Canadian-based Mindoro Resources Ltd is considering building a CAN 500 million nickel processing plant in the southern Philippines. The capacity of the plant is likely to be 7500-10,000tns of contained nickel per year. Nickel ore for the plant would come from Mindoro’s Agata mine, in Surigao province. The estimate for indicated resources at the mine was 4.4 million wet metric tons of ore with a grade of 1.25% nickel. MRL may invite a partner into the project. A Chinese steel mill was a possibility, but no decision had been made. Construction of the plant, to be located in Surigao, is likely to begin in 2010.