Canada Nickel Co. Inc. has announced that it is to start development of a processing facility operated with zero-carbon technologies.

The subsidiary, NetZero Metals, will be located in the town of Tmmins, Ontario. It will produce zero-carbon nickel, cobalt and iron products. 

Canada Nickel’s CEO, Mark Selby, expressed that while zero-carbon metals plants are still perceived as a futuristic idea, there is already a need for them in the present day: “The electric vehicle industry and many other consumer sectors needs zero-carbon metal this decade – not in a nebulous 2050 timeframe contemplated by many other resource companies”.

“As a result of the unique advantages of the Timmins region with its close proximity to zero-carbon hydroelectricity and our Crawford Nickel-Cobalt Sulfide project, comprised largely of serpentine rock that naturally absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) when exposed to air, Canada Nickel has the potential to develop zero-carbon products that our customers are expecting from the mining sector. With nickel as a preferred metal to power the clean energy revolution, our commitment to net zero-carbon production is the right step to take for the environment, for consumers and for our investors.”

NetZero Metals will implement existing technologies to process nickel-cobalt concentrates, removing sulfur, iron and other wastes.

Canada Nickel will endeavour to produce nickel and cobalt products using existing pyrometallurgical processes – roasting, sulfation roasting and reduction – with the use of electric arc furnaces.