Arca and Giga Metals sign exclusive agreement to explore carbon removal at B.C. nickel project with potential to remove 220 million tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide Arca Scientist Eric Wynands working with rover on ultramafic mine tailings at a mine site in Western Australia in 2025
January 14, 2026 TSX.V – GIGA
Arca and Giga Metals sign exclusive agreement to explore carbon removal at B.C. nickel
project with potential to remove 220 million tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide
Arca Scientist Eric Wynands working with rover on ultramafic mine tailings at a mine site in Western Australia in 2025
Vancouver, British Columbia — Arca Climate Technologies Inc. (“Arca”), an Industrial
Mineralization company, and Giga Metals Corporation (“Giga Metals”) (TSX-V: GIGA; OTCQB:
GIGGF; FSE: BRR2), a Canadian mining company advancing the Turnagain Nickel Project in
British Columbia in partnership with the Mitsubishi Corporation, today announced a 10-year
tailings and waste rock access agreement that was signed January 9, 2026.
The agreement grants Arca an exclusive right to evaluate the potential of the ultramafic
waste rock and mine tailings at the Turnagain Project to permanently remove carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere. Arca will conduct sampling, analysis, pilot-scale testing, and
techno-economic studies using its proprietary Industrial Mineralization technology.
Giga Metals estimates that approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of ultramafic material will be
generated at the site once mining commences. Arca’s technologies activate minerals
found in ultramafic rock, accelerating a natural geochemical process called carbon
mineralization – the transformation of atmospheric CO2 into stable solid mineral form. Co-
benefits related to waste valorization and mine site sustainability are also generated. Arca
estimates that the deployment of its technologies on site will create the lifetime potential
to remove up to 220 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The Canadian government 2022 Critical Minerals Strategy identified nickel production as a
national priority to meet the demands of the energy transition, with the goal of making
Canada a global supplier of choice for critical minerals. The pursuit of this goal has been
enhanced recently by new Canadian Federal Government investments and policies such as
the Critical Minerals Sovereign Fund, the Defence Industrial Strategy and the Major
Projects Office.
“As Canada seeks to strengthen our economy and our position as a leading producer of
critical minerals, Turnagain stands out as one of the largest undeveloped nickel resources in
the country”, said Paul Needham, CEO of Arca. “By pairing critical minerals development
with permanent carbon dioxide removal, Giga Metals and Arca will demonstrate a new mining
paradigm with enhanced project economics and broader societal benefit.”
“At Giga Metals we have been working with Arca Principals on carbon sequestration for more
than a decade,” said Scott Lendrum, CEO of Giga Metals. “We are pleased to formalize our
arrangement to allow both companies to focus on what they do best: produce nickel
concentrate with high ESG credentials, and maximize the permanent sequestration of
carbon dioxide by converting mine waste into reactive sequestration minerals. Working with
Arca allows us to evaluate emerging technologies that could enhance the environmental and
economic performance of the Turnagain Project while supporting innovation in the mining
sector.”
About Giga Metals
Giga Metals Corporation’s core asset is the Turnagain Project, located in northern British
Columbia, which contains one of the few significant undeveloped sulphide nickel and
cobalt resources in the world. Turnagain is held in Hard Creek Nickel, a subsidiary owned
jointly by Giga Metals Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation.
The Turnagain ultramafic complex is also prospective for copper, platinum and palladium
mineralization in the Attic Zone, an area adjacent to the known nickel resource.
Contact:
Scott Lendrum, CEO
Phone: +1 (604) 681-2300
About Arca
Arca is an Industrial Mineralization company that leverages pre-existing industrial
infrastructure and alkaline waste to accelerate the natural process of carbon
mineralization and permanently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Arca was founded on 20 years’ pioneering research at the University of British Columbia by
Dr. Greg Dipple and is backed by some of the world’s leading climate technology investors.
Arca is supported by several Canadian government departments and private philanthropic
institutions and was a Milestone Award winner and Top 20 Finalist in the globally
prestigious XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition.
Arca’s cost-efficient system creates highly durable (10,000+ year) removals supported by
robust third-party verification. By partnering with heavy industry like mining and steel
production, Arca is building the foundation for gigatonne-scale carbon removal.
Contact:
Sean Lowrie, Head of External Affairs
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