US Vice President Kamala Harris in her recent travel to Manila launched a US Trade and Development Agency grant to Filipino mining company Eramen Minerals Inc. for a feasibility study to advance the development of an environmentally sustainable nickel processing facility in the Philippines.
The project will advance the clean energy transition by producing critical minerals that are key elements in the supply chain for batteries and energy storage systems.
“This partnership is important to the shared clean energy and national security goals of the Philippines and the United States,” said USTDA director Enoh Ebong. “Through this grant, we are supporting high-quality technical and environmental standards for mineral processing in the Philippines, while also creating valuable commercial opportunities for US companies.”
USTDA’s study will evaluate the technical and economic viability of developing a nickel processing facility at the site of EMI’s mine in Zambales province. The plant is expected to use EMI’s nickel ore to produce refined nickel and cobalt products for sale as battery precursor materials. The study will help define the technical specifications for the facility and promote alignment with high environmental, social, and governance standards.
“EMI seeks to contribute to the green energy transition and energy security through the supply of critical materials from our nickel mining operations for energy storage systems. The company likewise supports the encouragement of the Philippine government for mineral value-adding. The USTDA grant contributes to the accomplishment of such objectives through the determination of the optimal process for our ore to produce battery-grade precursor materials,” said EMI president and chief executive Enrique Fernandez.
The project advances the goals of the Biden-Harris administration’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, through the development of clean energy supply chains including the responsible mining of metals and critical minerals.
