NICKEL MINING: Lockerby rate tops 80% of plan

ONTARIO – First Nickel of Toronto says mining at its Lockerby project in Sudbury is now over 80% of the full production rate. During the third quarter, the rate averaged 653 t/d, or 82% of the nominal 800 t/d rate. The company said that the recent quarter had the highest production rate at the mine since 2002.

First Nickel produced approximately 2.0 million lb of nickel and 1.4 million lb of copper in the Q3 2012, an increase of 25% and 17%, respectively, over the prior quarter. Year to date, the company has produced 4.9 million lb of nickel and 3.4 million lb of copper.

The company plans to be at or near the full production rate of 10 million lb of nickel per year in Q4 2012.

Go to FirstNickel.com to read the August 2012 corporate presentation about the Lockerby mine.