Creamer Media Login

Eramet eyes expansion in electric vehicle metals

20th February 2018

Font size: - +

PARIS – Eramet CEO Christel Bories said on Tuesday that the French mining group is looking to expand in minerals like cobalt, lithium and nickel salts linked to energy transition markets like electric vehicles.

Eramet is actively looking at acquisition targets after previously acquiring a lithium deposit in Argentina, she said.

"We're in a phase of studying opportunities to acquire resources in cobalt, primary lithium and nickel salts," she said during a call with reporters.

Eramet is a major producer of nickel but does not currently produce nickel sulphate, a nickel salt used in making batteries, Bories said.

For its existing lithium project in Argentina, Eramet expects to make an investment decision in mid-2019 before a potential production start-up in late 2021, she said.

Reporting 2017 results, Eramet said strong manganese markets and efficiency measures at its struggling nickel division boosted results and that its markets remained healthy at the start of 2018.

Eramet reported 2017 current operating profit of €608-million ($751-million) versus €84-million in 2016, and a net profit came to €203-million against a €179-million net loss in 2016.

Its manganese division posted a record operating profit of €738-million. Its nickel division recorded another operating loss, at €125-million, with Bories saying cost savings at its New Caledonia mining operations were offset by problems at its Sandouville plant in France.

The group is considering a plan to raise manganese mine output in Gabon by over 30% in future. It has estimated the investment at €450-million, with a decision expected mid-2019.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

Click Here

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

➕

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

➕

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION

➕