Ardea unveils high-grade nickel-cobalt in WA

Minerals explorer Ardea Resources has unveiled high-grade, near surface nickel-cobalt mineralisation at its Highway deposit that forms part of its Kalgoorlie nickel project, or “KNP” in WA’s Eastern Goldfields. According to the company the results endorse its geological model and along with bench scale work will feed into an ongoing definitive feasibility study, or “DFS” that seeks to position the project as a globally significant source of battery metals.

Ardea is currently completing ongoing DFS works to assess the data surrounding its multi-deposit nickel and cobalt laterite deposits at Goongarrie Hub. The DFS is proposing a dual processing operation comprising of high pressure acid leaching or “HPAL,” and atmospheric leaching or “AL.”

In what appears to bode well for the Perth-based outfits prospects the Geological Survey of Western Australia has designated Ardea’s KNP as the biggest nickel deposit in Western Australia.  The price of nickel is currently hovering levels not seen since 2011 at over US$20,000 per tonne.

Nickel forms an integral part of electric batteries. As the world moves towards decarbonised economies via batteries and other low carbon sources Ardea’s Kalgoorlie nickel project in WA’s Eastern Goldfields could find itself front and centre of the energy revolution.

CREDIT – Bulls ‘n’ Bears