Tataki Mining

Corporate Background & Ownership

• Tataki Mining is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) established under Botswana law. It is wholly owned by NIU Mining (Botswana) Ltd, which is in turn fully owned by NIU Mining Financing Ltd, an affiliate of NIU Invest, a European investment company based in Germany.

• Its board includes directors Oliva Britz (Botswana), Sandro Lassmann (Austria), and Nicole Kontrabecki (USA).

🔧 Asset Acquisition: Tati Nickel Mines

• In 2024 Tataki acquired core assets of the Tati Nickel Mining Company (in liquidation), specifically the Phoenix mining complex, located ~35 km east of Francistown.

• The Competition & Consumer Authority of Botswana approved the acquisition unconditionally in December 2024.

• The assets include the open-pit Phoenix nickel mine (nickel, copper, cobalt, PGM) that has been under care & maintenance since 2003, despite Tati being in liquidation since 2016.

🚀 Restart Plans & Economic Impact

• NIU Group (led by Austrian investor Cevdet Caner) has announced plans to restart and modernize the Tati operations, branding it as a strategic producer of critical minerals.

• Projected timelines and impact:

  • US $200 million in planned capital expenditure over a 10-year mine life, with $50 million in the first 18 months.

  • Expected output: ~170 kt nickel, ~100 kt copper, ~7 kt cobalt over that period.

  • Workforce goals: ~400 direct roles plus ~3,000 indirect jobs at steady state; up to 450 during ramp-up.

  • Anticipated economic boost: ~US $3 billion GDP contribution over 10 years, ~1.5% annual GDP uplift.

📝 Historical & Technical Context

• Phoenix nickel mine was developed in the mid-1990s by Tati Nickel (est. 1988), previously co-owned by Norilsk Nickel (85%) and the Botswana Government (15%). It opened in 1995 and closed in 2016, with reserves estimated at ~330 million tonnes grading 0.23% nickel.

• Tati’s historical portfolio included both the Selkirk and Phoenix sites, producing Ni–Cu–Co–PGM ores.

✅ Regulatory & Community Considerations

• Botswana’s Competition Authority found the deal non-reducing to market competition, noting Tati was inactive and currently being disposed of through liquidation.

• NIU Group emphasizes local engagement, including community infrastructure, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability.

TL;DR Summary