government set a March 28 deadline for New Caledonia to agree to its rescue package, but a decision had not yet been reached as of April 11.

Earlier this year, Glencore announced plans to shutter and search for a buyer for its New Caledonia-based Koniambo Nickel operation, which it said has yet to turn a profit and is unsustainable even with government assistance.

For its part, Trafigura has declined to contribute bailout capital for its 19 percent stake in Prony Resources Nouvelle-Caledonie and its Goro mine in the territory, which is forcing Prony to find a new investor before it will be able to secure government funding. On April 10, Eramet reached its own deal with France for its subsidiary SLN’s nickel operations in New Caledonia; the transaction will see the company extend financial guarantees to SLN.

The situation has exacerbated tensions over New Caledonia's independence from France, with opponents of the agreement arguing it risks the territory's sovereignty and that the mining companies aren’t contributing enough to bailing out the mines, which employ thousands. Reports on April 10 indicate that protests have turned violent.

While cuts from Australian and New Caledonian miners aren’t expected to shift the market away from its surplus position, Mazumdar expects it will help to maintain some price stability in the market.

“The most recent forecast projects demand (7 percent CAGR) will grow at a slower pace than supply (8 percent CAGR) over the next several years, which should generate more market surpluses,” he said.

Miners seek "green nickel" premium for western products

In an email to INN, Ewa Manthey, commodities strategist at financial services provider ING, suggested western nickel producers are in a challenging position, even as they make cuts to production.

“The recent supply curtailments also limit the supply alternatives to the dominance of Indonesia, where the majority of production is backed by Chinese investment. This comes at a time when the US and the EU are looking to reduce their dependence on third countries to access critical raw materials, including nickel,” she said.

This was affirmed by Mazumdar, who said the US is working to combat the situation through a series of subsidies designed to encourage western producers and aid in the development of new critical minerals projects.

“The US Inflation Reduction Act promotes via subsidies sourcing of critical minerals and EV parts from countries with which it has a free trade agreement or a bilateral agreement. Indonesia and China do not have free trade agreements with the US,” he said. Mazumdar went on to suggest that the biggest benefactors of this plan will be Australia and Canada, but noted that with prices remaining depressed, multibillion-dollar projects will struggle to get off the ground.

Western producer shope their material may eventually see a "green nickel" premium that plays into their focus on ESG. However, this idea hasn’t gained much traction. The London Metal Exchange (LME) believes the green nickel market is too small to warrant its own futures contract, and Mazumdar said much the same. “There is little evidence that a premium for ‘green nickel’ producers or developers has much momentum, although an operation with low carbon emissions may have a better chance of getting funding from institutional investors in western countries,” he noted.

Even though there might not be much interest in green nickel on the LME, there are vocal proponents, including Wyloo’s CEO, Luca Giacovazzi. He sees the premium as being essential for the industry, and has said participants should be looking for a new marketplace if the LME is unwilling to pursue a separate listing for green nickel.

The calls for a premium have largely come from western producers that incur higher labor and production costs to meet ESG initiatives, which is happening less amongst their counterparts in China, Indonesia and Russia.

Western producers were caught off guard early in March as PT CNGR Ding Xing New Energy, a joint venture between China’s CNGR Advanced Material (SHA:300919) and Indonesia’s Rigqueza International, applied to be listed as a “good delivery brand” on the LME. The designation would allow the company, which produces Class 1 nickel, to be recognized as meeting responsible sourcing guidelines set by the LME.

If it is approved, which is considered likely, the company would be the first Indonesian firm to be represented on the LME. There has been pushback from western miners on the basis of ESG and responsible resourcing challenges.

Investor takeaway

As the nickel market faces strong production from Indonesia, experts expect more of the same for prices.

“Looking ahead, we believe nickel prices are likely to remain under pressure, at least in the near term, amid a weak macro picture and a sustained market surplus,” Manthey said. The continued surplus may provide some opportunities for investors looking to get into a critical minerals play at a lower cost, but a reversal may take some time.

Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.

Additional information on Nickel stocks investing — FREE

Nickel Price Update: Q2 2024 in Review

The first quarter of the year saw the nickel price under threat from a market glut as Indonesian supply flooded the market, forcing western producers to begin cutting production amid low profitability.

March brought a great deal of volatility, with nickel breaking through the US$18,000 per metric ton (MT) mark; however, by April 1 the base metal had once again slumped, opening the second quarter at US$16,568.

As Q2 progressed, commodities saw broad gains and nickel hit a year-to-date high of US$21,615 on May 20.

After reaching that high point, nickel couldn't find support and fell rapidly to close the second quarter at US$17,291. Since then, the price of nickel has continued to decline, approaching yearly lows of US$16,090 on July 30.

Nickel prices, April 1 to August 8, 2024.

Nickel prices, April 1 to August 8, 2024.

Chart via Trading Economics.

Russian nickel faces western sanctions

During Q1, nickel prices were negatively affected as Indonesian producers continued to flood the market; however, the base metal began seeing positive momentum as the country experienced delays in approving mining output quotas, and amid speculation that Russian nickel could be sanctioned by the US and UK.

Ultimately, nickel wasn't sanctioned by those countries at the time, and as mining quotas began to work their way through Indonesian red tape, nickel prices once again experienced declines.

However, momentum began to shift again for nickel at the start of Q2. On April 12, news broke that Washington and London had banned US and UK metal exchanges from admitting new aluminum, copper and nickel from Russia. Taking immediate effect, the prohibitions also halted the import of those metals.

In July, the London Metal Exchange extended trading sanctions to Russian miner Norlisk Nickel’s Finnish operations for the trading of briquettes and cathodes; these restrictions are set to come into effect in October.

Joe Mazumdar, editor of Exploration Insights, suggested this move will have little impact on the sector.

“That nickel is still going to make it into the market, it’s just going to go to a different exchange, probably Shanghai … So I could still see that nickel moving and getting consumed in the global market — it’s just not coming to the west,” he explained to the Investing News Network in an interview.

Nickel continued to climb through April and May as a combination of factors drove metals prices more broadly. Dovish statements from the US Federal Reserve helped provide momentum, as did cooling inflation data.

Ultimately nickel prices fell back, with London Metal Exchange stockpiles of the metal increasing through the second quarter, rising from 77,604 MT on April 1 to 95,436 MT on June 28.

Western nickel producers cut output amid low prices

The overhang in the nickel market caused producers to begin curtailing their production in the early part of the year. This trend continued into the second quarter as more producers started to slow output or shut mines altogether.

Among the hardest-hit regions in the latest round of closures has been Australia, where low prices and high operating costs forced First Quantum Minerals (TSX:FM,OTC Pink:FQVLF) to place its Ravensthorpe operations on care and maintenance at the end of April. The mine had been operating at lower capacity through the start of the year as it worked through aboveground stockpiles and used a lower-cost atmospheric leach circuit to process ore.

BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP), which had been considering cuts earlier in the year, announced on July 11 that it would be suspending operations at its Nickel West operations and West Musgrave project.

In its announcement, it cites oversupply in the global nickel market and indicates consensus that nickel prices will be lower over the next half-decade due to growth in alternative, low-cost supply. BHP said it would begin transitioning its operations starting immediately, with the full suspension being completed between October and December of this year. The company notes that the closure is temporary and said it will review its decision in February 2027.

Mazumdar explained that Indonesia has a competitive advantage, but as more operations begin to cut production it will start to eat into the market surplus, which will be a positive for the nickel market.

“They can’t compete on a cost basis with Indonesia, nobody can. So Indonesia continues to oversupply the market, and now there’s an overhang. What happens is once you get these production cuts, there’s less supply in the market and then that overhang will recede. That’s the best thing that can happen to the nickel market,” he said.

Can government incentives boost western nickel output?

Amid these challenges, the US has set up a number of programs, including tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), to bolster domestic and allied production of nickel and other critical minerals.

The IRA was announced in 2022, but more recently, the Biden administration authorized the US Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Financing Program, which establishes a US$72 billion fund that will be used to provide guaranteed loans to “projects that increase the domestically produced supply of critical minerals.”

Mazumdar doesn’t think incentives like this will be enough to get new projects into the nickel space.

“The west can offer cheap loans to get people to build it, but they’re not going to make any money to pay back the loan no matter how cheap it is unless they give them a grant,” he said.

He explained that to get these projects off the ground, the nickel price would need to go higher to incentivize development, or governments would need to provide a guaranteed price to buy the nickel and build their own stockpiles.

Back-and-forth pressures between government initiatives and Chinese dominance have created a bifurcated market and left Indonesia with few options to diversify its exports, even as it negotiates a trade partnership with the US.

This has led to attempts from Indonesia to restructure investment deals with Chinese firms that would allow Indonesian nickel products to qualify for incentives under the IRA.

What factors are driving nickel demand?

Despite the nickel market's oversupply, there is still high demand, much of it from China.

China is the largest consumer of nickel in the world, accounting for around 65 percent of total consumption, with the bulk of it destined for steel products. However, as China’s real estate market has stalled out, so too has demand for steel products, with consumption slumping 3.3 percent during the first half of the year.

Total 2024 consumption is projected to fall to around 900 million MT, down from 933.4 million MT in 2023.

Despite the decline, nickel demand has been bolstered by increasing sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in recent years. Even though reports indicated that demand for BEVs had waned at the start of 2024, growth in the segment has remained resilient, with BEVs' global share of the light vehicle market expected to reach 19.2 percent in 2024.

In China, the uptake has also been enormous, with sales from Chinese BEV producer BYD (OTC Pink:BYDDF,SZSE:002594) projected to exceed those of North American rival Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) in 2024.

Additionally, demand for hybrid vehicles is expected to exceed demand for traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. While batteries for hybrids aren’t as large, they still use more nickel than ICE vehicles.

The amount of nickel used in batteries has been increasing in recent years as consumers demand greater range. BEVs use 25.3 kilograms of nickel on average, while hybrids use an average of 6.5 kilograms.

What will happen to the nickel price in 2024?

While production cuts should bring the market more into balance, the nickel price is likely to be determined by supply coming from Indonesia and demand from Chinese steel and battery production.

Even though governments have created initiatives to stimulate western production, they’re not likely to have much ability to increase mining operations as long as nickel prices remain depressed.

As pricing for nickel bottoms out, there may be opportunities for investors who are willing to be patient; however, it could be some time before prices rebound sufficiently for miners to begin restarting their operations.

Long-term predictions show nickel in the US$17,000 range for 2024, slowly improving to US$23,000 level in 2028.

Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.

Additional information on Nickel stocks investing — FREE

Top 3 Canadian Nickel Stocks of 2024

After trending down in 2023, nickel prices climbed to a 10 month high in late May; however, they've since pulled back. While this environment has been tough for nickel companies, some stocks are still thriving.

Supply is expected to outflank demand over the short term, but the longer-term outlook for the metal is strong. Demand from the electric vehicle industry is one reason nickel's future looks bright further into the future.

“Global nickel consumption is expected to increase due to recovery of the stainless steel sector and increased usage of nickel in electric vehicle batteries. Batteries now account for almost 17 percent of total nickel demand, behind stainless steel," Ewa Manthey, commodities strategist at financial services firm ING, said in the lead-up to 2024.

“The metal’s appeal to investors as a key green metal will support higher prices in the longer term."

As for Canada's nickel market, the critical metal is listed as one of the top priorities in the Canadian government's Critical Minerals Strategy, which was announced in 2023. The country is the world's fifth largest producer of nickel, with much of its production coming from mines in Ontario's Sudbury Basin, including Vale’s (NYSE:VALE) Sudbury operation and Glencore's (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF) Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations.

In February, Canada Nickel Company (TSXV:CNC,OTCQX:CNIKF) announced its subsidiary NetZero Metals is planning to develop a US$1 billion nickel processing plant in Ontario that will become North America’s largest once complete.

How are Canadian nickel stocks performing in 2024? Below are the top nickel stocks in Canada on the TSXV and CSE by share price performance so far this year. TSX stocks were considered, but didn't make the cut.

All year-to-date and share price data was obtained on July 30, 2024, using TradingView’s stock screener. The top nickel stocks listed had market caps above C$10 million at that time.

1. Class 1 Nickel and Technologies (CSE:NICO)

Company Profile

Year-to-date gain: 233.33 percent; market cap: C$32.66 million; share price: C$0.20

Class 1 Nickel and Technologies' flagship property is its Alexo-Dundonald nickel project near Timmins, Ontario. The past-producing asset hosts four nickel sulfide deposits. The company’s pipeline also includes the past-producing Somanike nickel-copper project near Val-d’Or, Québec, and the River Valley platinum-group metals project near Sudbury, Ontario.

Class 1 Nickel released resource estimate updates for the Alexo South and Alexo North deposits in April and May of this year, respectively. The company said it expects to start work on a preliminary economic assessment for Alexo-Dundonald in the near term as part of its plan to bring the asset back into production.

The Canadian nickel exploration company's share price started off the year at C$0.06, and it began climbing in April to reach a year-to-date high of C$0.21 on July 26.

2. Power Nickel (TSXV:PNPN)

Company Profile

Year-to-date gain: 158.33 percent; market cap: C$119.22 million; share price: C$0.62

Power Nickel is developing its 80 percent owned Nisk polymetallic property in Québec, which hosts nickel, copper, platinum and palladium mineralization. According to the company, it plans to create Canada's first carbon-neutral nickel mine. The polymetallic nature of the project is a plus for the economic case for future nickel production in a low price environment.

This ongoing work has generated positive news flow for the company so far in 2024. After starting the year at C$0.24, Power Nickel began gaining in mid-April following two key announcements. First came drill results from the newly discovered Lion zone 5 kilometers northeast of the main Nisk deposit. Shortly after, the company announced the completion of its option to earn an 80 percent stake in Nisk from Critical Elements Lithium (TSXV:CRE,OTCQX:CRECF).

Power Nickel’s share price jumped more than 15 percent on May 10 to reach C$0.64 following news that drilling continued to expand the high-grade, near-surface Lion discovery, with notable assays including 14.42 meters at 0.59 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold, 69.14 g/t silver, 8.17 percent copper, 6.25 g/t palladium, 8.44 g/t platinum and 0.58 percent nickel.

In June, Power Nickel commenced an 8,000 meter summer drill program at Nisk, and closed a flow-through offering for gross proceeds of over C$20 million. Some of the biggest names in mining — Robert Friedland and Rob McEwen — participated. The company continued to climb before peaking at a year-to-date high of C$0.88 on June 21.

3. EV Nickel (TSXV:EVNI)

Company Profile

Year-to-date gain: 83.33 percent; market cap: C$48.01 million; share price: C$0.55

EV Nickel’s primary project is the 30,000 hectare Shaw Dome asset near Timmins, Ontario. The property includes the high-grade W4 deposit, which has a resource of 2 million metric tons at 0.98 percent nickel for 43.3 million pounds of Class 1 nickel across the measured, indicated and inferred categories.

Shaw Dome also holds the large-scale CarLang A zone, which has a resource of 1 billion metric tons at 0.24 percent nickel for 5.3 billion pounds of Class 1 nickel across the indicated and inferred categories.

EV Nickel is working on integrating carbon capture and storage technology for large-scale clean nickel production, and has procured funding from the Canadian government and Ontario's provincial government. In late 2023, the company announced it was moving its carbon capture research and development to the pilot plant stage.

The company's news so far in 2024 includes the closure of a flow-through financing in March that ultimately saw EV Nickel raise C$5.12 million to fund the development of its high-grade, large-scale nickel resources.

In April, EV Nickel launched its 2024 exploration program, which is aimed at advancing the CarLang trend and exploring other nickel targets. The most recent news out of the program came in mid-June with the announcement that diamond drilling on the Langmuir 2 high-priority nickel target had commenced, and plans were in place to begin drilling on high-grade nickel targets contained within the Shaw Dome project starting in mid-June.

The Canadian nickel exploration company's share price started off the year at C$0.30 before steadily climbing to reach a year-to-date high of C$0.79 on May 17.

Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: Canada Nickel Company is a client of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.

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