Brazilian Nickel's heap leach technology offers a cost-effective and environmentally responsible approach to nickel production, supporting the development of a new source of critical minerals in Brazil. In this process, crushed and agglomerated laterite ore is stacked on engineered leach pads and irrigated with a carefully controlled solution that dissolves nickel and cobalt. These metals are then recovered and processed into Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP), an intermediate product used in a range of industrial and technology applications.

Compared with conventional pyrometallurgical and high-pressure processing routes, heap leaching operates at lower temperatures and requires less energy. The process also incorporates water recycling systems, generates filtered process residues, and supports efficient resource utilization.

Its operational simplicity and scalability make it well suited to large laterite deposits and remote operating environments, helping create opportunities for local employment, skills development, and capacity building while supporting long-term operational resilience and shared value creation.