Pure Minerals Limited provided the results of the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for the Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub (TECH Project), which was managed by its wholly owned subsidiary, Queensland Pacific Metals Pty Ltd. (QPM). The PFS was undertaken by lead engineering company Lycopodium Minerals Pty Ltd. (Lycopodium) with support from other consultants including Boyd Willis Hydromet Consulting (BWHC), Xenith Consulting and Saunders Havill Group. The PFS assessed the development of a battery chemicals refinery in Townsville, processing nickel-cobalt hydroxide produced using the DNi ProcessTM from ore imported from New Caledonia, to produce nickel sulphate, cobalt sulphate and other co-products. Nickel laterite projects have previously faced significant funding hurdles which have prevented project development. This has typically been a result of prohibitive capex requirements for plants that have been scaled up significantly in order to make it economic to process low grade deposits using High Pressure Acid Leach. The PFS demonstrates that despite the smaller scale of the TECH Project, production levels are significant, project economics are attractive and most importantly, the capex hurdle is not insurmountable.