Canada Nickel Company has officially started the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) phase for its Crawford Nickel Sulphide project in Ontario. This important step is led by Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC, a trusted partner. Support comes from several firms involved in the project’s feasibility study.
Progressing Crawford’s Development
Mark Selby, CEO of Canada Nickel, expressed excitement about this milestone: “With progress on financing and permitting, we’re moving confidently into the FEED phase. This is crucial for our goal to decide on construction by mid-2025 and to start production by the end of 2027. Advancing engineering now will keep us on track.”
The FEED phase is expected to wrap up by August 2024. Moreover, during this time, data from the 2024 winter geotechnical program will be vital. This program, now nearing its end, focused on reducing project risks and gathering key data. The program targeted areas like the process plant, primary crushing, mine stockpile, and tailings management.
Key Engineering and Design Updates
A major part of this phase includes installing 24 test bearing-piles in the process plant and primary crusher areas. These piles will help refine structural foundation designs, ensuring stability and durability.
The Crawford project’s feasibility study outlines a conventional open-pit mining operation. The plan involves extracting 1,715 million tonnes of ore and 3,992 million tonnes of waste over 33.5 years, including 2.5 years of pre-stripping. The mining will use various equipment suited to different geological conditions.
Canada Nickel Mining Operations and Equipment
In clay footwall areas, 120-ton backhoe excavators will load 40-ton articulated trucks. For sand and till footwalls, 300-ton electric face shovels will load 90-ton trucks. The mining will use a 7.5-meter bench height. In addition, most rock (1,037 million tonnes) will be mined with 700-ton face shovels, while smaller portions will use 50-ton payload wheel loaders and 100-ton rope shovels.
Besides, For rock mining below RL180, the team will use rope shovels as the primary equipment, supported by face shovels and front-end loaders. They expect peak production in year 11, with 290-ton trucks and three large rope shovels managing most of the operations.
Embracing Technology and Efficiency
The project will avoid drilling and blasting overburden. Initially, small diesel-powered drills will be used, followed by larger electric units with autonomous drilling systems (ADS) for deeper blasts. Support equipment will include dozers, graders, water tankers, and utility excavators. Initially, a mining contractor will manage start-up tasks, focusing on aggregate sourcing and bench establishment before transitioning to owner-operated fleets.
The team will build surface haul roads to accommodate 290-ton trucks, constructing 35-meter-wide roads for general use and 50-meter-wide roads for trolley-assisted ramps. Electrical demands will peak at 70 MW in year 13, with the trolley assist system consuming most of the power. A network of overhead lines will be installed to support electric equipment.
Advancements in Technology and Cost Savings
Furthermore, canada Nickel has engaged Peck Tech for the design and implementation of ADS and AHS technologies and ABB for trolley-assisted haulage. These technologies will cut unit mining operating costs by 26% and reduce the open-pit labor component by 33%. This shift will replace lower-skilled roles with higher-skilled positions focused on technology maintenance and management.
At Crawford, operators will supervise ADS machines remotely from a control room or locally via tablets.
Globally, around 100 ADS-equipped machines are in operation, with many supplied by Epiroc and Sandvik.
Also Read: Canada Nickel may net $500m Ottawa loan for giant Crawford project
Looking Ahead for Canada Nickel
The Crawford Nickel Sulphide project is progressing with strong planning and innovative technology. Furthermore, as Canada Nickel advances through the FEED phase, the focus remains on achieving key milestones and ensuring a successful project launch. Additionally, the integration of advanced technologies and strategic planning aims to position Crawford as a leading project in the nickel mining sector.
