Atlantic Nickel, together with Appian Capital Advisory Ltd, has begun initial work on transitioning the Santa Rita mine in Bahia, Brazil, from open-pit to underground operations. This milestone was marked by the first blast to open the mine’s underground access portal, signalling the start of a new phase in the mine’s development.
The Santa Rita underground project will employ sublevel caving, an underground mining technique that involves the controlled breaking and extraction of rock from below the surface. This method allows for efficient resource recovery and minimises surface disturbance. Sublevel caving is widely used at major mines in Sweden, South Africa, and Australia, and is particularly suited to the geological conditions of Santa Rita.
Another term used in reporting production is “nickel equivalent”, which is a standardised measure that combines the value of various metals produced into a single nickel-based metric. This allows for easy comparison of output from mines that produce multiple metals.
Sublevel caving brings notable environmental advantages compared to traditional open-pit mining. By working underground, this method significantly reduces dust emissions, noise pollution, and surface land disturbance. These improvements help maintain local air quality and support ecosystem preservation, offering clear benefits to the surrounding community and natural habitats.
Unlike open-pit mining—which involves large-scale excavation and heavy machinery on the surface—sublevel caving limits the area affected, reduces noise and dust, and lessens the impact on local wildlife and vegetation. This approach supports sustainable development goals and aligns with growing expectations for responsible mining practices.
The underground project is expected to deliver an annual production of around 30,000 tonnes of nickel equivalent. Since restarting operations in 2019, Atlantic Nickel has operated an open-pit mine and concentrator with a processing capacity of about 6.6 million tonnes of ore per year. Since 2020, the company has exported more than 632,000 tonnes of nickel concentrate to Canada, China, and Finland in over 50 shipments.
In 2024, Atlantic Nickel completed a Pre-Feasibility Study for the underground expansion, reinforcing confidence in the project’s technical and economic viability. The ongoing Definitive Feasibility Study is progressing alongside preliminary development works.
Milson Mundim, Country Manager of Appian Brazil, commented: “The inaugural blast at Santa Rita marks a defining milestone for Atlantic Nickel and reinforces our strong conviction in the long-term potential of this asset. The transition to underground mining will significantly extend the life of mine while enabling more efficient resource recovery and reducing our surface environmental footprint. This next phase positions Santa Rita as a long-life, high-quality nickel operation, supporting the growing global demand for responsibly produced critical minerals.”
The completion of the first blast at Santa Rita’s underground project signals the official beginning of new development activities. Atlantic Nickel and Appian are working to unlock a large, higher-grade resource, with plans to extend the mine’s life from the current eight years to more than thirty years.
For future updates, including perspectives from environmental specialists and local stakeholders is recommended, to further highlight the project’s community and sustainability impacts.
