I don't know a lot about mining and processing etc... but I found the following article pretty interesting. It's a bit long but for a novice I found it a good read. Not sure how HC might mangle the link, but I think worthwhile having a read if you can find it.
https://aheadoftheherd.com/the-future-of-canadas-nickel-supply-is-not-indonesia/Interesting discussion there about nickel laterites and nickel sulphides and how they are processed. The nickel sulphide appears to be a much cleaner process.
The article was posted on 02-JUN-2021 and there is a discussion in the article about a Chinese company Tsingshan coming up with a new
processing method to create "nickel matte, an intermediate nickel product based on converted nickel pig iron (NPI) used in steelmaking, to Chinese companies Huayou and CNGR Advanced Materials, who will further process it into nickel sulfate."
It then went on to discuss the following:
"The company’s announced pivot to nickel matte production in March sent shock waves throughout the industry. The metal suffered its worst two-day rout in a decade, as investors digested the news of Tsingshan’s ability to make battery-grade metal from materials previously reserved for stainless steel only. The implications were clear: the Chinese steelmaker could potentially flood the market. Wall Street banks reacted by cutting their nickel forecasts, following a plunge in nickel futures from about $19,000 to $16,000 per ton.
Yet a short time later, Tesla and Trafigura were linking up in New Caledonia over the Goro nickel mine. Why wouldn’t Tesla just buy their precious nickel sulfate from Tsingshan?
The answer is all about the “green” in green nickel."
The Avebury mine is going to be about as GREEN as it gets. Nickel Sulphide deposit with electricity coming from hydro. JL can stamp this product with the greenest green badge there is and this will make the MYL nickel a premium product in this new era.
Short term the CR takeup may be the best guide we will get to current interest.
