Rusina Mining NL and its JV partner European Nickel PLC have jointly announced that the Acoje nickel heap leach trial pad and pilot plant was officially opened on December 9th 2009 on Luzon Island in the Philippines.

This is the first pilot plant in the Philippines to trial heap leaching technology on nickel laterites. The trial heap will be constructed at the same height as the full commercial operation and is designed to prove the heap percolation and leach rates on a full scale basis as well as demonstrating the rain control methodology. In addition the trial facility will showcase the clean, safe and environmentally friendly nature of the process to the government and local stakeholders, the companies said.

They expect that the crushing, agglomeration and stacking of the heap will commence next week. The 3,000 tonnes of nickel laterite ore, a mixture of limonite and saprolite, is on-site and awaiting processing. Leaching is expected to commence in February 2010.

Under the JV agreement, European Nickel is providing its heap leach technology and is funding the definitive feasibility study by spending USD 10 million to earn a 40% interest in the Acoje project.