ASO - Media, page-553

Canada Nickel have successfully proven the nay sayers wrong.

Top tier companies operating on the global scale want large scale low grade Nickel sulphide supply from Canada.

Another Canadian large scale low grade nickel sulphide exploration company is FPX Nickel, they recently annouced their PFS (which is one of many I used to calculate Astons cost assumptions).

FPX have just announced $14.4 Million Strategic Equity Investment from Major Global Nickel Producer Sumitomo Metal MiningFPX also received $724,871 non - repayable funding from Canadian governement (Below)

FPX have challenges with first nations people agreements that Aston does not

FPX operates in a far more wet climate of B.C, Aston does not.

FPX grade 0.21% Nickel, Aston will be 0.3+ % Nickel

FPX are marketing how simplistic their production flow sheet is with Awaruite, this requires magnetic separation to be included in the flowsheet and remove this from the nickel which costs additonal capex and opex. Aston does not "Of particular note is the fact that only trace detection of awaruite, a nickel alloy mineral, was identified in a single sample from DDED21-075." - 10 Mar 22 Petrology reportSo Astons recovery and processing is even more simple and cost effective than FPX and CNC.

FPX also have agreements with Toyota/Panasonic JV aswell.

My point is, the neighbourhood is getting bought out by the biggest players in the game, at a premium, Sumitomo Metal paid a 70% premium.

Aston has what I see as the best block in the neighbourhood, already has the experienced builders and it's just a matter of time.

Market is confused and tunnel visioned on Indo supply, Chinese have already claimed indo supply, they invested and built it, why would they let it go? Whilst market is distracted, big deals are being made for those long term sticky strategics that want future offtake such as Sumitomo.

This is a case of look at whats happening rather than what's being said by analyst outlooks (whom are nortoriously wrong)

'Actions speak louder than words'

Battery Material Supply Chain Integration

Proponent: FPX Nickel Corp

NRCan funding: $724,871

Location: British Columbia

This project aims to accelerate demonstration of the technical and economic feasibility to produce battery-grade nickel sulphate and cobalt hydroxide for the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) battery supply chain from the Baptiste Nickel Project. Baptiste’s awaruite (Ni3Fe) concentrate requires a simpler refining process to produce these in-demand battery products, and the CMRDD funding will allow FPX to demonstrate this refining process at the pilot scale. Success of the Baptiste Nickel Project will lead to a significant new domestic source of low-carbon nickel and cobalt and carry a wide range of employment opportunities for Canadians.

Source:https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2023/03/projects-funded-under-the-critical-minerals-research-development-and-demonstration-cmrdd-program.html