Australian Mines aims to produce 53,300 tonnes of nickel sulphate and 8,500 of cobalt sulphate a year, making it a sizeable producer of the materials used in lithium batteries for electric vehicles.
The proliferation of index funds, sluggish gold price growth and a shift into cannabis and cryptocurrencies by risk investors has left junior miners short of funding.
Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted on Thursday to ban uranium exploration and mining despite previously issuing licenses to foreign companies such as Canada's Azarga.
Lucara, which has recovered two of the largest diamonds in recent history, is turning to technology to ensure growth in an industry where new mine acquisitions remain elusive.