Brazilian Nickel

About Brazilian Nickel

Brazilian Nickel (BRN) is a private mining company, founded in 2013 by Anne and Mike Oxley, focused on developing its flagship Piauí Nickel Project (PNP) in northeastern Brazil. The company is positioned to supply the growing demand for critical minerals from the electric vehicle (EV) and sustainable energy sectors. The company's core asset, the Piauí Nickel Project, was acquired from Vale in 2013, with the sale finalized in 2014. This project utilizes a heap leaching process to extract nickel and cobalt from laterite ores. This hydrometallurgical method, which has been refined by founder and Chief Technical Officer Anne Oxley over two decades, is designed to be a cost-effective and environmentally responsible approach with lower energy intensity compared to traditional methods. The process involves applying a dilute sulphuric acid to crushed ore on a lined pad, which dissolves the nickel and cobalt. This results in a Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP), a high-purity, sought-after intermediate product for EV battery cathode manufacturers. BRN validated its technology through a demonstration plant in 2016-2017 and began production from a smaller commercial operation, PNP1000, in June 2022. This initial phase has a production capacity of approximately 1,400 tonnes of nickel and 35 tonnes of cobalt annually. The long-term plan is to develop a full-scale commercial plant. The full-scale project is expected to produce approximately 27,000-28,000 tonnes of nickel and 900-1,000 tonnes of cobalt per year. Construction for the full-scale project is anticipated to begin in late 2026, with first production targeted for the second half of 2029. The company's leadership team includes CEO Mark Travers, who joined after a long career at Inco and Vale, and founders Anne Oxley (CTO) and Mike Oxley (Strategy & Business Development). To finance the full-scale project, which has a capital expenditure of around US$1.4 billion, BRN has received a letter of interest for a loan of up to $550 million from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). In July 2026, the company also secured R$100 million (approximately $19.2 million) in financing from Brazil's National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) to acquire machinery and equipment. BRN has also signed non-binding offtake agreements with several processors, including Westwin Elements in the U.S. and European companies, to supply its MHP product, strengthening its position in the Western critical minerals supply chain. Keywords: nickel mining, cobalt extraction, heap leaching, laterite ore, Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate, MHP, electric vehicle batteries, critical minerals, Piauí Nickel Project, Brazil mining, sustainable mining, battery materials, Anne Oxley, Mark Travers, hydrometallurgy, energy transition, low-carbon nickel, PNP1000, project financing, mining technology, nickel processing