Sulfide nickel ores are amenable to conventional flotation concentration, producing a high-grade concentrate suitable for smelting to nickel matte. Laterite ores, which account for the majority of global nickel resources, cannot be economically concentrated by flotation and must be processed via energy-intensive pyrometallurgical (rotary kiln-electric furnace) or hydrometallurgical (HPAL) routes. This processing difference affects the form in which the ore is traded and the infrastructure required at the receiving facility.

High-purity nickel is a key cathode material in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, and demand from this sector has added a new class of buyers — battery chemical producers — alongside traditional stainless steel mills. This has increased interest in the upstream ore and concentrate trade, particularly for laterite sources that can be processed into battery-grade nickel sulfate, and has elevated supply-chain traceability and ESG documentation requirements for importers.