Canada Nickel is Awarded $500,000 from Ontario's Critical Minerals Innovation Fund to Advance NetZero Metals Inc.

Core Points - Canada Nickel Company has been awarded $500,000 from the Government of Ontario's Critical Minerals Innovation Fund to support the development of its nickel processing facility [1] - The processing facility aims to convert nickel concentrate from the Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project and third-party feeds into nickel and nickel-cobalt products for battery plants [2] - The facility will utilize biochar as a renewable reductant, replacing conventional coal-based materials, and is expected to produce over 75,000 tonnes of nickel annually [2] Company Overview - Canada Nickel Company is focused on advancing nickel-sulphide projects to meet the growing demand for nickel in electric vehicles and stainless steel markets [5] - The company is developing processes for net zero carbon nickel, cobalt, and iron products, with trademarks for NetZero Nickel™, NetZero Cobalt™, and NetZero Iron™ [5][6] - The Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project is the company's flagship project located in the Timmins-Cochrane mining camp [5] Project Details - The nickel processing facility is expected to be the largest in North America, with a capacity of over 80,000 tonnes of nickel annually [6] - The project is set to begin production by the start of 2027, subject to permitting approvals, and will utilize third-party feeds [6] - The facility aims to produce high-quality nickel products for both the stainless-steel/superalloy and electric vehicle markets [6] Government Support - The funding from the Critical Minerals Innovation Fund will assist in validating the process design through lab and pilot-scale testing [3] - The Government of Ontario is committed to building a sustainable battery metal supply chain and fostering innovation in critical minerals processing [1][4] - The collaboration between Canada Nickel and industry leaders aims to strengthen Ontario's position in clean and sustainable resource development [4]