Sumitomo Metal Mining to Launch Taganito HPAL Nickel Project in 2013

Sumitomo Metal Mining announced on Monday the firm decided to start new US$ 1.3 billion nickel project in Philippines. The wholly owned subsidiary, Taganito HPAL Nickel Corporation start the operation in August 2013 to make around 50,000 tonnes per year of nickel-cobalt mixed sulfide, which represents 30,000 tonnes of nickel and around 2,600 tonnes of cobalt, with lower grade ore by high pressure acid leach (HPAL) method.

The subsidiary signed basic agreement with Philippine largest nickel miner, Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC) for joint operation for the Taganito project. They start the construction in March 2010 completing the works in March 2013. They start the test run in April 2013 for commercial operation in August 2013.

The project uses low grade nickel oxide ore from NAC’s Taganito mine to make the nickel-cobalt mixed sulfide with 57% of nickel. Sumitomo Metal Mining purchases all of the mixed sulfide from Taganito to make electrolytic nickel and electrolytic cobalt at Niihama plant in Ehime.

Sumitomo Metal Mining succeeded commercial operation of HPAL at Coral Bay Nickel project, which makes annual 22,000 tonnes of nickel in Philippines. With new Taganito project, Sumitomo Metal Mining’s nickel production capacity reaches 100,000 tonnes per year compared with 65,000 tonnes now.