Horizonte Minerals plc has awarded the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) contract to Ramboll for the company’s 100% owned nickel-cobalt Vermelho project in Brazil.
The ESIA will form part of the process to obtain permits for Vermelho and is expected to lead to the award of the preliminary licence.
The integrated ESIA will reflect the current physical, biological and social settings and will include but is not limited to:
• Water availability and quality
• An air and noise baseline study
• Soil quality
• A flora and fauna inventory
• Socio-economic considerations
• Community health and safety
• Resettlement
• Cultural heritage
In addition to local permit studies, further social and environmental impact assessments will be
undertaken in line with International Finance Corporation Performance Standards and the Equator Principles (IV).
Horizonte has previously worked with Ramboll on the hydrology for its flagship Araguaia ferronickel project.
The Pará State Secretariat for Environment and Sustainability, SEMAS, will review Ramboll’s report.
Ramboll is a global consultancy firm with 300 offices worldwide, including Belo Horizonte.
VERMELHO
Horizonte said that previous owner Vale conducted multiple environmental and social studies and reached a positive construction decision in 2015.
Vale’s historical database provided an excellent background and basis of the new sustainability studies.
Horizonte added it was also optimising the engineering for Vermelho’s dry-stack residue storage facility option.
An additional benefit from the optimisation is the production of a bi-product, kieserite fertilizer which will be sold commercially into the Pará state agricultural market.
NICKEL MARKET
Chief executive Jeremy Martin said that Vermelho was a tier one, nickel-cobalt project aimed at the electric vehicle market.
“The appointment of Ramboll highlights our commitment to the highest standards of sustainability practices as we work to develop Vermelho.
“The planned completion of Araguaia financing will enable Horizonte to expedite the development of Vermelho through feasibility and permitting.
“Vermelho is scheduled to start production at a critical point in the nickel market, where the supply deficit is projected to widen, particularly in the battery sector.
“With limited next-generation nickel projects in the global near-term pipeline, Horizonte is in a unique position.”