I expected them to go bigger with the ore body forming into a...

I expected them to go bigger with the ore body forming into a single pit and the headlines kind of sounded like that but then we have the crushing circuit at 2.7Mtpa min still as per the details.

I think you highlighted the key point but maybe not in the intended way? The recoveries you mentioned were for ore-sorting not the process plant. We have Jag Central in particular and one of the Jag south samples recovering ~95% of the sulphides at a 50% mass pull.

My understanding (I am no process engineer) means that would essentially allow 5Mt of raw ore to be reduced to 2.5Mt with 95% of sulphides still contained. So we could essentially double throuhput without changing comminution or flotation circuits?



The end product will be Nickel Sulphate, but you make an interesting point that why do Vale want that? There benefit would be if they can leverage their sales channel to buy off CTM at market value and then sell at a higher contract price? Seems hard though. Maybe they just take their 0.55% royalty clip?