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nIcKeL conFeRence ReVIeW

Ardea has a clean idea

rdea managing director Andrew Pen- cused projects such as KNP are recog-
Akethman perhaps said it best at the nised as being important to satisfy the
Australian Nickel Conference when he requests of loan lenders and institutional
acknowledged the increasing number of investors that are frequently putting ESG
heads in the room – in part thanks to the requirements at the top of their bill.
ESG-focused clean energy drive. “If people are genuine about ensuring
“Over the last three years we’ve seen ethical and sustainable mineral supply,
a steady rise in attendance and that has you can’t get it from Indonesia and the
corresponded with the sentiment for Philippines,” he said. “You have to come
nickel and the appreciation in its price,” to jurisdictions like Western Australia
he said. “I think we can all agree that where we’ve got an ethical and sustain-
nickel demand is growing and will contin- able brand of supply. With KNP, we’re
ue to grow with traditional uses such as optimally positioned for that.”
stainless steel, but more importantly with In the meantime, Ardea is yet to make
energy storage for lithium-ion batteries in any offtake commitments in a market that
the EV revolution.” has plenty looking for supply.
Penkethman believes Ardea’s Kalgoor- “We have deliberately not signed any
lie nickel project (KNP), currently the Andrew Penkethman offtake agreements, even though there’s
subject of a feasibility study, can help plenty of demand and interest in our
satiate this hunger with an advanced, 1960s.” offtake,” Penkethman said. “We’re not
green-focused flowsheet that teaches Ardea plans to target KNP’s high- going to enter into a soft agreement and
new tricks to an old dog. grade ore (78mt @ 1% nickel) with a get a short-term sugar spike kick to our
“Over the last 12 months there has high-pressure acid leach autoclave. share price. It’s all about developing long
been a lot of work undertaken in revising “Nickel laterites have to be part of the term strategic relationships.
the flowsheet and that’s all about maxim- production source moving forward,” Pen- “We already know that we have in-
ising resource utilisation which plays into kethman said. “There is no EV revolution dustry leading low CO2 emissions, but
the ESG thematic of minimising carbon without the development of globally sig- there’s room for improvement there.”
emissions,” he said. “We’ve actually had nificant nickel projects like KNP.”
this type of flowsheet in use since the He added that environmentally fo- – Fraser Palamara

ASX: CHN |
OTCQB: CGMLF

An Advanced Nickel

Exploration Company

Advancing the world class
Julimar Nickel-Copper-PGE

Project in WA
cannonres.com.au
ASX: CNR

www.chalicemining.com

Page 40 NOVeMBeR 2021 aUSTRaLIa’S PaYDIRT