:: RNC's Innovative Roasting Approach Delivers 25% Increase In Payable Nickel Value For Nickel Sulphide Concentrates

RNC Minerals is pleased to announce it has received positive results from CRU's value-in-use market analysis on RNC's innovative roasting approach on several different nickel concentrates, including the nickel-cobalt concentrate grades expected to be produced by the Dumont Nickel-Cobalt Project ("Dumont").

Dumont is the largest undeveloped nickel reserve in the world and second largest undeveloped cobalt reserve1. CRU is the leading provider of analysis, prices and consulting in the mining, metals and fertilizer markets.

"CRU's market analysis determined a significantly higher value from RNC's roasting approach over traditional smelting and refining. The 25% improvement in payability calculated for nickel concentrates would allow a producer of various nickel concentrates to realize an additional US$1.10 for every pound of nickel in concentrate produced at current $US6.00 per pound nickel prices," said Mark Selby, President and CEO of RNC Minerals.

"This benefit provides tremendous leverage as nickel prices increase," continued Selby. "Dumont is expected to produce the highest-grade nickel (29%) and cobalt (1%) sulphide concentrate in the world2, providing maximum flexibility for potential partners and offtake parties from a wide range of nickel consuming sectors, including the battery and stainless steel markets."

The CRU study looked at toll-processing in Asia for a range of nickel concentrates with nickel content ranging from 14% to 29% through to a final ferronickel product. It found that net payabilities utilizing this approach for all concentrates were significantly higher than current market terms based on CRU's estimate of long-term nickel prices, product premiums, and tolling costs. For a 29% nickel concentrate, which is the grade expected to be produced from Dumont, the nickel payability for concentrate was estimated to be 94%, or 25% higher than the top end of the estimated current 70-75% market range for nickel sulphide concentrates.