PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX- and TSX-V listed Jervois Global has been awarded an Environmental Installation License, or LPI, for its São Miguel Paulista (SMP) nickel cobalt refinery in São Paulo, Brazil.
The company said on Friday that the licence from the state environmental regulator, Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo, represented São Paulo state approval for construction of the Stage 1 SMP restart, and marked another important milestone as Jervois continues detailed engineering on the restart prior to final investment decision.
Jervois forecasts producing 10 000 t/y and 2 000t/y of refined nickel and cobalt metal cathode respectively in Stage 1.
SMP is Latin America’s only electrolytic class 1 nickel and cobalt refinery and operated successfully for more than 30 years prior to being placed on care and maintenance.
The SMP will be used to treat cobalt concentrate from Jervois’ Idaho cobalt operations (ICO), in the US. First ore processing at the ICO is planned for the third quarter this year, after Jervois last year approved a $92.6-million capital spend for construction of the mine and process facility.