Nickel has traditionally been used in alloys such as stainless steel. However, in recent years, growing demand for lithium-ion batteries has brought attention to its role in the quickly developing battery sector.
In Australia, the country’s largest nickel-mining stocks are providing key support for both markets.
A broad increase in commodities prices in April and May pushed nickel to a year-to-date high of US$21,615, but the base metal quickly fell again toward yearly lows. Its price on August 21 was US$16,862.
Given the challenges for nickel in 2024, share prices for many Australian producers have declined. With nickel prices projected to remain around the US$17,000 mark in 2024 before increasing to US$23,000 in 2028, there may be opportunities for less risk-averse investors to find good entry points to the Australian nickel sector.
Market cap: AU$201.44 billion; share price: AU$40.25
BHP is a diversified mining company with headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. Worldwide, BHP runs dozens of mines that span North and South America and Australia. The company produces nickel sulphide ore out of its operations in Western Australia’s Northern Goldfields area. It covers the mining, development and production of nickel until both matte and metal are ready to be shipped to buyers. BHP sells over 85 percent of its nickel to the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
Market cap: AU$3.77 billion; share price: AU$5.03
IGO is a diversified miner that produces several different metals, but its focus is on its 100 percent owned Nova nickel-copper-cobalt operation. Nova is located in Western Australia’s Fraser Range and primarily produces nickel. IGO’s other nickel production operation is Forrestania, located 400 kilometres east of Perth.
Market cap: AU$3.54 billion; current share price: AU$0.825
New South Wales-based Nickel Industries, formerly Nickel Mines, is a significant producer of nickel pig iron, a critical component in manufacturing stainless steel. The company began producing high-grade nickel matte for EVs in 2022.
Nickel Industries has 80 percent interests in multiple nickel rotary kiln electric furnace (RKEF) operations in Indonesia: Hengjaya Nickel; Oracle Nickel and Ranger Nickel in the Morowali Industrial Park; and Angel Nickel in the Weda Bay Industrial Park. It also has an 80 percent interest in the Hengjaya nickel mine near the Morowali Industrial Park.
Market cap: AU$156.3 million; share price: AU$0.345
Centaurus Metals is a mining and development company based in Brazil. According to the company, its goal is to become a major supplier of nickel sulphide to help provide a cleaner and greener future. The firm has its sights set on the development of its wholly owned Jaguar nickel-copper-cobalt project, which is located in Brazil’s Carajás mineral province.
Jaguar’s measured and indicated reserves stand at 737,800 tonnes of nickel from 86.6 million tonnes of ore with an average grade of 0.85 percent nickel, while its inferred resources come in at 211,000 tonnes from 22.6 million tonnes of ore grading 0.93 percent nickel. Maiden proven and probable open-pit ore reserves for the project are estimated at 459,200 tonnes of nickel from 63 million tonnes grading 0.73 percent nickel.
The company estimates annual production of 18,700 tonnes of nickel with an initial life of mine of 18 years.
Market cap: AU$93.85 million; share price: AU$0.46
Nickel has a variety of applications. Its main use is as an alloy material for products such as stainless steel, and it is also used for plating metals to reduce corrosion. As its name suggests, nickel is used in coins as well, such as the 5 cent nickel in Australia, the US and Canada; Australian and US nickels are made up of 25 percent nickel and 75 percent copper, while Canada’s nickel has nickel plating that makes up 2 percent of its composition.
Nickel demand is increasing from EVs, where the metal is a component of certain lithium-ion battery compositions; it has gotten extra attention thanks to that purpose.
Nickel’s role in EV batteries has seen it gain increased investor attention. In fact, its price spiked to an all-time high in 2022, and it remains at levels not seen in over a decade. For investors looking to invest in green metals, nickel could be a strong choice, but everyone should perform their own due diligence to decide whether it is the right portfolio fit.
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be a good option for investors who prefer a safer approach to investing in a sector. ETFs can be purchased the same as any other stock, which means you can invest in them using stock brokers and investing apps.
Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.
This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2018.
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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