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| FPX Nickel |
Advancing Towards Environmental Assessment and Feasibility Study
FPX Nickel Corp. [TSXV: FPX; OTCQB: FPOCF] has outlined its 2025 strategic plan for the Baptiste Nickel Project in British Columbia, building upon its robust 2023 preliminary feasibility study (PFS). The company will focus on advancing engineering studies, collecting baseline environmental data, and engaging with First Nations and government bodies to prepare for its anticipated entry into the Environmental Assessment (EA) process in the second half of 2025.
Key Focus Areas for 2025
According to FPX Nickel’s President and CEO, Martin Turenne, the company aims to complete essential workstreams to initiate the EA process. This includes continued collaboration with multiple First Nations communities and alignment with both Provincial and Federal governments regarding the regulatory scope and design.
In September 2024, the Province of British Columbia recognized the Baptiste Nickel Project as the first project under the newly established Critical Minerals Office (CMO) concierge service initiative. Through this initiative, FPX has formed a CMO working group that provides regulatory assistance, EA readiness support, funding opportunities, and dedicated government resources to facilitate agreements with First Nations.
Strengthening Environmental and Cultural Studies
Since early 2022, FPX has conducted environmental and cultural baseline studies covering hydrology, water quality, wildlife, vegetation, fisheries, and archeology. These efforts, executed in collaboration with Indigenous-owned businesses, will continue into 2025 to ensure sufficient data collection before initiating the EA process.
FPX has also expanded its community engagement by establishing a local office in Fort St. James, approximately 90 km from the Baptiste Project, to support ongoing consultations and research.
Advancements in Feasibility Study and Metallurgy
In 2024, FPX commenced Feasibility Study (FS) initiatives, including forming a Technical Advisory Committee with representatives from its strategic investors, completing a mineral processing pilot plant, and enhancing project value through a comprehensive Value Engineering program. The FS metallurgy program will continue in 2025, focusing on variability testwork, flotation optimization, and ancillary testwork to refine FS design criteria.
The FS engineering field investigations, set to begin in summer 2025, will involve 2,800 meters of geomechanical, hydrogeological, and condemnation drilling, with a primary focus on the open-pit footprint. A second phase of engineering field investigations will follow in 2026, ultimately leading to the completion of the Feasibility Study in 2027.
A Strategic Nickel Resource for the Future
The Baptiste Nickel Project represents one of the most significant greenfield nickel discoveries, with mineralization in the form of awaruite (Ni3Fe) hosted within an ultramafic/ophiolite complex. Covering an extensive 408 km² in central British Columbia, the Baptiste Project has received approximately US$55 million in exploration and development investments since 2010. In addition to the Baptiste Deposit, FPX has identified promising mineralization at the Van Target, located 6 km to the north, further expanding its potential.
With these strategic initiatives in place, FPX Nickel is positioning the Baptiste Nickel Project as a key player in North America's critical minerals supply chain, aligning with growing global demand for sustainable nickel resources.
