FPX Nickel Completes Confirmatory Large-Scale Mineral Processing Pilot Testwork with Funding Support from the Government of Canada
Suite 320 – 1155 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC Canada V6E 2P4
Tel: 604.681.8600
e-mail: [email protected]
FPX Nickel Completes Confirmatory Large-Scale Mineral
Processing Pilot Testwork with Funding Support from the
Government of Canada
Vancouver, April 30, 202 4 – FPX Nickel Corp. ( TSX-V: FPX, OTCQB: FPOCF ) (“ FPX” or the
“Company”) is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed a large-scale mineral processing
pilot testing campaign for the Baptiste Nickel Project (“ Baptiste” or the “ Project”), the first significant
component of the ongoing feasibility study (“ FS”) metallurgical testwork campaign. Results from this
testwork confirm the 2023 preliminary feasibility study (“PFS”) basis, thereby validating FPX’s processing
strategy, flowsheet, and key metallurgical criteria , including estimated recoveries. The pilot testing
campaign was funded in part by a $725,000 grant from Natural Resources Canada (“NRCan”) under the
Government of Canada’s Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (“ CMRDD”)
program, which is advancing the commercial readiness of processing technologies that will support the
development Canada’s EV battery material supply chain.
Highlights
• Pilot-scale mineral processing testwork is now complete, with metallurgical performance matching
the 2023 PFS basis, confirming expected recoveries and other key performance criteria
• Testwork identified multiple opportunities to further optimize the mineral processing flowsheet
through further process simplification
• Testwork produced sufficient high-grade concentrate (60% nickel) for pilot-scale testing of the
downstream hydrometallurgy refinery for the production of battery-grade nickel sulphate
• Preparations for the downstream hydrometallurgical refining pilot plant are underway, with results
expected to be announced in the third quarter of 2024
“These first results from our FS metallurgical testwork program further validate the processing advantages
of awaruite which were demonstrated in the Baptiste PFS,” commented Andrew Osterloh, FPX Nickel’s
Senior Vice President, Projects & Operations. “Conducted with support from NRCan, this large-scale pilot
program has demonstrated that the processing strategy, flowsheet, and metallurgical basis from the PFS are
robust, and has identified further optimization opportunities to lower capital and operating costs. This is
another positive step as we continue to advance Baptiste as a potential producer of disruptive quantities of
low-carbon, low-cost, Canadian nickel.”
Background
The Baptiste processing strategy leverages awaruite’s distinct properties in a simple, yet robust flowsheet.
The front end of the flowsheet utilizes magnetic separation to create a “magnetics rich” concentrate of
awaruite and magnetite – a process made ef fective due to awaruite’s intense ferromagnetism and high
density. The back end of the flowsheet then utilizes conventional froth flotation to separate awaruite from
magnetite – a process made effective due to awaruite’s active surface properties and magn etite’s general
lack of floatability. Finally, based on awaruite’s very high nickel content, a very high -grade nickel
concentrate (60% nickel) can be produced.
Downstream of the mineral processing plant, awaruite’s properties continue to provide distinct advantages,
including unparalleled downstream market flexibility. Unlike conventional nickel mineral concentrates
which have a high sulphur content, Baptiste ’s awaruite concentrate is nearly sulphur -free and low in
deleterious elements, meaning it can bypass intermediate smelting and be used directly in stainless steel
fabrication. Alternatively, the Baptiste awaruite concentrate is also an ideal feedstock for the production
of high-purity, battery-grade nickel sulphate for the electric vehicle (“EV”) supply chain. The Company’s
PFS metallurgical testing programs have well demonstrated this flexibility, and the FS metallurgical testing
program is expected to confirm these previous findings at an even larger scale.
Mineral Processing Pilot Plant
The primary objectives of the FS mineral processing pilot plant were (1) to further demonstrate the Baptiste
concentrator flowsheet at a larger scale; and (2) to produce sufficient awaruite concentrate to conduct pilot-
scale, continuous testing of the downstream hydrometallurgy refinery for the production of battery -grade
nickel sulphate.
The testwork reported herein represents the third pilot-scale mineral processing campaign the Company has
completed for Baptiste. Key parameters from each pilot plant are summarized in Table 1, highlighting that
the FS pilot plant was conducted at a significantly greater scale and run time than previously completed
campaigns, permitting a longer duration of steady-state operation.
Table 1 – Summary of Baptiste Pilot-Scale Mineral Processing Testing Campaigns
Pilot Campaign 2021 2022 2023/24
Metallurgical Testwork
Program
PFS PFS FS
Ore Feed Rate 160 kg/h 210 kg/h 320 kg/h
Feed Material Life of mine composite Bulk sample from early
mine plan years
Bulk sample from early
mine plan years
Run Time 0.9 days 3.3 days 9.9 days
Unit Operations Tested Magnetic Separation Magnetic Separation
and Flotation
Magnetic and Gravity
Separation and
Flotation
Objective Flowsheet development
and generation of
magnetic concentrate
for bench-scale
flotation testing
Flowsheet validation
and generation of
flotation concentrate
for bench-scale refinery
testing
Further flowsheet
validation and
generation of flotation
concentrate for pilot-
scale refinery testing
The FS pilot plant followed the flowsheet defined in the 2023 PFS, but also tested multiple optimization
opportunities. The tested flowsheet is presented in Figure 1 , with blue unit operations representing
continuously-tested PFS flow sheet elements and green unit operations representing potential flowsheet
optimizations which were also tested.
Figure 1 – Baptiste Mineral Processing Pilot Flowsheet
The Company re-engaged Corem (Quebec, Canada) to conduct the FS pilot plant, building on their
experience with previous piloting and numerous bench-scale programs for Baptiste. A total of 76 tonnes
of material were processed in the pilot plant, resulting in approximately 9.9 days of continuous run-time in
the primary grinding and magnetic separation circuits.
When operating under normal conditions, the FS pilot plant delivered metallurgical performance that
closely matched the metallurgical performance assumed in the PFS. This includes stage-by-stage
recoveries, as well as the ability to produce the high-grade nickel concentrate (60% nickel) envisioned in
the PFS. While these were expected results, given the quality and scale of the PFS metallurgical testwork
program, the success of the FS pilot plant nevertheless provides further validation for the proposed Baptiste
processing strategy, flowsheet, and metallurgical basis. Examples of the awaruite concentrates produced in
the pilot plant are presented in Figures 2 and 3.
Awaruite
Concentrate
60% Ni
Cleaning
Magnetic Separation
Roughing
Magnetic Separation
Primary Grinding
1st
Regrind
Combined
Tailings
2nd Regrind
Recleaning
Magnetic Separation
Flotation
Gravity Concentrate
Upgrading
To future flotation
tails leach testing
2nd Regrind Bypass
Figure 2 – First Batch of Flotation Concentrate
from FS Pilot Plant
Figure 3 – Micrograph of Upgraded Gravity
Concentrate
Optimization Opportunities
The extended duration of the FS pilot plant also permitted trial of two flowsheet optimizations, firstly the
production and upgrading of a gravity concentrate, and secondly the elimination of the second regrind and
recleaning magnetic separation stage. As discussed below, both of these optimization opportunities have
the potential to contribute to flowsheet enhancements that contribute to lower associated processing costs.
Early Recovery of Coarse, Liberated Awaruite to Final Concentrate
The second PFS pilot plant noted considerable circulating load of awaruite in the first regrind circuit due
to the high specific gravity and malleability of awaruite and the use of a hydrocyclone to close the grinding
circuit. Continuous testing during the FS pilot plant demonstrated the technical viability of using a
centrifugal concentrator to recover coarse, liberated awaruite from grinding circuit recirculating loads. This
approach is commonly applied in the gold industry to recover coarse gold particles . Gravity concentrates
grading 20-40% nickel were produced, and then successfully upgraded to the final concentrate grade of
60% nickel using magnetic separation and flotation steps.
While the PFS envisioned advancing the coarse, liberated awaruite to the cleaner magnetic separation feed,
the early recovery of this material to a final product re duces the risk of downstream overgrinding and its
potential recovery impact. As such, FS pilot testwork clearly demonstrates that awaruite’s high density can
be effectively managed in an industrial grinding circuit.
Elimination of Secondary Regrinding and Recleaning Magnetic Separation
The second optimization trialed the elimination of the second regrind and recleaner magnetic separation
circuits. To test this, cleaner magnetic separation concentrate was directly fed to froth flotation. Testwork
showed overall recoveries comparable to the PFS flowsheet. For this approach, rougher concentrate would
then be reground prior to cleaner froth flotation, but this would require a significantly smaller regrind
circuit, resulting in process simplification, capital cost savings, and operating costs savings. This
opportunity will be further investigated and validated in upcoming stages of the FS metallurgical testwork
program, with the potential for additional processing cost benefits for the Project.
Hydrometallurgical Refinery Pilot Plant
The awaruite concentrate generated during the mineral processing plant will now be used in the downstream
hydrometallurgical refining pilot plant . FPX has re -engaged Sherritt Technologies Ltd. to conduct this
testwork, building on their successful completion of the previous batch-scale testing program in 2023. As
noted in the Company’s news release dated May 17, 2023, the 2023 program successfully demonstrated
FPX’s proposed refinery flowsheet can produce battery grade nickel sulphate at the batch -scale, and FS
testwork program will now aim to demonstrate similar findings at the pilot-scale. Preparations for this pilot
plant are underway and results are expected to be announced in the third quarter of 2024.
Qualified Person
The metallurgical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian
regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43 -101: Standards of Disclosures for Minerals
Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators (“ NI 43-101”). Testwork was supervised, reviewed,
and verified by Kyle D. Marte, P.Eng., FPX Nickel’s Principal Metallurgist and a “Qualified Person” as
defined by NI 43-101.
About the Decar Nickel District
The Company’s Baptiste Nickel Project represents a large -scale greenfield discovery of nickel
mineralization in the form of a sulphur -free, nickel -iron mineral called awaruite (Ni 3Fe) hosted in an
ultramafic/ophiolite complex. The Baptiste mineral claims cover an area of 245 km2 west of Middle River
and north of Trembleur Lake, in central British Columbia. In addition to the Baptiste Deposit itself,
awaruite mineralization has been confirmed through drilling at several target areas within the same claims
package, most notably at the Van Target which is located 6 km to the north of the Baptiste Deposit. Since
2010, approximately US $30 million has been spent on the exploration and development of Baptiste.
The Baptiste Deposit is located within the Baptiste Creek watershed, on the traditional and unceded
territories of the Tl’azt’en Nation and Binche Whut’en, and within several Tl’azt’enne and Binche
Whut’enne keyohs. FPX has conducted mineral exploration ac tivities to date subject to the conditions of
agreements with First Nations and keyoh holders.
About FPX Nickel Corp.
FPX Nickel Corp. is focused on the exploration and development of the Decar Nickel District, located in
central British Columbia, and other occurrences of the same unique style of naturally occurring nickel-iron
alloy mineralization known as awaruite. Fo r more information, please view the Company’s website at
https://fpxnickel.com/ or contact Martin Turenne, President and CEO, at (604) 681 -8600 or
On behalf of FPX Nickel Corp.
“Martin Turenne”
Martin Turenne, President, CEO and Director
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain of the statements made and information contained herein is considered “forward -looking
information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. These statements address future
events and conditions and so involve inherent risks and u ncertainties, as disclosed in the Company's
periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Actual results could differ from those currently
projected. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.