Sumitomo Metal Mining Expands Coral Bay Nickel Capacity by 10%

Sumitomo Metal Mining expanded nickel output capacity by around 10% at the subsidiary, Coral Bay Nickel Corporation in Philippines compared with 2009 level. The subsidiary now can make annual 24,000 tonnes of nickel through minor adjustment of the operations. Sumitomo Metal Mining tries to increase the electrolytic nickel production to annual 65,000 tonnes in Japan. The firm tries to expand the nickel operations toward annual 150,000 tonnes level in long term through various attempts including exploration in Solomon Islands.

Coral Bay Nickel makes nickel cobalt mixed sulfide with around 60% nickel from lower grade oxide ore through high pressure acid leach, HPAL process. The firm started the first phase operation with 10,000 tonnes of annual output capacity in nickel in April 2005. The firm launched the second phase in April 2009 expanding the capacity to 22,000 tonnes. The firm expanded the capacity to annual 23,000 tonnes level and to 24,000 tonnes level in July 2010.

With the intermediate material, Sumitomo Metal Mining makes electrolytic nickel at Niihama plant in Ehime with 41,000 tonnes of annual output capacity. The firm plans to expand the capacity to 65,000 tonnes in 2013. The firm tries to increase the intermediate material source by building another HPAL plant with annual 30,000 tonnes of output capacity at Taganito in Philippines in 2013. The firm studies some adjustment for Niihama plant to use more intermediate material.

Sumitomo Metal Mining plans to expand the nickel production to annual 100,000 tonnes including ferronickel in 2013. The firm eyes 150,000 tonnes of capacity in longer term. The firm studies resources and basic design for Solomon Islands project eyeing pre feasibility study start as early as in 2011.