http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle2274215/
http://www.republicofmining.com/2011...eptember-2011/
We need the $2.8 Billion 50,000 ton/year nickel refinery much more than an oil refinery. Should be finished sometime in 2013.
The world hit peak nickel arguably sometime around 1980, Canada hit peak nickel arugably somewhere around 1999, and we've all be running on reserves since then.
Based on 9.5 tons per cubic meter, they should be capable of pushing out 14.5 cubic meters of nickel per day. Which is a "good enough" stopgap for a decade or two at least.
Its extremely important - as we no longer have enough to put in our 7 gram loonies and toonies (and even less available for export as a modern currency metal) for circulation to a mere 30 million people.
Britain may want to move to a 25% nickel composition (currently 5.5%) for their British Pound to reduce counterfeiting and re-install confidence in their currency, and there is no way in hell we can provide it without this refinery. Britain produces no nickel locally.