PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed junior Jervois Mining has started the hunt for a development partner and offtake agreements for Nico Young cobalt/nickel project, in New South Wales.
Jervois said on Wednesday that the company remained committed to majority ownership and joint venture operatorship of Nico Young, but was hoping to introduce a ‘credible partner’ that could add value as the project advanced to a definitive feasibility study in 2019.
“The validity of our decision to introduce an investment and offtake partner into Nico Young was reinforced last week in China, after the company attended the China International Nickel and Cobalt Industry Forum,” said CEO Bryce Crocker.
“The preliminary interest in Nico Young mixed nickel/cobalt hydroxide, and nickel sulphate/cobalt sulphide was exceptionally strong. Jervois will now broaden formal discussions on Nico Young to other geographic regions where customer demand for nickel and cobalt units is equally robust.”
Crocker said that a data room was being established and third parties would start their review of the Nico Young prefeasibility study (PFS).
The PFS for a three-million-tonne-a-year production rate, is now in its final stages, and the study will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2018.