Royal Nickel Corporation, Toronto, On; TSX.V: RNX

Royal Nickel's Dumont Nickel Project is a mammoth deposit near the town of Amos in the established Abitibi mining camp in the mining-friendly Canadian province of Québec.

When in production, it is expected to rank as the fifth-largest nickel sulphide operation in the world by annual production – only the mining operations at Norilsk (Russia), Sudbury (Ontario, Canada), Jinchuan (China) and Voisey’s Bay (Newfoundland and Labrador) will be larger.

Dumont Expected to Be Among Largest Nickel Sulphide Operations
(RNC 100ktpd (LOM) vs Brook Hunt 2012 estimates) (Ktpa)

The Dumont deposit contains approximately 6.3 billion pounds of nickel in the probable reserve category (a probable reserve of 1,070 million tonnes at 0.27% nickel) and 8.4 billion pounds of nickel resources in the measured and indicated category (a measured resource of 190 million tonnes at 0.29% nickel and an indicated resource of 1.2 billion tonnes at 0.27% nickel).

In the inferred resource category there is approximately 3.9 billion pounds of nickel (695 million tonnes at 0.26% nickel). The Dumont deposit also remains open at depth, which means there is potential to increase its size.

Once in operation, the mine will produce nickel for at least 30 years. Construction and operation of the mine and processing facilities will be made easier by the existence of excellent infrastructure, including roads, rail and access to low-cost power.

Ores from the mine will be processed using proven, conventional methods into a high-grade nickel concentrate, and then transported for further refining elsewhere. The mine will have no acid-generating rock or tailings, which has beneficial implications for environmental management.