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Horizonte Minerals Awards Contracts for Feasibility Study for Araguaia Nickel Project, Brazil

Published: March 21, 2017 |

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Horizonte Minerals Plc has completed the tender process and has awarded the contracts for the feasibility study for its 100 percent-owned Araguaia nickel project.

The aim of the FS is to deliver the most economically robust production scenario to produce 14,500 tonnes per annum (tpa) of nickel using the proven rotary kiln electric furnace technology (RKEF). The company’s strategy is to position itself as one of the lowest cost nickel producers globally. The FS is targeted for completion by the end of 2017 and the company is fully funded through to completion of the FS.

“The company’s aim is to build a best-in-class ferronickel operation and to achieve this we need to deliver a robust FS with capital and opex costs to +/-10 percent with a high level of engineering completed allowing direct flow into the implementation phase. The tender and selection process has been an involved exercise as our aim was to contract leading consulting groups with a strong track record in ferronickel and also project delivery experience in Brazil,” said Jeremy Martin, CEO of Horizonte.

Horizonte has signed contracts with the following consulting groups to deliver the Araguaia feasibility study by the end of 2017:

•  Lead FS engineering group: WorleyParsons Group

WorleyParsons is a leading global provider of professional services to the resource and energy sectors, and the complex process industries and has the largest global footprint amongst its peers. WorleyParsons is currently performing detail engineering of the Ferro Carajas S11D project (Vale) near to Araguaia that will produce 90 million tonnes of iron ore per annum upon completion. WorleyParsons also has extensive ferronickel experience including with PT Vale Indonesia.

•  Mining engineering, resources and reserves, geotechnical consultants: Snowden Mining Industry Consultants

Snowden is an international mining consultancy that has been in operation for 30 years and has employees between offices in Perth, Brisbane and Johannesburg. Key areas of capability include geosciences, mine planning, corporate advisory and technology consulting. Snowden has completed a number of resource estimates and mining studies for nickel projects in South America, Africa, Asia and Australia in recent years and was the lead consulting group in Horizonte’s Araguaia PFS published in 2016.

•  Social, Safety, Health & Environmental consultants: Environmental Resources Management

ERM is one of the leading independent environment and social consultants in the world and is highly experienced in preparing key environmental permits for mines in Brazil, including environmental impact assessments, environmental control plans and studies to support permits for large-scale projects. ERM supports the development and financing of hundreds of major projects around the globe every year and helps projects meet international environmental and social standards, including those of the IFC, the World Bank, Equator Principles, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) amongst others.

•  Water and waste engineering and plant geotechnical consultants: Prime Resources

Prime is a South African based group of consulting environmental scientists, engineers and geologists serving clients across a wide range of industries but predominantly focussed on natural resources and mining. Recent experience of Prime Resources includes the environment and social impact study for Minbos Resources Limited for Cabinda Rock Phosphate Project (Cabinda Project) in Angola. Prime Resources also conducted the hydrology, hydrogeology and environment and social baseline report for Horizonte Minerals’ PFS in 2014.

“We are delighted with the strong FS team we have created for Araguaia with WorleyParsons as the lead engineering group who have been heavily involved in Vale’s new S11D iron ore project in Brazil, combined with Snowden on the mining and resources side who bring continuity from their work on the pre-feasibility study. ERM who are a leading environmental and social consulting group with extensive Brazilian experience will manage the permitting process and work towards international banking standards for sustainability. We are also pleased to continue successful partnerships with Prime Resources who will manage our water and waste infrastructure components. In addition we have appointed specialised Brazilian groups to cover the power, logistics and road upgrades,” added Martin.

“In addition to our recent appointment of a FS Manager for Araguaia, we have strengthened our in-house team to ensure that we retain control over all FS deliverables and to facilitate effective communication between the multidisciplinary groups. I am confident that we have built an excellent team structure and FS roadmap to deliver on our objectives by the end of the year so that we continue to create value for our shareholders,” concluded Martin.


About Horizonte Minerals
Horizonte Minerals plc is an AIM and TSX-listed nickel development company focused in Brazil, which wholly owns the advanced Araguaia nickel laterite project located to the south of the Carajás mineral district of northern Brazil. The company is developing Araguaia as the next major nickel mine in Brazil, with targeted production by 2019.

To stop by Horizonte Minerals’ website, CLICK HERE


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