OWN CORRESPONDENT, Perth | Tuesday 3.20pm
ECONOMISTS said on Tuesday that Anglo American Plc’s $163-million foray into Australia’s burgeoning nickel laterite industry gives the mining firm a foothold in an industry that is both tested and unconventional.
Anglo America announced on Monday that it has agreed to increase its stake in Australian company Anaconda Nickel to 23% from 3%. Under the terms of the proposed agreement, Anglo American will buy some 77,3% of new shares issued by the Australian company in two tranches. The laterite process employs largely untested technology developed by Canada’s Sherritt International Corp to exploit formally uneconomic nickel contained in dry laterite ore found in the outback of Western Australia.
Australia’s largest nickel miner, WMC Ltd, is on the record saying it is not convinced the process works well enough to provide an adequate return. WMC has opted to sit on the sidelines, allowing upstarts such as Anaconda and a legion of other mining entrepreneurs to do the hard yards.
Nickel is mainly produced from sulphide-type ore by WMC and other leading nickel miners around the world.
Anglo is hedging its bet via investments in sulphide mines in South Africa and Venezuela. Its rationale for investing in Anaconda is a desire to lift its profile in the metal, used mostly to make stainless steel and nickel-bearing batteries.
”We think it [Anaconda] could prove a significant player in nickel,” said Anglo’s chairman of base metals James Campbell.
However, the innovative technology to produce refined nickel and cobalt faces its toughest test as the industry focuses on whether the projects will meet output targets. — AFP and Reuters