future in EV battery production

and battery production in the province,” said Hon. George Pirie, Ontario Minister of Mines. “Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy is working, and we look forward to seeing EVNi and their partners succeed in the global market for electric vehicles.”

EV Nickel’s environmental sound plans start with reliance on creative processing techniques, including using bioleaching instead of smelting to extract the nickel. Bioleaching is a process that uses wellunderstood, non-pathogenic, naturally occurring bacteria on crushed ore irrigated with a mildly acidic solution and bacteria are added. The bacteria attack the bonds between the metal and sulfur to gain energy, dissolving the minerals and releasing the nickel into a solution. The process requires air, water & nutrients (including Sulphuric acid (H2S04)) which are irrigated and aerated. Bioleaching produces no gaseous emissions from the process and the bacteria consume CO2.

The traditional smelting method of applying heat to extract the metal to decompose the ore, gives off gases and produces slag inside the furnace. The smelting process emits nickel-bearing sulphide concentrates, and sulphur dioxide and sulphuric acids that lead to acid rain, sterilizing lakes and rivers. The company is also exploring methods for carbon capture potential, through waste rock and tailings during mining, to expose the serpentinite rock to air to allow this material to absorb CO2 through natural mineral carbonation.

Research funded in part with government support, is already underway in these areas.

Further actions being taken by EV Nickel to improve environmental performance includes sorting ore electrically whenever feasible, at the mine(s), to raise head grade and limit moving waste. EV Nickel also plans to phase out the use of gasoline powered vehicles and machineries by electrification of all mining operations using locally available hydroelectricity.

Status of Project

EV Nickel initiated permitting in 2022 by applying for a mining lease. Metallurgical testing is currently underway.

The company’s work plan for 2023 includes Bench testing the bioleaching process and developing a pilot plant setup and a carbon capture pilot test for which EV Nickel has applied for funding with the National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program.