Tag: Forrestania

Western Areas seals offtake deals

Western Areas seals offtake deals

AUSTRALIAN nickel producer Western Areas has completed two offtake deals for its WA high-grade Forrestania Nickel Operation concentrate product which is a feedstock for the electric vehicle battery market. The ASX-listed company said the offtake-deals are with BHP’s Nickel West subsidiary in WA, and Hong Kong-listed Chinese nickel company Jinchuan Group, and both were awarded by Western Areas following a competitive tender process. Western Areas managing director Dan Lougher said the company was pleased with its new contracts that extend its relationship with BHP and reintroduces Jinchuan as an offtake customer. “It is notable that both of our offtake customers are involved in the downstream operation of nickel smelters,” he said. “Western Areas firmly believes that the smelting of concentrates…

Western Areas: Odysseus rising

Western Areas: Odysseus rising

WESTERN Areas is bang on track to coincide production at its Odysseus project with the expected high demand for nickel in the electric vehicle market in 2022. The project sits within the Cosmos nickel complex, alongside Western Areas’ existing Forrestainia operation in WA, 28km northwest of BHP’s Leinster nickel operations. Western Areas managing director and chief executive officer Daniel Lougher said that early works on site were almost complete. “Early works was being done in parallel with the definitive feasibility study and included dewatering, creating evaporation ponds and doing some work at the camp plus the rehabilitation of the existing decline underground,” Mr Lougher said. “We’re now sitting fully rehabbed down to a vertical depth of about 500m below the…

Western Areas: Making Moves

Western Areas: Making Moves

All images: Western Areas Panorama view of Western Areas Flying Fox processing plant. BY: JESSICA CUMMINS WESTERN Areas has a lot to look forward to with development pushing ahead at its new Odysseus prospect and continued exploration opportunities across its Forrestania operation, and newly acquired Western Gawler tenements. Nickel-focused miner, Western Areas, doubled its net profit from $4.8 million to $8.3 million in the second half of FY18 in line with improved nickel prices. With free cash flow of $19.1 million as of 30 June, Western Areas managing director and chief executive Dan Lougher said the company’s midterm outlook was to utilise cash on hand to accelerate exploration. Mr Lougher also had high hopes for its newly commissioned Mill Recovery…

Western Areas: Making the Grade

Western Areas: Making the Grade

All images: Western Areas. THE nickel market is in the midst of major disruption as two distinct commodity segments appear – nickel sulphate for the fast growing EV market, and the traditional stainless steel market, dominated by lower grade ferronickel. In Australia, Western Areas is very well placed to seize the advantage as high grade nickel demand continues to grow. BY REUBEN ADAMS It’s been more than a decade since nickel prices went into free fall from a peak of $51,600 per tonne (t). Now – despite continued price volatility and large supply inventories – market fundamentals are looking healthier than they have in years, with a burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) sector looks set to put a rocket under the…

Western Areas: A bright future

Western Areas: A bright future

An aerial shot of the Spotted Quoll mine. BY CAMERON DRUMMOND AUSTRALIA’S only pure-play nickel producer Western Areas has been increasing its reputation as one of the world’s best low cost, high grade operators with its own innovate BioHeap technology. Volatile nickel prices have been fair-weathered by Western Areas. The company has utilised its position as a low cost, high grade nickel producer to increase cash in the bank and explore organic growth opportunities in WA. Located 400km east of Perth, Western Areas’ flagship project is Forrestania which comprises two producing nickel mines, Spotted Quoll and Flying Fox, as well as the Cosmic Boy concentrator which treats the high grade ore to produce about 25,000 tonnes (t) of nickel concentrate per annum.…