20 Jan STRENGTHENING U.S. CRITICAL MINERALS SUPPLY CHAIN
BRAZILIAN NICKEL LIMITED SIGNS OFFTAKE MOU WITH WESTWIN ELEMENTS TO STRENGTHEN U.S. CRITICAL MINERALS SUPPLY CHAIN
19 January 2026 – Brazilian Nickel Limited (BRN), a private company focused on the development of primary nickel and cobalt production in Brazil, is pleased to announce that it has signed a non-binding agreement with Westwin Elements (Westwin) to supply high-grade Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP).
Under the agreement, BRN would sell Westwin up to 10,000 tpa of nickel in MHP and circa 240 to 400 tpa of cobalt in MHP extracted from the Piauí Nickel Project in Brazil using the company’s cost-effective and low-CO2 laterite heap leaching process. Westwin would then refine the MHP into class 1 nickel powder and briquettes for the U.S. market, advancing the goal of establishing a cost-effective critical minerals supply chain for the U.S. and supporting the overall funding of Brazilian Nickel’s flagship Piauí project.
Brazilian Nickel CEO Mark Travers said: “This agreement with Westwin not only strengthens Brazilian Nickel’s funding structure, but, more importantly, confirms our proven capability to produce high-quality nickel and to position ourselves as a key player in the global critical minerals market. It underscores BRN’s strategic role in reinforcing supply chain resilience and our commitment to being a reliable, long-term partner to customers in key markets.”
“Establishing dependable supply-chain relationships is essential to restoring U.S. refining capacity,” said KaLeigh Long, Founder and CEO of Westwin Elements. “This agreement advances Westwin’s mission to convert responsibly produced feedstock into Class 1 materials inside the United States, strengthening supply chain security for advanced manufacturing and critical defense applications.”
Brazilian Nickel last year signed preliminary offtake agreements with European processors Electro Mobility Materials Europe SAS (EMME) and Königswarter & Ebell Chemische Fabrik, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pure Battery Technologies (PBT), to strengthen the European battery supply chain and advance cleaner material sourcing. These agreements advance Brazilian Nickel’s goal to create a cost-competitive, sustainable and low-CO2 European battery supply chain.
About Brazilian Nickel:
Brazilian Nickel is a privately held U.K. company established in 2013 to develop nickel laterite heap leach projects worldwide, beginning with its flagship Piauí Nickel Project in Brazil. The BRN team are all highly experienced mining industry professionals with extensive metallurgical experience in South America and worldwide. The team has been developing the low-carbon, environmentally responsible heap leaching of nickel laterites for over 20 years with a view to building a world-class nickel and cobalt producing company.
About Westwin Elements:
Westwin Elements is America’s only major nickel refinery. Headquartered in the United States, Westwin is committed to reshoring critical mineral refining capacity to reduce import dependency, minimize geopolitical risk, and establish a domestic supply chain.
As global and domestic demand for nickel and critical minerals continues to rise, Westwin is strategically positioned to supply critical mineral products and address forecasted market deficits. The company is dedicated to upholding ESG standards, ensuring ethical sourcing, traceability, and a more equitable profit distribution across all supply chain stakeholders.
Media Contacts:
Camarco – Elfie Kent / Gordon Poole / Fergus Young
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)20 3757 4980