Ardea Resources said on Monday it signed a binding deal with Japan’s Sumitomo Metal Mining and Mitsubishi Corp to develop the Kalgoorlie nickel project.

Indonesia has issued a new mining permit for nickel miner PT Vale Indonesia, its investment minister said on Monday.

Canadian miner First Quantum Minerals (TSX: FM) has decided to shut down its Ravensthorpe nickel operation in Western Australia.

SLN is part of a struggling New Caledonian nickel industry that the French government is trying to salvage with a proposed rescue package.

Brazilian miner Vale on Wednesday said lower prices for iron-ore, nickel and copper in the first quarter dragged down earnings compared to the year before, as it posted net profit slightly below analyst estimates.

Russian metals giant Nornickel, the world’s largest palladium producer and a major producer of high-grade nickel, cut nickel production by 10% year on year in the first quarter to 42,000 metric tons, the company said on Monday.

BHP is nearing a decision regarding its nickel operations in Western Australia. The company, which has been conducting a review of these assets since February, is expected to unveil its long-term strategy by August, CEO Mike Henry said on Thursday.

Indonesia's government has approved a total of 152.62mn t nickel mining production quotas, also known as RKAB, so far this year, market participants told Argus.