IJR News

News

Electra Studies $530M-$675M North American Nickel Refinery — Sep 16, 2026Electra Battery Materials announced initial engineering results for the first phase of a two-phase nickel refinery near Toronto that would convert mine-derived feedstock and recycled battery black mass into nickel metal and battery-grade nickel sulfate at about 20,000 tonnes per year, with nickel and cobalt recoveries above 97%. The project aims to strengthen North American supply chains, reduce reliance on Chinese processing, and may require roughly $530–$675 million for the first phase, with a second phase potentially adding another 20,000 tonnes of nickel capacity, as CEO Trent Mell emphasizes domestic refinement for industrial, military, and EV applications.

+2

Maya Lindstrom This refinery could help secure battery materials for EVs without depending on Chinese processing, which is long overdue.

Mercury May Have Shrunk Up to 23 Kilometers — Sep 10, 2026New research indicates Mercury has contracted 10% to 30% more than previously thought, shrinking about 12 miles (roughly 19 kilometers) in diameter since its formation, with surface debris from ancient impacts obscuring the planet’s shrinkage signs. The finding could imply a larger metal core or different core composition and temperature history, and future BepiColombo measurements are expected to help confirm the extent of Mercury’s cooling and contraction.

+1

Dana Whitfield The debris from old impacts covering up the shrinkage clues is a good point. BepiColombo data should settle how much the planet has really changed.