Canada Nickel Identifies New Method for Accelerated CO2 Capture
Canada Nickel Identifies New Method for Accelerated CO2 Capture
Highlights
• Simple carbon capture approach could allow production of Net Zero nickel and generation of
21 tonnes of CO2 credits per tonne of nickel produced after offsetting all emissions
• Demonstrates potential to turn a nickel mine into a generator of carbon credits rather than
generator of carbon emissions
• Crawford Project could produce an estimated average of 710,000 tonnes of CO2 credits annually
and 18 million total tonnes of CO2 credits over expected life of mine
TORONTO, July 20, 2022 – Canada Nickel Company Inc. ("Canada Nickel" or the "Company") (TSXV:CNC )
(OTCQX:CNIKF) today announced the results of a laboratory test program for a new method of accelerated
carbon capture – In Process Tailings Carbonation (“ IPT Carbonation ”) that the Company believes has
transformative potential.
The lab scale test program demonstrates that this accelerated carbon capture process could allow
Crawford tailings to absorb enough C O2 to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions within 36 hours, and
generate up to 21 tonnes of CO2 credits per tonne of nickel produced within just six days, rather than the
multiple months involved in existing passive tailings approaches. At Canada Nickel’s Crawford Project,
this translates into an average of approximately 710,000 tonnes of CO2 credits per year and 18 million
total tonnes of CO2 credits over the Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) life-of-mine.
Mark Selby, Chair and CEO of Canada Nickel commented, “ These lab scale test results demonstrate a
potentially transformative process to turn a nickel mine into a net generator of carbon credits rather than
a generator of carbon emissions. Our active and accelerated process has the potential to operate at least
8-12 times faster than current passive approaches, delivering carbon capture at a multiple of what
industry leaders are currently able to achieve . Our process also allows easi er quantification and
verification of the amount of carbon captured.”
Canada Nickel’s Crawford Project is hosted in ultramafic rock, which naturally absorbs and sequesters CO2.
The potential to actively capture and sequester carbon was a key consideration in Canada Nickel’s
acquisition of the 42 km2 of target ultramafic rocks in the Timmins area which could anchor a zero-carbon
industrial cluster near Timmins. The challenge has been to develop a process that speeds up the naturally
occurring carbon absorption process. Canada Nickel has developed a simple active process that utilizes
tailings as generated in the milling process and injects a concentrated source of CO2 for a brief period of
time. This novel process for accelerated mineral carbonation is called In Process Tailings Carbonation or
IPT Carbonation, which fixes CO2 geologically while the tailings are still in the processing circuit, rather
than after they have been finally deposited.
While Canada Nickel’s IPT Carbonation process has only been demonstrated on a lab scale and on a limited
number of samples, the Company believes that, given its relative simplicity, this process could be scaled
up with availability of concentrated (rather than atmospheric) sources of CO2. This CO2 could potentially
be delivered by downstream processing of Crawford concentrates, a wide range of industrial processing
activities, green hydrogen production, carbon capture facilities, or natural gas power generation . The
process clearly demonstrates the potential to produce NetZero NickelTM and NetZero CobaltTM for the EV
industry, NetZero IronTM and chromium for the stainless steel industry and generate substantial carbon
credits during the process. The Company believes that the need for a concentrated source of CO2 for this
process and the substantial CO2 capture capacity potential of its ultramafic land position could form the
basis for an entire zero carbon industrial cluster in the Timmins region.
IPT Carbonation
The IPT Carbonation process utilizes tailings directly from the mineral processing circuit and conditions
them with CO2 for a brief period of time. After this conditioning, the tailings achieved the Net Zero carbon
capture target in less than 36 hours and achieved gross carbon capture rates of at least 26 tonnes of CO2
/ tonne of nickel (5 times the amount necessary to achieve Net Zero metal production) in just 6 days .
During this time, the rate of capture was 8 to 12 times faster th an a lab scale passive approach. (see
Figures 1a, 1b, 2, 3). Both samples tested with IPT Carbonation have achieved or surpassed the complete
theoretical carbonation of the ultramafic mineral brucite, which is significant as the capacity of brucite to
sequester carbon, at Crawford alone, is estimated to be more than 13 million tonnes of CO 2 over the
estimated life of the project. The experimental method and results for IPT Carbonation were initially
completed at XPS , Expert Process Solutions, a Glencore Company , and the mechanism was then
reproduced at a second independent lab, Kingston Process Metallurgy, adding confidence to the process.
No further information is being provided on the method at this time and work is underway to test a wide
range of variables to optimize the process.
Figure 1a, 1b: A Comparison of Active IPT Carbonation vs. Passive Carbon Sequestration Rates
Figure 2 – IPT Carbonation – CO2 Capture per Tonne of Nickel
Figure 3. A Comparison of CO2 Capture Between the High Brucite (3.5% Brucite) and Average Brucite
Samples (1.9% Brucite)
Based on mineralogy data captured in the Crawford PEA, the average brucite concentration of samples
characterized in the resource was 2.0%. These initial lab scale results suggest that carbon capture beyond
the theoretical maximum in brucite is possible . Canada Nickel is working towards incorporating the
brucite content into the block model as an estimate for the total carbon capture potential of the project
in the feasibility study.
Both samples
sequester ≥ 26 tonnes
of CO2 / tonne of nickel
after 6 days
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
CO2 Capture (t CO2 / t of nickel)
Time (days)
High Brucite - IPT Carbonation Average Brucite - IPT Carbonation
Validation and Measurement of CO2 Credits
IPT Carbonation , which is an active process, has benefits over passive mineral carbon capture as the
method for quantifying and verifying CO2 capture is expected to be much simpler. Using a standard carbon
balance in the mineral processing facility, the CO2 captured from IPT Carbonation can be quantified before
tailings are discharged into the permanent tailings storage facility such that carbon offsets can be
quantified in real time as part of a standard metallurgical accounting system. Canada Nickel expects
industry standards to be developed for quantifying CO2 capture through passive methods as well.
Qualified Person and Data Verification
Arthur G. Stokreef, P.Eng (ON), Manager of Process Engineering & Geometallurgy , Canada Nickel
Company, and a “qualified person” as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed
and approved the technical information in this news release on behalf of Canada Nickel Company Inc.
About Canada Nickel
Canada Nickel Company Inc. is advancing the next generation of nickel-sulphide projects to deliver nickel
required to feed the high growth electric vehicle and stainless steel markets. Canada Nickel Company has
applied in multiple jurisdictions to trademark the terms NetZero Nickel™, NetZero Cob alt™ and NetZero
Iron™ and is pursuing the development of processes to allow the production of net zero carbon nickel,
cobalt, and iron products. Canada Nickel provides investors with leverage to nickel in low political risk
jurisdictions. Canada Nickel is currently anchored by its 100% owned flagship Crawford Nickel -Cobalt
Sulphide Project in the heart of the prolific Timmins-Cochrane mining camp. For more information, please
visit www.canadanickel.com.
For further information, please contact:
Mark Selby, Chair and CEO
Phone: 647-256-1954
Email: [email protected]
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under
applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, the
carbon capture approach could allow product ion of Net Zero nickel and generation of an additional
tonnes of CO 2 credits per tonne of nickel produced after offsetting all emissions, the potential to turn
nickel mine into a generator of carbon credits rather than generator of carbon emissions, the production
of estimated average of 710,000 tonnes of carbon credits annually and 18 million total tonnes of CO 2
credits over expected life of mine at Crawford, the ability to monetize carbon credits, the ability to
quantify carbon capture, emission estimates, the brucite content of the deposit, the scalability of the
process, the metallurgical results, the timing and results of the feasibility study, the results of Crawford’s
PEA, including statements relating to net present value, future production, estimates of cash cost,
proposed mining plans and methods, mine life estimates, cash flow forecasts, metal recoveries, estimates
of capital and operating costs, timing for permitting and environmental assessments, realization of
mineral resource estimates, capital and operating cost estimates, projec t and life of mine estimates,
ability to obtain permitting by the time targeted, size and ranking of project upon achieving production,
economic return estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production and capital, operating
and exploration e xpenditures and potential upside and alternatives. Readers should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may
cause the actual results, perfo rmance or achievements of Canada Nickel to be materially different from
any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
The PEA results are estimates only and are based on a number of assumptions, any of which, if incorrect,
could materially change the projected outcome. There are no assurances that Crawford will be placed into
production. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: the actual results of
development activities; project delays; inability to raise the funds necessary to complete development;
general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future prices of metals or
project costs could differ substantially and make any commercialization unecono mic; availability of
alternative nickel sources or substitutes; actual nickel recovery; conclusions of economic evaluations;
changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, labour disputes, the availability
and productivity of ski lled labour and other risks of the mining industry; political instability, terrorism,
insurrection or war; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, necessary permitting or in the
completion of development or construction activities; mineral resource est imates relating to Crawford
could prove to be inaccurate for any reason whatsoever; additional but currently unforeseen work may
be required to advance to the feasibility stage; and even if Crawford goes into production, there is no
assurance that operations will be profitable.
Although Canada Nickel has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions,
events or results to differ materially from those described in forward -looking statements, there may be
other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.
Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Canada
Nickel disclaims any obligation to update any forward -looking statements, w hether as a result of new
information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.