IGO Ltd. has concluded mining and processing at its Nova nickel operation in Western Australia, marking the end of nearly a decade of production.
Following final production reconciliations, Nova concluded its operational life exceeding its original life of mine expectations.
Total metal output surpassed the upper end of guidance, with nickel production hitting 21,340 tonnes, surpassing the top end of projections by 7 per cent. Copper output reached 9,517 tonnes, while cobalt production finished at 765 tonnes.
Furthermore, cash costs were contained at A$3.90 per pound of payable nickel, finishing 8 per cent below the lower end of updated guidance estimates.
IGO Managing Director and CEO Ivan Vella commended the workforce for maintaining strong performance through the final stages of the asset’s lifecycle.
“Nova has been a high-quality, low-cost operation for almost a decade, and it has finished as strongly as it started. Delivering this in the final stages of a mine’s life, when operations are often at their hardest, reflects the capability and commitment of the Nova team.”
With extraction complete, the site team is currently finishing demobilisation activities. IGO anticipates finalising the divestment of the Nova operation to Global Lithium Resources Ltd. in the coming weeks.
Global Lithium plans to repurpose Nova’s established processing plant and onsite infrastructure to support its nearby Manna lithium project, extending the utility of the regional footprint.
Since production commenced nearly 10 years ago, Nova has operated as a high-quality, low-cost asset for the company.
The better-than-expected recovery rates and cost efficiencies achieved in its final chapters underscore the strong technical capability of the project team.
The transition of the site to Global Lithium marks a new phase for the infrastructure as it shifts from nickel production to supporting the critical minerals needed for the clean energy transition.
