Recording date: 28th June 2023

Mark Selby discusses multiple nickel projects and provides insights into the current state of the nickel market. According to Mark Selby, the nickel price has finally reached the anticipated level of $9 per pound ($20,000 per ton), although there are concerns about a potential slowdown in China and the impact of inflation on rate hikes. Despite these concerns, Mark Selby expects the battery metals sector, including nickel, to rebound as restocking and increased demand in the battery supply chain continue. The discussion also touches on the behavior of other battery metals, such as lithium, which has seen a decrease in prices but remains significantly higher than a few years ago.

Mark Selby highlights the impact of Russian nickel imports in relieving tight inventories in China, leading to a compression of premiums and a convergence of prices. Several nickel projects are mentioned, including Talon's permit application for a mine in Minnesota, Arava's drilling activities near the Kabanga deposit in Tanzania, Centaurus' acquisition of off-take rights for a nickel discovery in Brazil, FPX's progress in pre-feasibility studies, and Texmod's promising metallurgical results for their nickel project. Additionally, the discussion briefly touches on carbon capture and storage projects in Quebec, which have attracted interest from large companies seeking carbon storage solutions. Overall, Mark Selby provides a comprehensive overview of the nickel market and various projects making progress in the industry.