Column: Electric dreams turn into a nightmare for battery metals
A sector that was once racing to build new supply has been closing mines and deferring projects as low prices bite into the cost curve.
Eramet subsidiary SLN’s nickel mining operations in northern New Caledonia have been suspended, adding to difficulties at the loss-making business that saw a slide in first-quarter output.
SLN is part of a struggling New Caledonian nickel industry that the French government is trying to salvage with a proposed rescue package.
Mining production at SLN was 1 million wet metric tons in the first quarter, down 32% from the same period last year, as issues over mining permits weighed on output.
SLN’s mining activities have now been suspended in the northern province of France’s South Pacific territory since mid-April, with an administrative process under way to resume operations, Eramet said in a first-quarter sales statement.
“SLN continues to face major challenges and its financial situation remains critical,” Eramet said.
SLN has been in dispute with the authorities of the northern province over the renewal of financial guarantees for the mines, with a one-year extension proposed by Eramet rejected as too short.
In contrast, Eramet is continuing to expand production at its Weda Bay nickel mine in Indonesia, operated in partnership with China’s Tsingshan group. First-quarter ore production reached 11.1 million wet metric tons, up 52% year on year, it said.
Eramet also increased output at its manganese mine in Gabon to 1.9 million metric tons, up 76% from a year-earlier.
While manganese ore prices fell year-on year in the first quarter, weather disruption to Australian production is expected to reduce market supply significantly in 2024, Eramet added.
For lithium, the group forecast output of between 5,000 and 7,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent in 2024 at its Centenario project in Argentina that is due to enter production around mid-year.
The group increased its forecast range for 2024 adjusted core earnings to between 750 million euros and 900 million euros ($803.25 million-$963.90 million), compared with an initial projection of 650-800 million euros in February.
($1 = 0.9337 euros)
(By Gus Trompiz; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
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