Araguaia Niquel Metais Ltda., a wholly owned subsidiary of Horizonte Minerals Plc, has awarded AFRY the Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) contract for the development of its Araguaia ferronickel project in Brazil.
Nickel is a fundamental material in our everyday lives. As a critical component in both stainless steel and new battery technology, nickel is also a key enabler of the clean energy transition. New technology innovations, ethical behaviour as well as reduced water usage and a low carbon footprint are important priorities for new nickel mining operations and for the entire supply chain.
Horizonte Minerals is a leading nickel development company focused in Brazil. The Araguaia ferronickel mine will use an open pit mining method, transporting its nickel-ore to a central processing plant. The project will initially produce 14,500 tonnes of nickel per year on Line 1, increasing to 29,000 tonnes of nickel per year with a potential, future Line 2 project. The product is high grade ferronickel to supply the stainless-steel market.
“We are delighted to have AFRY as part of the broader Araguaia team. We have been working with the AFRY team for several months in our project execution planning phase to ensure a smooth transfer to the construction phase of the project. Araguaia will be delivered as part of an EPCM strategy with an integrated team comprised of AFRY EPCM and the Horizonte owner’s team,” says Jeremy Martin, CEO of Horizonte Minerals.
The EPCM contract consists of a comprehensive range of services, including engineering, procurement, construction management, project management and commissioning. Horizonte’s owner’s team will work closely with AFRY’s project team, including process technology and engineering experts. AFRY has been working in the project development phase since Q3/2021 to undertake the early works and execution preparation phase services to ensure a smooth ramp-up of the full EPCM scope.
“We are extremely proud to be selected as Horizonte’s trusted partner in this important investment. Our Nordic know how and experience in sustainability combined with strong process technology competencies and deep local knowhow will support Horizonte’s investment. This again showcases that our operating model of having a local presence supported by global knowhow enables our customers to have the best possible project teams,” says Nicholas Oksanen, EVP and Head of Process Industries at AFRY.