Sherritt plans to expand Cuban nickel mine

Sherritt International (TSX: S) is making plans to expand production and lengthen the life of the Moa nickel-cobalt mine in Cuba. Moa is a joint venture of Sherritt (50%) and General Nickel Co. of Cuba (50%).

The plan calls for a multi-phased approach, and work will include a new slurry preparation plant and expansion of other circuits at the mill. Existing equipment at Sherritt’s 100%-owned refinery in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta, is part of the plan.

Moa is a lateritic nickel deposit mined by open pit methods. The ore is pressure acid leached on-site and then transported to the refinery in Canada. Finished nickel and cobalt are produced as well as a byproduct ammonium sulphate fertilizer.

The most recent resource estimate at Moa was completed in 2019. At that time, the project had 111.9 million measured tonnes grading 1.03% nickel and 0.13% cobalt. The indicated portion was 46 million tonnes at 0.94% nickel and 0.12% cobalt. The inferred resource was  32.6 million tonnes grading 0.89% nickel and 0.13% cobalt.