Name of the Project
Crawford nickel sulphide project.

Location
Timmins, in Ontario, Canada.

Project Owner/s
Nickel focused exploration company Canada Nickel Company.

Project Description
The Crawford project will be a large-scale producer of critical minerals, including nickel and cobalt.

The operation will produce 83-million pounds (38 000 t) of nickel a year over a 41-year life, with production of 48 000 t/y nickel, 8 000 t/y of cobalt, 13 000 oz/y of palladium and platinum, 1.6-million tonnes a year of iron and 76 000 t/y of chrome over its 27-year peak period.

The first phase of the project will have a throughput of 60 000 t/y.

The second phase, planned for commissioning during the fourth year, will double mill throughput to 120 000 t/d.

Potential Job Creation
Ontario is moving at “lightning speed to open this . . . Canadian-owned mine to create 4 000 jobs for Canadian workers," Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce said on January 15.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an estimated after-tax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $2.5-billion and an internal rate of return of 17.1%.

Capital Expenditure
Phase 1 will cost about $1.9-billion and Phase 2 about $1.6-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
A production decision is expected by mid-2025, with a goal of first production by the end of 2027.

Latest Developments
Ontario has formally named the Crawford nickel project as the second development to be advanced under the province’s new One Project, One Process (1P1P) framework.

The 1P1P framework is intended to streamline and better coordinate permitting and review processes for major mining developments by aligning timelines, responsibilities and information sharing across provincial Ministries.

The designation, Canada Nickel has said, reflects the advanced stage, scale and strategic importance of Crawford in Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy.

Canada Nickel has emphasised that participation in the 1P1P framework will complement, not replace, its commitments to indigenous consultation, environmental stewardship and regulatory rigour. The framework is intended to improve coordination across government while maintaining existing standards for project development and community engagement.

The Crawford project has already achieved several regulatory firsts, including becoming the first mining project in Canada to submit an impact statement under the amended Impact Assessment Act, 2019, in November 2024. It was also referred to the federal Major Projects Office in November 2025, which the company has said, together with the 1P1P designation, establishes a clearer pathway to accelerated but responsible development.

The project is also positioned as a flagship low-carbon development, with Canada Nickel’s patented in-process tailings carbonation technology expected to permanently store up to 1.5-million tonnes of CO₂ a year, potentially making Crawford the world’s first net-zero carbon nickel mine.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Ausenco Engineering Canada (PEA and front-end engineering design).

Contact Details for Project Information
Canada Nickel Company, email info@canadanickel.com.