Name of the Project
Jaguar nickel sulphide project.

Location
Carajás, Brazil.

Project Owner/s
Aliança Mineração, a wholly owned Brazilian subsidiary of Centaurus Metals.

Project Description
A value-add scoping study has been undertaken to evaluate the potential development of the project.

The project is expected to have a low-carbon emission footprint and generate strong financial returns while delivering significant long-term social and economic benefits for the local communities around it.

The scoping study envisages the development of openpit and underground mines supplying a 2.7-million-tonne-a-year nickel sulphate plant over an initial 13-year mine life.

The mine is expected to produce more than 20 000 t/y of recovered nickel in sulphate and more than 9 600 t/y of mixed sulphide precipitate.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an estimated pretax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $1.03-billion and an internal rate of return of 60%, with an after-tax payback period of 1.8 years.

Capital Expenditure
The project will require preproduction development capital of $288-million.

Planned Start/End Date
First production from Jaguar is currently targeted for 2025.

Latest Developments
The completion of the definitive feasibility study (DFS) has been delayed to the first quarter of 2024.

This follows a formal request from lead engineering group, Ausenco, for a timetable extension to complete capital and operating-cost estimation and project implementation scheduling, as it is awaiting submissions of proposals by external suppliers and contractors.

Centaurus has said that the extended timeline might result in the final investment decision being pushed into the fourth quarter of 2024.

The miner has noted that the ongoing strategic partnering process continues to demonstrate the strong and broad strategic interest in the Jaguar project as one of the few advanced-stage, large-scale nickel sulphide projects worldwide.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Entech; Re-Metallica; and DRA Global (value-add scoping study); and Ausenco (DFS).

Contact Details for Project Information
Centaurus Metals, tel +61 8 6424 8420 or email office@centaurus.com.au.