TEX reported that, in view of a trend, which the world consumption of nickel is on a basic tone to expand for the future, Anglo American Corporation has decided the policy to increase nickel production to a scale of 500,000 tons per annum by 2020. For the purpose of materializing this expansion of nickel production, AAC will promote the Berro Alto nickel project in Goias State of Brazil and is scheduled to commission the facilities in this project from 2011.

Also, other nickel projects, being operated by AAC, have been targeted to produce nickel on a total scale of 140,000 tons per annum from 2016. For a reference, the quantities of nickel produced at main bases of AAC in 2008 were South Africa: 15,500 tonnes, Venezuela: 10,900 tonnes, Brazil: 9,100 tonnes and total: 35,500 tonnes.

The Berro Alto nickel project in Brazil is anticipated to have a certainty to commence its operation from 2011 and seems to produce nickel on a long run with the following scales; at Morro Sem Bone deposit: to produce 32,000 tonnes per year and at Jacre deposit to produce 40,000 tonnes per year.

AAC is scheduled to invest USD 1,800 million in the Berro Alto nickel project and proceeding the construction in order to produce 45,000 tonnes per annum of nickel and the work is said to have completed 71% of the program as of the end August of 2009.

AAC has planned to start an initial production of nickel from January to March quarter of 2011 on a scale of 36,000 tonnes per annum and, after that, to maintain nickel production on a scale of 41,000 tonnes per annum for the next 5 years. AAC is scheduled to produce nickel on a scale of 45,000 tonnes per annum from 2014 as a final phase.

(Sourced from TEX Report Limited)