The Piauí Nickel Project will produce high purity nickel and cobalt hydroxide products.
Nickel hydroxide is an intermediate that can be used to produce nickel precursers for Li-ion cathodes for EVs or to feed the tradition nickel uses of stainless steel and alloys.
Nickel-containing materials play a major role in our everyday lives, with it being used in over 300,000 consumer products – food preparation equipment, mobile phones, medical equipment, military, transport, aerospace, buildings, power generation – the list is almost endless. They are selected because – compared with other materials – they offer better corrosion resistance, better toughness, better strength at high and low temperatures, and a range of special magnetic and electronic properties.
Almost two thirds of total nickel production is used in stainless steels today and a further 20% in non-ferrous alloys and other steels.
Nickel and cobalt are also critical components in re-chargeable batteries found in cell phones, laptops and, increasingly in electric vehicles and energy storage units.
Cobalt is also used in magnets, for such applications as wind turbines, and in a variety of other areas including ceramics, pigments, catalysts, drill-tools and so called ‘super alloys’ found in jet engines.
The Nickel Institute’s publication “Nickel in Society” outlines in the current use of nickel in much more detail.
View nickel use factsheets below
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Automotive
Aerospace
Mobile Phones
Electronics
Developing low cost nickel and cobalt production in Brazil
