This presentation will examine global nickel, cobalt, and copper market trends, exploring supply-demand dynamics, investment drivers, geopolitical influences, and the evolving role of these critical metals in the energy transition.

The Atlas Materials process extracts nickel, cobalt and magnesium from nickel saprolite ores. Nickel and cobalt are recovered as Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) suitable for refining to supply lithium ion battery PCAM formulations. Magnesium is recovered from the high purity magnesium chloride solution remaining after nickel and cobalt recovery using pyrohydrolysis to form MgO and recycle HCl followed by aluminothermic reduction for form Mg metal.The extraction residue, rich in silica, is an SCM with a market into the concrete industry. This ensures a zero solid waste footprint. The process development and current state of deployment will be presented and discussed.

This paper examines various processing options for extracting battery metals from sea nodules, with the Mn product being manganese sulfate. The techno-economics of various proposed routes are examined via process modeling and estimation of the capital and operating costs associated with the routes examined. The routes are ranked via cash flow modeling. The limitations of the battery market are also examined.

Viridian Biometals is developing proprietary critical minerals refining technology that is 2x more profitable and far cleaner than conventional processing. The technology harnesses bacteria that breathe ore and extract metals with no toxic waste, no fossil fuel combustion, and no need for a freshwater supply, solving the most pressing environmental and economic problems with conventional refining.

The Piauí Nickel Project demonstrates a pathway toward sustainable, low-carbon nickel production through the application of heap leach technology in Brazil. This presentation will explore project development, process innovation, and sustainability initiatives supporting the delivery of battery-grade nickel. Key challenges and opportunities in advancing responsible nickel supply for the energy transition will also be discussed.

An autoclave discharge line is arguably the most critical pipeline in an HPAL or POX plant. Its design requires careful consideration of numerous process, mechanical, and operational factors. Equally important is the development of robust operating procedures to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation. While several design configurations and operating philosophies are used across the industry, each has distinct advantages and limitations.

Advanced impeller design creates a stable and uniform flow pattern across the entire autoclave compartment, ensuring effective suspension without excessive local shear peaks. By combining moderate tip speeds with controlled hydrodynamics, the system minimizes both particle-induced erosion and deposit formation on impellers and vessel walls. This leads to reduced scaling, lower wear, longer operating campaigns, and improved HPAL process reliability.

Nickel-laterite hydrometallurgical use of high temperatures, high pressure, and copious amounts of sulfuric acid can be described as using a sledgehammer to release the nickel. SDD has rejigged the process and repurposed the autoclaves to better utilize the sulfuric acid, lowered temperature, and pressure of the autoclaves to reduce acid consumption and reduce the waste production while maintaining the nickel recovery.

Maximizing profits means getting grinding right. Throughput, recovery, and efficiency depend on comminution circuit performance. Interactions between the ball mill and the classification system (e.g., pumps and cyclones) are not intuitive. Trial and error generally leads to suboptimal results. Functional performance analysis provides practical, quantitative insight into the distinct functions of milling, classification, and aggregate closed-circuit efficiency. This makes circuit optimization science, not serendipity.

Choosing the right diluent is key to optimizing solvent extraction performance in hydrometallurgical systems. Escaid 110 fluid enables faster, more consistent phase separation due to its optimized viscosity, density, and low aromatic content. These properties also enhance safety and operational efficiency, making diluent selection critical for the recovery of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and critical battery materials such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt.

As nickel and copper demand is growing substantially, ore grades in existing mines are rapidly declining. Allonnia’s D-Solve technology helps address this challenge through a selective dissolution process leveraging recyclable Biosolutions that both remove impurities (gangue) from ore concentrates and upgrade the target metal. In 2026, D-Solve was employed at pilot scale, treating almost 30 tons of nickel concentrate at the Humboldt Mill in Michigan. The pilot test results demonstrated almost 30% magnesium removal while upgrading nickel by 1-2%. Laboratory results will also be presented showing compelling value propositions for the use of D-Solve in the processing of copper-molybdenum concentrates.