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Nickel sulphide explorer Nordic Nickel Limited (ASX: NNL; Nordic, or the Company) is pleased to report the final assay results from the 2023 drilling program at the Hotinvaara Prospect at its 100%-owned flagship Pulju project, situated in Northern Finland (Pulju, or the Project) within the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt (CLGB). The Company completed 28 diamond drill-holes for 15,432m as part of its maiden drilling program at the Project.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Nordic Nickel continues to discover substantial extensions to its Hotinvaara resource and vector in on higher grade nickel sulphide zones, based on assays received from the final five diamond drill holes of the 2023 drilling program.
- Additional extensive zones of disseminated nickel sulphide containing zones of higher-grade nickel sulphides, with significant results including:
- HOT016 – strongest nickel mineralisation reported to date at Hotinvaara:
- 91.7m @ 0.22% Ni from 1.6m; and
- 164.15m @ 0.20% Ni from 216m; and
- 26.4m @ 0.59% Ni from 412.6m, including:
- 6.1m @ 0.74% Ni from 412.6m; and
- 4m @ 0.77% Ni from 420m; and
- 3.35m @ 0.91% Ni from 428m, including:
- 1.2m @ 1.02% Ni from 428m; and
- 2m @ 0.52% Ni from 433m
- HOT028
- 125.7m @ 0.19% Ni from 152.3m; and
- 54.25m @ 0.22% Ni from 319.55m, including:
- 5.8m @ 0.57% Ni from 322.25m
- HOT027
- 99.1m @ 0.22% Ni from 4.7m
- HOT015
- 64.3m @ 0.19% Ni from 220.3m; and
- 57.35m @ 0.17% Ni from 331.9m
- HOT016 – strongest nickel mineralisation reported to date at Hotinvaara:
- Results confirm significant nickel sulphide mineralisation outside the current Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”), with an updated MRE due in Q1 2024.
- Presence of higher grade zones reinforces the fertility of the system and provides vectors for follow-up drilling next year.
- Partial leach assaying further confirms the predominance of nickel in sulphide.
- Hotinvaara Prospect represents just 2% of the total prospective mineralised belt within the broader Pulju Project.
- Planning and consultation with key stakeholders underway for 2024 winter drill program.
Final assays have been received for a further five drill holes, which were designed to expand the limits of the current resource and target a series of modelled geophysical anomalies (electromagnetic (EM) and magnetic).
The results have confirmed a large extension of the mineralised system coincident with the Hotinsaajo magnetic anomaly and the potential for the mineral system to contain high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation such as that intersected in HOT016 (Figure 1, Table 1 & Appendix 1).
Figure 1. Collar plan showing Nordic’s drilling (purple dots and histograms) and historical drilling (grey dots). Drill holes reported in this release highlighted in green text. Composite assay intersections shown (cut-off: >1,500ppm Ni-total; max. 6m internal dilution). Cross-sections A – A’, B – B’, C – C’ and D – D’ see Figs. 2 – 5.
Management Comment
Nordic Nickel Managing Director, Todd Ross, said: “It’s great to finish the year with one of the widest zones of higher grade nickel sulphide mineralisation seen at the project. This is a very encouraging indication of the fertility and endowment of the system, providing clear evidence that Hotinvaara has the potential to host large accumulations of high grade nickel sulphides.
“While work is continuing on an update to the current Mineral Resource Estimate, the team is now also actively engaged in a detailed review of the data generated from the 2023 drill program.
“The focus now is on building our understanding of the controls and orientation of the mineralisation by developing interpretive cross-sections across the deposit and matching this information with what we know about the broader structural geological context and position of the drilled intercepts within the mineralising system.
“With the help of some of the most experienced nickel exploration geologists in the business, we are working towards a refined geological model which will help us to more accurately design and target the next round of holes to hopefully lead us towards a breakthrough discovery. The final batch of assays has delivered some real encouragement that we are now moving much closer to achieving that objective.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire Nordic team, both in Finland and Australia, for their hard work during the year – and also to acknowledge the support of our loyal shareholders. We are very excited about what 2024 will deliver for the Company.”
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This article includes content from Nordic Nickel, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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Nordic Nickel
Investor Insight
Nordic Nickel presents investors an opportunity to gain exposure to the European Union’s critical minerals play, with its highly prospective nickel deposit at its flagship Pulju project in Northern Finland - a tier 1 jurisdiction with a long mining history.
Overview
Nordic Nickel (ASX:NNL) is a nickel sulphide and battery minerals exploration and development company focused on becoming a major supplier of sustainably sourced, traceable, high-purity class 1 nickel and battery minerals through its portfolio of highly prospective assets in Finland. A highly credentialed team with a solid track record and experience throughout the mining industry leads the company in executing its exploration and development strategy.
Finland is a Tier-1, mining-friendly jurisdiction with a long mining history in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt. Additionally, the country is incentivising battery mineral projects and is positioned to become a major player in the full battery value chain, making it an ideal jurisdiction for exploration and development.
The European Union Critical Raw Materials Act includes nickel as a critical mineral and will play a vital role in the transition to clean energy and decarbonization.
Nordic Nickel’s 100-percent-owned flagship Pulju project already has a JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate of 418 million tons at 862,800 tons of nickel, 40,000 tons of cobalt and 22,100 tons of copper .
The Pulju project’s unique mineralisation is amenable to a dual exploration strategy of both near-surface disseminated nickel as well as high-grade massive sulphide lenses. The project is in an area of known mineralisation and several major discoveries, including the 304-Mt, open-pit nickel, copper, gold, Kevitsa Mine, owned by Swedish mining company Boliden, and the world-class 44-Mt Cu-Ni-PGE Sakatti Deposit discovered by Anglo American. Historical drilling has been shallow with no modern geophysics, which Nordic Nickel has now undertaken. Multiple electromagnetic anomalies have been identified.
In 2023, Nordic Nickel secured an additional exploration licence (EL) for the Pulju project. The newly granted EL, known as Hotinvaara, is highly prospective for nickel sulphide mineralisation and is three times the size of the Hotinvaara prospect, which has been the focus of Nordic’s maiden exploration program and the company's resource development activities to date.
Nordic Nickel released an updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) for the Hotinvaara prospect which increased to 418 million tons (Mt) @ 0.21 percent nickel, 0.01 percent cobalt and 53 parts per million (ppm) copper for 862,800 tons of contained nickel, 40,000 tons of contained cobalt and 22,100 tons of contained copper. Indicated resource is now 42 metric tons @ 0.22 percent nickel, for 92,700 tons of contained nickel, and inferred resource of 376 metric tons @ 0.21 percent nickel, for 770,100 tons of contained nickel. The updated MRE effectively establishes Pulju as a globally significant nickel sulphide project, given its proximity to the fast-growing European battery materials and EV sector.
Nordic Nickel’s second project, the Maaninkajoki 3 (MJ3) asset, comprises 30 square kilometers of exploration licenses and is also in a region of known mineralisation or similar mafic/ultramafic lithologies to the nearby Sakatti deposit. The company has an earn-in agreement to acquire 75 percent of the asset as exploration continues.
A management team with a range of expertise throughout the mining industry builds confidence in the company’s goal to explore its assets fully. Expertise includes corporate administration, geology and international finance.
Company Highlights
- Nordic Nickel is an Australian listed exploration and development company focusing on its district-scale class 1 nickel and battery minerals assets in Northern Finland.
- The recently enacted European Union Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) includes nickel as a critical mineral importantly now requires 10 percent of all critical minerals to be sourced from Europe (when presently there is less than 3 percent produced). Additionally, there are only two nickel-producing mines in Europe, both of which are located in Northern Finland (near Nordic’s Pulju project), and exploration and development activities will benefit from future EU incentives.
- Nordic Nickel’s flagship Pulju project already has a near-surface JORC-compliant resource which was recently updated in March 2024 following an extensive diamond drilling campaign in 2023. This JORC Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) is contained within the Hotinvaara Prospect at the Pulju Project which covers just 2 percent of the company’s 240 km2 landholding at the Pulju project.
- The updated JORC MRE completed for the Hotinvaara prospect increased over three times from the 2023 drilling to 418 Mt @ 0.21 percent nickel, 0.01 percent cobalt and 53 ppm copper for 862,800 tons of contained nickel, 40,000 tons of contained cobalt and 22,100 tons of contained copper. Indicated resource is now 42 metric tons @ 0.22 percent nickel, for 92,700 tons of contained nickel and inferred resource is 376 metric tons @ 0.21 percent nickel, for 770,100 tons of contained nickel.
- The company’s second Maaninkajoki 3 project covers 30 square kilometers of exploration licenses, and the company has the option to earn up to 75 percent.
- An experienced management team with a track record and deep expertise in the natural resources industry leads the company.
Key Projects
Pulju Nickel Project
The company’s 100-percent-owned flagship Pulju project covers 240 square kilometers of land in Finland's Central Lapland Greenstone Belt. Nordic Nickel has completed a maiden diamond drilling campaign with 15,423 meters completed since the beginning of 2023.
Project Highlights:
- Prolific Resource Estimate with Expansion Potential: Since the maiden resource was released Nordic Nickel has completed an additional 15,432-meter drill campaign which has substantially expanded the areas of known mineralization and will see a much larger mineral resource estimate. Additionally, the company remains focused on targetting Sakatti-style analogues of high-grade massive sulphides.
- Promising Geology: The regional geology of the project is amenable to rich nickel deposits. The presence of ultramafic rocks mirrors the Sakatti and Kevitsa deposits. The project contains a 35-kilometer continuous prospective strike with considerable blue-sky potential as exploration continues.
- Significant Assay Results: Nordic Nickel completed 28 diamond drill holes for 15,432 meters as part of its maiden drilling program. Assays have returned extensive zones of nickel sulphide mineralisation, including zones of higher-grade massive stringer sulphides.
- Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for Hotinvaara: Updated MRE for the newly granted Hotinvaara exploration licence comprises 418 Mt grading 0.21 percent nickel, 0.01 percent cobalt and 53 ppm copper for 862,800 tons of contained nickel, 40,000 tons of contained cobalt and 22,100 tons of contained copper.
Maaninkajoki 3 (MJ3) Nickel Project
Nordic Nickel’s MJ3 Project covers 30 square kilometers of exploration licenses. The asset is subject to an earn-in agreement, which gives the company the right to acquire up to 75 percent of the project over two stages. The project is highly prospective for both intrusive-hosted and komatiite-hosted nickel sulphide mineralization.
Management Team
Todd Ross - Non-executive Chairman
Todd Ross has over 26 years of experience in finance, derivatives and corporate advisory within the natural resources sector. He is the former managing director and head of Western Australia for BNP Paribas. Ross is a specialist in project and acquisition financings across a range of commodities across multiple jurisdictions. His previous roles include senior positions at BNP Paribas, Westpac, Royal Bank of Canada, CBA and Oakvale Capital. Ross holds a Bachelor of Business from Edith Cowan University and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance & Investment from FINSIA.
Marcello Cardaci - Non-executive Director
Marcello Cardaci is the former partner of Gilbert & Tobin’s Corporate Advisory Group. He has 26 years’ experience advising public and private equity fundraisings, M&A and divestment. Cardaci has extensive experience in capital raisings, takeovers, schemes of arrangements and joint ventures. His current directorships include ASX-listed Altamin Limited and Manhattan Corporation Ltd. Cardaci holds law degrees (BJuris, LLB) and commerce (BCom).
Robert Wrixon - Executive Director
Robert has over 22 years of experience in corporate strategy, mining M&A and mineral exploration. He is the director of Starboard Global Ltd, private equity and incubation of projects in the metals and mining sector. His current directorships include Rafaella Resources, Emmerson PLC. Wrixon holds a PhD in mineral engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
Juho Haverinen - Non-executive Director
Juho Haverinen has over ten years of experience in planning and overseeing mineral exploration in Finland and is currently head of exploration for Magnus Minerals Oy. He has significant experience in Finland with exploration joint ventures with major multinational mining companies and is a member of the board of the Finnish Mining Association (FinnMin) and a board member of Magnus Minerals Oy. Haverinen holds BSc and MSc geology degrees from the University of Helsinki.
Aaron Bertolatti - Company Secretary and CFO
Aaron Bertolatti is a qualified chartered accountant and company secretary with over 15 years of experience. He has significant experience in the administration of ASX-listed companies, corporate governance and corporate finance. He was previously CFO of Highfield Resources Ltd and American Pacific Borates.
Vern Langdale - Country Manager, Finland
Vern Langdale is a mining veteran with 38 years of experience across various roles in mining projects and mines from many countries. He studied mining engineering at the Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall, England and started his career working in gold mines in the Goldfields of Australia. Langdale has been involved with building and commissioning mines often in challenging and remote locations in China, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. In 2018, he moved to Finland with Nordic Gold. Langdale worked as director of operations for Endomines AB at its US and Finnish operations, where he provided support in the re-start of its mining operations. He was also mine manager at the Nordic Gold in Finland. He was the project manager for Jac Rijk Al Rushaid in Saudi Arabia, where he coordinated the work of a multi-lingual and multi-national workforce for the largest gold mining project of the Ma’aden Gold Group.
Pekka Tuomela - Sustainability & ESG Manager, Finland
Pekka Tuomela has a master of science in geology from the University of Oulu, Finland and an impressive career spanning over 20 years in exploration and mining projects in Finland and internationally, at all project phases. Tuomela has a solid understanding of the Finnish environmental and mining permitting regime, mining ESIAs and associated ESG/CSR sustainability practices including stakeholder communication. In addition, he advises on mineral intelligence and mineral economics policy and strategy matters.
FPX Nickel
Investor Insight
As FPX Nickel strengthens its position in the critical metals space, investors seeking exposure to the green energy transition may find FPX Nickel an intriguing prospect, given its potential to become a low-cost, environmentally responsible nickel producer in a stable jurisdiction.
Overview
FPX Nickel (TSXV:FPX,OTXQB:FPOCF) is an exploration and development company focused on its advanced-development-stage Tier 1 Baptiste project in the Decar Nickel District in central British Columbia. The project has the potential to supply high-concentration nickel and cobalt sulfates suitable for the growing electric vehicle battery industry, as well as more traditional markets for nickel, such as stainless steel.
Nickel plays a vital role in electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturing, a sector that sees rapid expansion year after year. Market research projects a growing nickel demand for EVs to reach 1.3 million metric tonnes per annum by 2030, as nickel content in electric vehicles increases to over 40 kilograms per car battery.
Despite its significant role in powering a global shift to greener energies, analysts also project an undersupply of nickel for the next several years due to decreasing production and a lack of new active mines. Mining companies advancing high-margin nickel projects offer investors exposure to a market with great economic growth and success potential.
FPX Nickel’s Baptiste project leverages a 2023 preliminary feasibility study( PFS) and an updated mineral resource estimate that includes total nickel and potential by-product elements, cobalt and iron.
The PFS for Baptiste indicated an after-tax NPV of $2.01 billion and an IRR of 18.6 percent at $8.75-pound nickel for a 29-year mine life producing an average of 59,100 tonnes of nickel per year.
The positive geological interpretation of the Van target at the Decar Nickel District offers further blue-sky potential for the Baptiste project, potentially mimicking the successes of its geographic neighbors in central British Columbia, such as Artemis Gold’s C$1.8 billion Blackwater Gold open-pit project.
The Baptiste project presents FPX Nickel with the potential to produce nickel at a significantly lower carbon footprint than other sources of production in the global nickel industry. Recent leach testing of awaruite nickel concentrates produced from Baptiste achieved nickel recoveries of 98.8 percent to 99.5 percent in producing a high-purity chemical solution containing 69.4 to 70.1 g/L nickel.
In keeping with FPX Nickel’s aim to build a carbon-neutral mining operation at the Baptiste project, the company co-founded a multi-university research program to study carbon capture and storage at mining sites. The program is in collaboration with Anglo-American majority-owned (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF) DeBeers, and the Government of Canada.
Metallurgical testing conducted by FPX Nickel for the production of high-grade (> 65 percent nickel) awaruite concentrate has included three campaigns with successful pilot-scale test work. This large-scale pilot test work validates the processing strategy for Baptiste, leveraging awaruite's ferromagnetism, high density, active surface properties, and very high nickel content.
Baptiste’s awaruite mineralization promotes a simple three-stage process for the production of nickel sulphate from concentrate. It has the potential to be more efficient than the typical five-stage process required to convert sulphide and laterite ores into nickel sulphate. Rapid nickel extraction of more than 98 percent in 60 minutes is achieved under mild pressure leaching conditions with significantly lower equipment size/risk, power consumption, pressure and temperature requirements than typical high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) operations.
In January 2024, FPX Nickel closed a C$14.4 million strategic equity investment from Sumitomo Metal Mining. Net proceeds of the private placement will be used to fund exploration and development activities at its Baptiste nickel project, and continue ongoing environmental baseline activities, feasibility study readiness activities, and general corporate and administrative purposes.
FPX Nickel’s partially-owned subsidiary CO2 Lock, specializing in carbon capture and storage (CCS) via permanent mineralization, has completed a comprehensive field program at its SAM site in central British Columbia including the first-ever successful injection of CO2 into a brucite-rich ultramafic mineral project. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the development of CO2 Lock's innovative in-situ CO2 mineralization technology.
FPX Nickel’s management team consists of highly experienced capital markets and mining professionals, including Canadian Mining Hall of Fame member Dr. Peter Bradshaw, and veteran geologist Rob Pease.
Company Highlights
- FPX Nickel is a Canadian resource company focused on exploring and developing its wholly owned advanced-development-stage Baptiste nickel project in the Decar Nickel District, central British Columbia.
- The company favorably leverages low-cost operation and mining best practices. It is advancing one of the few major nickel deposits in the mining-friendly jurisdiction of British Columbia.
- The Baptiste property hosts high-tenor nickel mineralization with low impurities and little to no sulfides. The high-value nickel product has potential applications for direct feed to the stainless steel or the electric vehicle battery market, with high projected recoveries and low estimated operating cost.
- FPX Nickel operates a tight share structure consisting largely of management (which holds 14 percent of the company’s shares) and three large corporate strategic investors (which collectively hold 30 percent of the company).
- Baptiste offers a tremendous opportunity for lowering the carbon footprint of nickel.
- Preliminary feasibility study for Baptiste indicated an after-tax NPV of $2.01 billion and IRR of 18.6 percent at $ 8.75-pound nickel for a 29-year mine life producing an average of 59,100 tonnes per year of nickel.
- In early 2024, FPX Nickel closed a C$14.4 million in private placement financing from Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada (SMCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Metal Mining (TSE:5713)
- The company has commenced the development of a standalone nickel sulphate refinery study which will be completed in the first quarter of 2025.
Key Project
Decar Nickel District - Baptiste Project
The Decar Nickel District covers over 410 square kilometers and is 80 kilometers west of the Mt. Milligan mine, central British Columbia. The property hosts the highly prospective Baptiste nickel project, which is one of the world’s largest development-stage nickel projects. The asset is accessible via logging and paved roads, with railway and hydropower nearby.
Baptiste hosts nickel-iron alloy mineralization, with NI 43-101 compliant indicated resources at an average grade of 0.123 percent DTR nickel for 2.3 million tons and 391 million tonnes of inferred resources with an average grade of 0.115 percent DTR nickel.
In September 2022, the company completed a 2,504-meter step-out drilling program at its Van target, located 6 km north of Baptiste in the Decar Nickel District. The completed holes stepped out aggressively from the initial discovery area, testing the potential for nickel mineralization up to 1 kilometer west of the holes drilled in 2021.
Baptiste Project 2023 PFS
In 2023, the company released the preliminary feasibility study results for the Baptiste nickel project indicating an average production of 59,100 tons of nickel per year in concentrate over a 29-year mine life. The project will be developed in a phased approach, with an initial mill throughput rate of 108,000 tons per day (Phase 1), followed by an expansion to 162,000 tons per day (Phase 2).
In line with the project’s robust economics, FPX Nickel has commenced the development of a standalone nickel sulphate refinery study which will be completed in the first quarter of 2025.
In 2023, FPX Nickel signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) and the Prime Planet Energy & Solutions (PPES) joint venture between Toyota Motor Company and Panasonic, setting out a framework for FPX and PPES to explore collaborative opportunities for the vertical integration of nickel production at the Baptiste project and the production of nickel sulphate and cathode active materials for the PPES supply chain.
In 2024, FPX Nickel completed pilot-scale hydrometallurgy refinery testwork and produced battery-grade nickel sulphate. This milestone marks the completion of the campaign funded in part by a grant from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) under the Government of Canada's Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) program.
Management Team
Martin Turenne - President, CEO and Director
Martin Turenne is a senior executive with over 15 years of experience in the commodities industry, including over five years in the mining industry. He has extensive leadership experience in strategic management, fundraising, economic analysis, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and corporate tax. Turenne formerly served as CFO of First Point Minerals Corp. from 2012 to 2015 and in positions at KPMG LLP and Methanex Corporation. He is a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Andrew Osterloh - Vice-president, Projects
With more than 20 years in the industry, Andrew Osterloh is experienced in process engineering, plant metallurgy and project management. He was formerly the project director and head of studies for Fluor Canada, leading feasibility study work for large base metal assets. He was formerly project director and manager of studies for Fluor Canada, where he led feasibility studies for several large base metal assets in the Americas for Glencore, Freeport-McMoRan, Teck and Newmont. Osterloh is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers of British Columbia and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in mineral process engineering from the University of British Columbia.
Felicia de la Paz - Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary
Felicia de la Paz started her professional career with KPMG LLP's audit practice in Vancouver, culminating with her role as a senior manager leading large teams in the execution of audit engagements for a variety of large and complex organizations across multiple industries. After joining Equinox Gold as the corporate controller in 2017, she was part of a core financial leadership team overseeing corporate accounting, financial reporting and system development, managing the successful integration of several new acquisitions across multiple jurisdictions, including both operating mines and large-scale development projects. She acted as the vice-president of finance for Vida Carbon, a carbon royalty and streaming company, and has more recently been providing financial and systems advisory services to public companies in the mining sector. She is a chartered professional accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Peter M. D. Bradshaw - Chairman
Dr. Peter Bradshaw is a geologist with more than 45 years of international mineral exploration experience in over 30 countries with Barringer Research, Placer Dome, and Orvana Minerals. He is a member of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame. Bradshaw’s key discoveries and project involvement include Porgera Gold Mine, Papua New Guinea; Kidston Gold Mine, Queensland, Australia; Misima Gold Mine, Papua New Guinea; Big Bell Gold Mine, Western Australia; Omai Gold Mine, Guyana; Decar Nickel Project, British Columbia, Canada; director of Aquila Resources; co-founder and first chairman of the Mineral Deposit Research Unit, University of British Columbia.
Nigel Fisher - Director, Environment
Nigel Fisher brings 20 years' experience leading environmental assessments, permitting and management systems, developing and executing on regulatory strategy and advancing governance and funding agreements with Indigenous governments across British Columbia. He has held progressively senior roles with New Gold, Teck Resources, Woodfibre LNG, and most recently, Skeena Resources as director of environment and regulatory affairs. In his prior roles, he successfully obtained multiple regulatory approvals for large-scale resource projects while maintaining compliance with existing and changing legislation.
Jarett Lalonde - Director, Government and Public Affairs
Jarett Lalonde is a highly regarded public affairs leader with over 20 years' experience in the natural resources, technology and regulated products sectors. In his most recent role as global head of product policy at Shopify, Lalonde was instrumental in crafting compelling public affairs narratives for the company's diverse product offerings, and spearheading engagement with policy makers across North America and Europe. Before joining Shopify, he worked with Global Public Affairs, a leading government relations and strategic communications firm, where he performed advisory work for numerous companies advancing large-scale natural resource projects in British Columbia and across Canada. Lalonde previously served as chief of staff to the Attorney General & Minister of Justice for the province of British Columbia, and as policy advisor to the Minister of Natural Resources Canada.
Rob Pease - Director
Rob Pease is a geologist with more than 30 years of experience in exploration, mine development and construction. He is the former CEO of Terrane Metals, acquired by Thompson Creek for C$650 million. Pease was also the former director of Richfield Ventures, acquired by New Gold for C$500 million. He is a director of Pure Gold Mining Inc. and Liberty Gold.
William H. Myckatyn - Director
William Myckatyn is a mining engineer with more than 34 years of experience in the mining industry. Myckatyn is the founder and CEO of Quadra Mining Ltd. He served as chairman and subsequently co-chairman of Quadra FNX Mining until its takeover in 2012. Prior to this, Myckatyn was chairman, president and CEO of Dayton Mining., where he led the restructuring and merger with Pacific Rim Mining. He was the former president and CEO of Princeton Mining and Gibraltar Mines. For over 17 years, he worked for various operations controlled by Placer Dome and its associated predecessor companies, including four separate mines in Australia and the Philippines. He is a director of San Marco Resources and OceanaGold.
Peter Marshall - Director
Peter Marshall is a mining engineer with 30 years of experience in mine development and construction. Marshall was formerly VP of project development at New Gold and SVP project development at Terrane Metals. He has extensive mine development experience in central British Columbia, including completing the Blackwater gold project feasibility study and development, and early construction of Mt. Milligan copper-gold mine, acquired by Thompson Creek for C$650 million in 2010.
James S. Gilbert, - Director
James Gilbert has more than 30 years of investment and transaction execution experience, with more than 20 years focused on the international mining and metals industry. Gilbert held senior management positions with Rothschild, Gerald Metals Inc. and Minera S.A., a private mining investment company. His experience covers mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, off-take and specialty refining agreements, joint venture negotiations and strategic marketing. He was formerly director of AQM Copper Inc., acquired by Teck Resources in 2016.
Anne Currie - Director
Anne Currie is a recognized leader in the permitting of major Canadian mining projects, with over 30 years of experience in the private and public sector, including as a former senior partner with leading global consultancy Environmental Resources Management. She was British Columbia's chief gold commissioner, the chief regulatory authority for the Mineral Tenure Act., and has an exceptional track record in steering the environmental assessment and permitting processes for major mining projects in British Columbia, including for the KSM, Brucejack, Kemess Underground and Blackwater projects.
Kim Baird - Director
Kim Baird is an accomplished leader and strategic advisor working with indigenous communities, governments, businesses and other organizations. In her prior role as the elected chief of the Tsawwassen First Nation, she negotiated and implemented British Columbia's first modern urban treaty, establishing for the Tsawwassen People ownership and governance over their land and resources.
Dan Apai - Engineering Manager
Dan Apai has over twenty years of mining industry experience in civil engineering and engineering management over a diverse range of projects. In his previous role as a principal civil engineer for Fluor Canada, he led the study and detailed engineering works for numerous large-scale mining projects for clients including Teck, Newmont, BHP, First Quantum, Glencore, Josemaria Resources and Newcrest. Apai's technical expertise includes site layout, earthworks, water management, linear facilities (i.e., roads, powerlines, pipelines), and water supply systems – all elements that strongly influence the capital intensity, permitability, and operability of mining projects. Apai is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers of British Columbia and holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Western Australia.
Tim Bekhuys - SVP, Sustainability and External Relations
Tim Bekhuys is a senior mining executive with over 40 years’ experience in community engagement, environmental assessment and permitting. He was formerly VP environment, health, safety and sustainability for SSR Mining, where he led all aspects of sustainability reporting, environmental assessment and permitting activities. He also previously acted as director of environment and sustainability for New Gold, where he successfully led the government, permitting, Indigenous and community relations programs for the Blackwater project in central B.C. Bekhuys was a former member of the boards of directors of the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia, the Mining Association of British Columbia, and the Mining Association of Canada.
Keith Patterson - Vice-president, Generative Exploration
Keith Patterson is a senior geologist with over 25 years’ experience in greenfield exploration throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia. He was formerly director of project generation and greenfield strategy with Eldorado Gold where he managed global exploration and project generation. Patterson acted as vice-president of exploration for Jinshan Gold Mines where he was responsible for the execution of exploration programs and project evaluations in China. He is a registered professional geoscientist with the Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia and holds a Master of Geological Sciences and a Bachelor of Geological Engineering, both from the University of British Columbia.
Nickel Price Update: Q3 2024 in Review
How did the nickel price perform in Q3?
The third quarter opened with the price of nickel facing a downward trend that started after it reached a yearly high of US$21,615 per metric ton on May 20. The price on July 1 had fallen to US$17,357. The following week saw a pause in the downward trend and was briefly lifted to US$17,473 before resuming its downward trajectory to US$15,769 on July 25.
Nickel price, July 1 to October 1, 2024.
Chart via Trading Economics.
After bottoming out, the price quickly climbed to US$16,604 on July 31.
Nickel remained largely rangebound between US$16,150 and US$16,500 for the start of August, but saw upward momentum in the middle of the month that pushed the price to US$17,136 on August 27.
The beginning of September saw the price collapse again, reaching a quarterly low of US$15,741 on September 10 and just shy of the year-to-date low of US$15,668 set on February 9. However, pricing pressure wasn’t to last and the price of nickel saw rapid gains through to the end of September reaching a quarterly high of US$17,698 on October 1.
Supply
The big story for the last several quarters has been an oversupply of nickel from Asian markets, particularly Indonesia and Q3 2024 was no different.
According to data from S&P Global, mined nickel production from the country increased by 99,000 metric tons during the quarter and is forecast to be in the 2.4 million metric ton range by the end of 2024, representing 57 percent of total global production.
However, due to Indonesia’s permitting and quota system, sourcing consistent supply from the country has presented challenges for Chinese smelters who were forced to temporarily curtail output due to a shortage in feeder supply.
Despite having a large percentage of global supply, refiners in Indonesia have increasingly been turning to nickel imports from the Philippines, the number two nickel supplier, to maintain operations. The first seven months saw imports rise to 3.37 million metric tons versus just 374,454 tons produced in 2023.
Although China remains the biggest benefactor and investor of Indonesia’s nickel industry, Indonesia has been working to distance it economically from its partner as it tries to work out deals with Western partners.
While Indonesia has been working to distance itself from Chinese investment over the past few years to better position its nickel market for Western markets and inclusion under the US Inflation Reduction Act, a new trade pact looks to solidify ties with China.
Multiple cooperation deals were signed following a November 9 meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, which would see China investing more than US$10 billion into strategic sectors including nickel.
Among the investments is $1.42 billion agreement between Chinese battery material producer GEM (SZSE:002340) and Indonesian miner PT Vale (OTC Pink:PTNDF,IDX:INCO) for the construction of a high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL) plant. The new processing facility is necessary for the production of battery-grade nickel.
Additionally, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt (SHA:603799) is working to raise US$2.7 billion in financing for a nickel refining and smelting project in partnership with Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) and PT Vale. The project will also use HPAL processing and is expected to produce 120,000 metric tons of mixed hydroxide precipitate for use in electric vehicle batteries.
China demand lagging
Even though demand for batteries continues to grow, it hasn’t been able to outpace the oversupply situation, this has largely been due to a weak Chinese economy.
China is the largest consumer of nickel in the world, with a majority of the metal destined to be used in the production of stainless steel, but a beleaguered real estate sector and broad economic deflation have dampened demand.
Nickel found pricing support in September as the Chinese government introduced a raft of stimulus measures that were intended to boost economic growth in the country. Among the measures included a 0.5 percent interest rate cut to existing mortgages and reduce the downpayment to purchase a home to 15 percent from 25 percent.
Although the package was responsible for a surge in nickel prices, in the weeks following the announcement nickel prices retreated, once again approaching yearly lows.
In another attempt to jump-start the economy, China introduced a US$1.4 trillion dollar debt swap on November 11 aimed at tackling “hidden debt” and freeing up funds at the local level by reducing interest payments on debt and helping drive growth.
Additionally, the Chinese government is planning to cut the deed tax for homebuyers to 1 percent from the current 3 percent in a further attempt to prop up the country’s economy.
Western governments may not be working hard enough for critical supply
In Canada, the government pledged C$46 billion for the development of four EV battery production plants that will require more raw materials than the Canadian mining sector can currently supply.
At his address to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade on September 17, Mining Association of Canada President Pierre Gratton suggested Canada is too focused on downstream development and that in order to meet supply the four EV plants will need the support of 15 new mines.
“That’s only speaking from the standpoint of the four battery factories, to say nothing about all of the other needs that our economy requires, or that the US requires, including its defence industries. Unless we achieve the above, and this is the irony, our reliance on foreign sources for minerals and metals is only going to increase,” he said.
Overall, Gratton believes that there needs to be an additional C$32 billion in financing for mining and midstream processing projects.
In Europe, the implementation of its new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) that places a tariff on carbon-intensive products is drawing concern from the industry. The regulation is a complex system designed to balance prices and prevent an exodus of carbon-intensive manufacturing to nations with fewer emission controls.
Some are suggesting CBAM has no benefit for the European stainless-steel industry as it limits pricing to scope 1 emissions and doesn’t include downstream emissions from power generation and transpiration.
European steelmakers have become more dependent on nickel pig iron imports from Indonesia, so far 87,485 metric tons through the first eight months of 2024 versus just 1,006 metric tons in 2023. The increase has come alongside a wave of curtailments as the industry reacts to a flood of Indonesian nickel.
What will happen to the nickel price in 2024?
Investors should consider China’s outsized influence over the nickel market, both in terms of control over refined supply and demand from real estate and battery sectors.
Even though the EV sector in China has shown year-over-year growth of 32 percent through the first nine months of 2024, the industry's nickel demand hasn’t made up for shortcomings in the broader economy.
Surplus scenarios are expected to continue over the next few years with a 5.8 percent compound annual growth rate between 2023 and 2028. This will present a challenge for producers who are looking to restart operations in the short term as prices are expected to remain flat.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Ramp Metals
Investor Insights
Ramp Metals’ strategic focus on precious and base metals is essential for various growing industries in the global market. The company is in a compelling position to potentially make a significant gold discovery in a top-tier Canadian mining jurisdiction which is currently underexplored.
Overview
Ramp Metals (TSXV:RAMP) is a grassroots exploration company specializing in precious and base metals, particularly gold and nickel-copper-PGE. The company has two properties, two situated in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.
The flagship property, Rottenstone SW Claims is situated along a geological structure that historically yielded the highest-grade nickel and platinum group elements (PGE) in Canada. It exhibits remarkable parallels to the Nova-Bollinger nickel-copper mine in Western Australia, which was discovered by Sirius Resources and ultimately sold to IGO Limited for AU$1.8 billion. The Nova-Bollinger mine had an estimated resource of 13.1 million tons (Mt) grading 2 percent nickel, 0.8 percent copper, and 0.07 percent cobalt.
The striking similarity between Rottenstone and Nova-Bollinger mine is encouraging and the appointment of Dr. Mark Bennett, the discoverer of the Nova-Bollinger deposit, as a strategic advisor, reinforces Ramp’s belief in the potential of the Rottenstone property. Bennett has over three decades of experience in establishing mines, and played a key role in multiple discoveries, such as the Wahgnion gold mine, the Thunderbox gold mine, and the Waterloo nickel mine, in addition to the Nova-Bollinger nickel-copper mine. Along with Bennett, Ramp Metals has also appointed leading geologists Scott McLean and Richard Murphy, as its strategic advisors to bolster its geology team.
The project’s presence in Saskatchewan is also encouraging for investors given the region’s mining-friendly policies. Saskatchewan was ranked second globally and the top in Canada by the Fraser Institute as the most attractive jurisdiction for mining investment in 2021.
Saskatchewan has gained prominence for its abundant uranium resources, yet its geological diversity presents significant potential beyond this. Exploration for other battery metals in the region has been limited or largely unexplored.
Current Gold Landscape
According to data from the World Gold Council, total gold demand gained a record 5 percent year-over-year to 1,313 tons during the third quarter of 2024, resulting in a series of record-high gold prices during the same quarter. The value of demand rose 35 percent to more than US$100 billion for the first time ever.
A major driver for gold’s growth are global gold ETF inflows, while bar and coin investments dipped 9 percent year-over-year. Gold jewelry consumption declined 12 percent, despite an increase in spending, with the value of demand jumping to 13 percent to more than US$36 billion.
Year-to-date central bank buying remains in line with 2022, despite a notable slowing down in Q3 2024.
Gold application in technology continues to be driven by artificial intelligence, growing 7 percent year-over-year and the “outlook remains cautious,” the World Gold Council report said.
Outlook on Battery Metals
The demand for battery metals will continue to grow, due to a strengthening EV market. S&P Global Mobility's 2024 global sales forecast anticipates battery-electric passenger vehicles will reach approximately 13.3 million units worldwide by the end of 2024, an increase of 40 percent year-over-year. In terms of market share, EVs will constitute around 16.2 percent of the total global passenger vehicle sales in 2024, compared to 12 percent in 2023.
Further, the emerging trend toward high-density batteries using nickel and cobalt, and less lithium, is also expected to boost demand for these metals. As one of the top critical minerals in the US and Canada, nickel projects are likely to see increased funding over the coming years.
There is a strong demand in the market for new, high-quality nickel-copper and lithium opportunities. Rottenstone SW borders Fathom Nickel, which recently secured C$4.6 million in funding and seems to be focusing on a similar geological system. The Rottenstone SW eye structure presents an ideal target for nickel-copper-PGE exploration.
Company Highlights
- Ramp Metals is a precious and base metals exploration company with a focus on exploring high-grade gold and nickel-copper-PGE in Northern Saskatchewan. Ramp intends to uncover a new gold district in a region that is underexplored following its discovery of high-grade gold intercepts, including 73.55 g/t gold over 7.5m.
- The company has two properties covering a total area of 33,886 hectares. Of these, two are located in Northern Saskatchewan – Rottenstone SW Claims and Peter Lake Domain (PLD).
- The company’s flagship project Rottenstone SW property is situated adjacent to a northeast-southwest geological formation connected to the renowned Rottenstone Mine. This mine yielded 40,000 tons of high-grade nickel-copper-platinum group elements (PGE) and gold ore, with grades averaging 3.28 percent nickel, 1.83 copper, and 9.63 grams per ton platinum-palladium-gold.
- The geophysical program at Rottenstone highlights striking similarities with the Nova-Bollinger mine in Australia owned by Sirius Resources, which was eventually sold for AU$1.8 billion.
- Dr. Mark Bennett, founder of Sirius Resources who oversaw the development of the Nova-Bollinger mine, is a strategic advisor to Ramp Metals.
Key Projects
Rottenstone SW Claims
The Rottenstone SW property is approximately 115 kilometers north of La Ronge, Saskatchewan. The property comprises 12 claims encompassing 17,285.5 hectares and is situated adjacent to a northeast-southwest geological formation connected to the renowned Rottenstone Mine. This mine yielded 40,000 tons of high-grade nickel-copper-PGE and gold ore, with grades averaging 3.28 percent nickel, 1.83 copper, and 9.63 grams per ton platinum-palladium-gold.
The company has completed various geophysical surveys including time-domain airborne geophysical measurements (TDEM), and soil sampling, all aimed at identifying potential drill targets. The survey results show striking similarities between Rottenstone SW Claims and the Nova-Bollinger deposit. The Rottenstone SW conductors show a strong correlation with the conductors identified at the Nova-Bollinger deposit. Based on the geophysical survey results, the company has identified four high-priority targets.
The company’s first drill program at the Rottenstone property was completed in April 2024 which led to a new high-grade gold discovery of 73.55 g/t gold over 7.5 meters in drill hole Ranger-01.
The company has expanded the Rottenstone SW claim block to a total of 32,715 hectares. Additional unexplored EM and mag targets are situated on the original claim block with similar signatures to Ranger and Rogue.
Peter Lake Domain Claims
The Peter Lake Domain (PLD) property is situated within the Peter Lake Domain of the Swan River complex in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, around 260 kilometers northeast of La Ronge, Saskatchewan. The property comprises two mineral deposit claims spanning approximately 1,171 hectares.
Peter Lake Domain has a history of exploration done by earlier operators. The previous exploration work returned surface grab samples of gabbro outcrop with disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite (SMDI 5545) having values of 1,860 parts per million (ppm) copper, 461 ppm nickel, 41 parts per billion (ppb) platinum and 49 ppb palladium. A historical VTEM survey conducted by Geotech outlined compelling targets. According to Ramp Metals, the earlier operators drilled the property inaccurately and did not properly test the targets that were generated.
The project has the potential to be a major new discovery. Ramp Metals plans to undertake an airborne TDEM survey to build upon historical data and identify exploration targets. Once the targets are identified, the company will implement a drill program of about 2,000 to 2,500 meters.
Management Team
Jordan Black – Chief Executive Officer and Director
Jordan Black brings over 12 years of geotechnical engineering experience for various infrastructure, renewable energy and mining projects. Black was previously the vice-president of business development at GoldSpot Discoveries and worked as a senior geotechnical engineer at WSP Canada.
Garrett Smith – VP Exploration
Garrett Smith graduated with a BSc in geology from the University of Regina. Throughout his career, he has been involved in projects across Western Canada, focusing on various commodities. His extensive expertise ranges from greenfield mapping and exploration to on-site drill management. Driven by a genuine passion for exploration, Smith has dedicated the past few years to assembling a collection of base metal projects in northern Saskatchewan.
Brett Williams – VP Operations and Senior Geologist
Brett Williams is a seasoned geologist with a diverse background, having worked as a mine geologist in both open pit and underground mining, as well as an exploration geologist in the diamond, base metals, gold and uranium sectors for Rio Tinto and SSR Mining. He earned his B.Sc. in geology and a diploma in business administration from the University of Regina. Williams is a registered member of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan.
Prit Singh – Director
Prit Singh is a seasoned capital markets professional and presently serves as the CEO of Thesis Capital, an advisory firm offering support to high-growth companies in fundraising, Canadian market initial public offerings and investor relations. Throughout his career, Singh has collaborated with more than 50 issuers, facilitating fundraising and providing counsel, resulting in the procurement of over $100 million in capital across various emerging sectors. Before establishing Thesis Capital, he gained experience in investment banking and wealth management, fostering enduring relationships within Canada's buy-side and sell-side communities. Singh holds a BBA with a specialization in finance from Brock University.
David Parker – Director
David Parker has more than 15 years of experience in business financing, consulting and recapitalizing public/private companies in the mining, technology, and media sectors. He also has experience in retail, office, and industrial real estate sales and development. He has led projects from initial market analysis to acquisition, design, approval, site servicing, construction and disposition. He understands the financial implications of technical issues and planning policy changes, making him an effective director.
Peter Schloo – Director
Peter Schloo has a decade of experience and expertise in capital markets, operations and assurance, and holds CPA, CA and CFA designations. Additionally, he is a licensed prospector in the province of Ontario, Canada. His track record includes facilitating over C$85 million in associated capital raising opportunities for both public and private enterprises. Currently, he is the CEO, president, and director of Heritage Mining, and a director of Pacific Empire Minerals. His previous roles included CFO of Spirit Banner Capital and VP corporate development and interim CFO for Ion Energy.
Michael Romanik – Director
Michael Romanik has over 14 years of resource exploration and public market experience with an emphasis on management, promotion and corporate finance. He has built an impressive network of resource and investment industry contacts over the years, and demonstrated a proven ability to utilize those relationships to advance his business objectives. Romanik has served as the president and CEO of GoldON Resources (TSXV:GLD) since 2009 and is a founding shareholder and the CEO of Silver Dollar Resources (CSE:SLVDF).
Advisory Team
Dr. Mark Bennett, Ph.D.
A PhD-qualified geologist with over 30 years of experience in capital raising, mineral exploration and establishing mines; Instrumental in several discoveries, including the Wahgnion gold mine, the Thunderbox gold mine and Waterloo nickel mine, and the Nova-Bollinger nickel-copper mine in Australia for Sirius Resources (acquired for AUD$1.8 billion in 2015); Involved in raising over $1 billion in debt and equity financing for funding exploration and development projects and overseen mergers, demergers, acquisitions, investments and divestments.
Scott McLean, P.Geo., FGC.
A professional geologist with over 35 years of senior management, executive and board experience in the metals and mining industry. Between 1985 and 2007, he worked for Falconbridge Limited and its successor Xstrata Nickel in various capacities throughout Canada with a focus on gold and base metal exploration; Founded HTX Minerals Corp in 2007, Transition Metals Corp in 2010, SPC Nickel Corp in 2013 and Canadian Gold Miner in 2016; Currently leads Transition Metals and is the Executive Chairman of SPC Nickel.
Richard Murphy, P.Geo.
A seasoned exploration entrepreneur with 27+ years of experience in the mineral exploration business. Brought two public companies through founding, acquisition, exploration and sales processes, most notably, Manitou Gold Inc. (acquired by Alamos Gold in Q2 2023). Expertise in building and advancing junior mining companies through discovery, resource definition and pre-feasibility stages to establish fully-valued mine reserves.
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