The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) approved financing worth R$100 million for Piauí Níquel Metais, in Capitão Gervásio Oliveira, Piauí, to acquire industrial machinery, equipment or services to support the production of high-purity nickel and cobalt precipitates used in electric vehicles, sustainable energy and aerospace, among others.
BNDES approves R$100 million for Piauí Níquel Metais strategic minerals project
The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) approved financing worth R$100 million for Piauí Níquel Metais, in Capitão Gervásio Oliveira, Piauí, to acquire industrial machinery, equipment or services...
According to the bank, with resources from BNDES Máquinas e Serviços, the company will be able to purchase national machines, equipment, industrial systems, components, IT and automation goods, as well as national services and imported equipment when it is impossible to supply similar national ones.
"The company's business plan was one of the projects selected by the Public Call for Investments in the Transformation of Strategic Minerals, launched by BNDES and Finep in 2025", explained in a statement the president of BNDES, Aloizio Mercadante.
A wholly owned subsidiary of the Brazilian Nickel Limited company, Piauí Níquel was created in Brazil to produce high-purity nickel and cobalt precipitates, suitable for high-value-added industries. The main product sold by the company is Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP). Negotiations between the bank and the company were advised by Alvarez & Marsal Infra.
"The world needs, more than ever, to diversify its supply chains, and the Piauí Nickel Project will position the country as a highly competitive and responsible global supplier", stated the president of Brazilian Nickel, Mark Travers.
The project under development in Brazil foresees a production capacity of 27,000 tons of nickel and 900 tons of cobalt per year, with production starting in 2028. In the operational phase, scheduled for 2029, the ore will undergo a process of purification and direct precipitation, causing the nickel and cobalt to decant together in the form of a wet solid that is MHP (average content between 48% and 50% of nickel and 2% cobalt), which will be sold in global markets.
MHP is an intermediate that can be used in the production of nickel components for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for electric vehicles or as a raw material in traditional uses of nickel, such as in stainless steels and other alloys.
Also according to BNDES, the process based on heap leaching stands out as a low-carbon technology for ore processing, ensuring better use of resources and low environmental impact. This process has the characteristics of high water recirculation, low energy intensity, and the reduction of emissions and solid waste generation, eliminating the need for tailings dams.
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Source:
Noticias ao Minuto - Ultima Hora
