China’s Lygend Mining has produced its first batch of mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) under its first high-pressure acid-leach (HPAL) facility in Indonesia. The estimated capacity for H1 2021 is 30,000-37,000mt in Phase 1 of this project.
The $1.05bn facility is one of many HPAL collaborations in Indonesia by Lygend and other mining companies. The company partnered with local nickel miner Harita Group on this project at Obi Island. Jiang Xinfang, president of Lygend informed the media on Wednesday that this batch will be shipped to China to aid in the sustainable production of battery-grade nickel.
The company had been conducting extensive pre-production trials in this facility since April this year. Lygend has not revealed further capacity expansion plans or production schedules.