Report Information - Report Title: Nickel Daily Report [1] - Date: September 23, 2025 [2] - Research Team: Nonferrous Metals Research Team [3] - Researchers: Yu Feifei, Zhang Ping, Peng Jinglin [3] Industry Investment Rating - Not provided Core View - Nickel supply and demand changed little. The price rose slightly during the day and then fell back. The main contract 2510 closed at 121,400, up 0.07% from the previous day. The average premium of Jinchuan nickel remained flat at 2,350 compared with the previous day, and the premium and discount of domestic electrowon nickel were reported at -100 - 200. The average price of 8 - 12% high - nickel pig iron remained flat at 954.5 yuan per nickel point compared with the previous day, and the average price of battery - grade nickel sulfate continued to rise by 30 to 28,150 yuan per ton. Indonesia will start the approval work for 2026 in October, and the adjustment of the RKAB approval cycle may still disrupt the mine supply in the second half of the year. The nickel ore price has limited room to fall, and the support from the mine end has emerged again. NPI remains strong under the support of cost and the expectation of demand recovery, but the improvement space of the stainless - steel terminal is limited, and the subsequent upward space is restricted. The nickel salt price rebounded due to the decline in production and low inventory, and is expected to remain stable in the short term. Overall, the surplus pressure of refined nickel in the primary nickel supply structure is still significant, which puts pressure on the nickel price. However, at the current position, it is also difficult to fall deeply due to the support of nickel ore and cost. It is expected to fluctuate mainly following the macro - sentiment, and the main operating range can be referred to 119,000 - 125,000 [8]. Summary by Directory 1. Market Review and Operation Suggestions - Nickel price trends: The main contract 2510 of nickel rose 0.07% to 121,400. The average premium of Jinchuan nickel was flat at 2,350, and the premium and discount of domestic electrowon nickel were -100 - 200. The average price of 8 - 12% high - nickel pig iron was flat at 954.5 yuan per nickel point, and the average price of battery - grade nickel sulfate rose 30 to 28,150 yuan per ton [8]. - Supply analysis: Indonesia's RKAB approval cycle adjustment may disrupt mine supply in the second half of the year, and nickel ore has limited room to fall. The surplus pressure of refined nickel in the primary nickel supply structure is significant [8]. - Demand analysis: NPI is strong due to cost support and demand recovery expectations, but the improvement space of the stainless - steel terminal is limited. Nickel salt price rebounded due to low production and inventory [8]. - Price forecast: The nickel price is expected to fluctuate with macro - sentiment, mainly in the range of 119,000 - 125,000 [8]. 2. Industry News - India's strategy: India can alleviate the supply shortage of key minerals such as nickel through three paths: strengthening local mining and processing, recycling associated products from existing mining processes, and promoting "urban mining" from e - waste. The Indian government and enterprises are working together, and the e - waste recycling potential is huge. India launched the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) in January this year with a total budget of 163 billion rupees and plans to attract state - owned enterprise investment of 180 billion rupees to reduce dependence on Chinese supply [9][10]. - Indonesia's action: Indonesia's forest law enforcement working group will conduct a centralized rectification of mines. It has previously taken similar actions in the palm oil industry. The action aims to regain national control of forests, and enterprises need to return illegal profits. Some cases may enter criminal investigations, and the seized mines will be temporarily managed by the state - owned enterprise department. Indonesia is a major producer of coal, nickel, tin, and copper and the largest exporter of palm oil [11]. - FPX Nickel's initiative: FPX Nickel participated in two important sustainable development initiatives in 2025. It joined the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) and committed to follow its "Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM)" framework, and also signed the United Nations Global Compact, which reflects its long - standing values of environmental protection, transparency, and responsibility [11].

Core Viewpoint - A research team from Flinders University has developed a new method for extracting gold from ores and electronic waste without using harmful chemicals like cyanide and mercury, providing a safer and more environmentally friendly solution to the global electronic waste problem and promoting "urban mining" [1][4]. Group 1: Global Electronic Waste Issue - The global electronic waste production reached approximately 62 million tons in 2022, an increase of 82% compared to 2010, and is expected to rise to 82 million tons by 2030 [3]. - Less than 25% of precious metals, including gold, are currently being effectively recovered from electronic waste, leading to significant resource wastage and environmental burdens [3]. Group 2: Traditional Gold Extraction Methods - Traditional gold extraction methods pose significant environmental risks, with large mining companies using cyanide, which can cause severe pollution if mishandled, and small-scale miners relying on mercury, contributing to global mercury pollution [3]. Group 3: New Extraction Method - The new extraction method utilizes trichloroisocyanuric acid as a base material, which is widely used in water treatment and pool cleaning, ensuring safety [4]. - The process involves adding halide catalysts to saltwater to efficiently dissolve gold from ores or electronic waste, followed by selective extraction using polysulfide polymers made from petroleum byproducts [4]. - The method allows for the recycling of chemicals and water used in the process, significantly reducing raw material consumption and waste emissions [4]. Group 4: Industrialization Challenges - The research team acknowledges that industrial-scale implementation of this new technology faces several challenges, including scaling up polymer production and optimizing recovery processes while reducing costs [5]. - Successful implementation of this method could significantly advance the "urban mining" industry, reducing reliance on primary gold mining and minimizing environmental damage from traditional mining activities [5].