Ausenco has started detailed process plant and infrastructure engineering work on the proposed US$3.5 billion Crawford nickel project in Ontario, Canada.
The Australian-based engineering services group was appointed lead project consultant by Canada Nickel, which is aiming to start construction at Crawford by the end of 2026.
“Ausenco brings extensive experience to the project, having partnered with us since the completion of a preliminary economic assessment in 2020, the feasibility study in 2023 and front-end engineering design in 2025,” Canada Nickel CEO Mark Selby said.
“After receiving significant endorsements from the federal government with the referral to the Major Projects Office and last week’s announcement naming Crawford to Ontario’s One Project, One Process framework, we are very pleased to move to this next stage in Crawford’s development with Ausenco, a global engineering and consulting leader.”
Crawford has a $1.9 billion phase one plan for a circa-20 million tonnes per annual sulphide nickel mine and mill and a $1.6 billion second phase, scheduled to start in year four of operation, that doubles the production rate.
Ausenco said earlier this month it had been engaged by Australian Securities Exchange-listed Black Bear Minerals to provide an independent assessment of the Shafter silver project in Presidio County, Texas, which it bought at the end of last year.
Black Bear wants to restart production at Shafter using what it claims is about $100 million of existing infrastructure and a 17.6-million-ounce silver resource.
