INDEPENDENCE GROUP NL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018

As a business, IGO is challenging itself to explore ways to grow beyond conventional means, such as exploration and acquisition. We believe there are significant opportunities to grow the company by harnessing the value potential at the next stages of material refinement. During FY18, IGO commenced a project to understand the downstream processing potential to directly produce nickel and cobalt sulphate using a hydrometallurgical process rather than producing nickel metal via conventional smelting and refining. A scoping study demonstrated that the project was potentially financially feasible, subject to metallurgical testwork. Metallurgical testwork followed, using Wood Mining and Minerals Australia and SGS Australia. This testwork successfully produced nickel sulphate hexahydrate crystals and demonstrated that the process was technically feasible. A pre-feasibility study has commenced and further updates will be made public in FY19. Jess Morrison IGO Vacation Student and WA Mining Club Scholarship participant PROFILE – JESS MORRISON My journey into the mining industry began at the University of Western Australia, where I had spent a couple of years not entirely sure what I wanted to pursue – until I found geology. Nothing has been as fascinating and so rapidly evolving as geology, I felt I had finally found a subject I could really sink my teeth into. With my love for research and my desire to contribute to the resource industry, mining exploration was introduced as a possible avenue and I couldn’t think of a more exciting field to be a part of. In August 2017, I was awarded the Western Australian Mining Club Scholarship for Geology. The scholarship, sponsored by IGO, has given me life-changing opportunities and allowed me greater focus on my studies. After receiving the scholarship I was selected for the 2017–2018 IGO Student Vacation Program, where I completed my own project, gained invaluable exposure working in the field, and met the knowledgeable exploration team. The vacation placement led to an additional offer of part-time employment with IGO’s exploration team for the remainder of my undergraduate studies. With this, I have been able to assist in all areas of exploration, attend workshops and lectures, be a part of the evolving research and conversation of the Albany Fraser, and return to the field over university holidays to assist with drilling programs. It has been an unforgettable experience and I am so grateful for the encouragement and support I have received. There are strong academic values at IGO, with a focus on constant learning, development and conversation. The prospect of future involvement here is exciting, and I am very much looking forward to undertaking an Honours project with IGO in 2019. On completion of my Honours year, I have been offered a graduate placement for the year 2020. Quality Education DOWNSTREAM PROCESSING IGO SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018— 49