- Write by:
-
Monday, October 4, 2021 - 13:34:21
-
611 Visit
-
Print
Mining News Pro - BHP said on Friday it had produced the first nickel sulphate crystals from its plant in Kwinana, outside Perth, a part of the miner’s strategy to grow its battery metals footprint to meet expected soaring demand.
Nickel is a key component for electric vehicle (EV) cathodes, and the world’s no. 1 mining company expects demand for the metal from the batteries sector alone to increase by 500% over the next decade.
Nickel sulphate, a key battery chemical, has much higher margins than nickel metal and BHP believes it will be in high demand due to a spike in the adoption EVs, as governments commit to decarbonizing and set end dates for combustion engine sales.
The Kwinana plant, which BHP and authorities call an “Australian first”, will produce 100,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate per year when fully operational. That is enough premium product to make 700,000 EV batteries each year, Nickel West asset president Jessica Farrell said in the statement.
The facility will create 80 new direct jobs and support 400 new indirect jobs, along with the 200 construction jobs that were created during the construction phase, Farrel noted.
As Western Australia’s (WA) largest nickel producer, BHP’s Nickel West operations play a key role in supporting the state’s goal of becoming a world leader in future battery minerals, materials, technology and expertise.
“Nickel is essential to decarbonization and Western Australia has some of the largest and highest-grade nickel sulphide deposits in the world, in addition to leading mining and mineral expertise,” state development, jobs and trade minister, Roger Cook, said in a separate statement.
Over 50% of the plant was fabricated in Western Australia using local skills and suppliers. This included the steel work, fibreglass leach vessels and stainless-steel tanks. Half the refinery’s electricity needs will be met by solar power, the WA government noted.
WA is the world’s fourth largest nickel producer, with more than A$3.3 billion (about $22bn) in sales in 2020.
BHP’s nickel operations include Mt Keith, Cliffs and Leinster mines. It has concentrators at Mt Keith, Leinster and Kambalda, a smelter in Kalgoorlie and the Kwinana refinery.
Short Link:
https://www.miningnews.ir/En/News/616745
South African diversified miner Sibanye Stillwater is discussing with lenders to temporarily lift limits on borrowings, ...
The Philippines said on Friday it aimed to add three more processing plants in the effort to develop a downstream ...
Canada’s mining industry is pushing for an carveout to the federal government’s proposed increase to capital gains ...
Australia will spend A$566 million ($373 million) over the coming decade to map out resource deposits with a focus on ...
Indonesia’s nickel reserves are sufficient for expanded processing operations, an investment ministry official said on ...
The secretary-general of the International Seabed Authority is set to run for a third term leading the United ...
BHP has put South Africa and its mining sector on the spot. The $140 billion Australian group’s ambitious swoop on rival ...
First Quantum Minerals is looking forward to talks with the new administration in Panama and to work together to find a ...
Albemarle, the world’s largest producer of lithium for electric vehicle batteries, on Wednesday missed first quarter ...
No comments have been posted yet ...