(Kitco News) – Brazilian mining giant Vale announced Thursday it has concluded the prefeasibility study for a proposed nickel sulphate project in Quebec, Canada, representing an important milestone for the project development.
According to the company’s statement, this strategic initiative highlights Vale’s focus on delivering low carbon and high purity nickel products into the growing electric vehicle industry.
The company said that the proposed project in Bécancour, Quebec, would be the first-of-its-kind fully domestic nickel sulphate facility for the North American market, leveraging current and future production of low carbon and high-grade nickel from Vale’s world-class Canadian operations.
Based on feasibility work to date, the project would have annual capacity to process 25,000 tonnes of contained nickel into nickel sulphate, the chemical compound used in the production of pre-cathode active materials for nickel-based lithium-ion batteries, the company added.
Importantly, Vale pointed out that the project’s final investment decision and schedule is contingent on a range of factors including downstream battery supply chain integration and requirements, as well as board and regulatory approvals.
“This is a key validation for a project that offers both diversified sales and an accelerated entry point into North America’s burgeoning electric vehicle supply chain,
” said Deshnee Naidoo, Executive Vice President of Vale Base Metals. “We look forward to continued discussions with potential partners, as well as with the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada, to bring this strategic project to fruition.
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Originally established on June 1, 1942 as the state-owned Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, Vale became a private company ranking among the largest miners in the world. The company’s operations abroad cover approximately 30 countries.
In addition to mining, Vale works with logistics – railways, ports, terminals and state-of-the-art infrastructure –, energy, and steel making. Vale is the world’s largest producer of iron ore, pellets, and nickel.