Vale Canada has signed a long-term deal with GM to supply the automaker with nickel sulfate, a chemical compound used for producing cathode active materials for nickel-based lithium-ion batteries.

Under the agreement, Vale will supply GM with battery-grade nickel sulfate, equivalent to 25,000 metric tons of contained nickel per year, which GM will use to produce all its current and upcoming EVs. According to GM, the amount of contained nickel should be sufficient to supply approximately 350,000 EVs annually. 

Deliveries are scheduled to commence in the second half of 2026.

“The proposed nickel sulfate project would utilize high-purity, low-carbon nickel from our Canadian refineries and is a natural extension for the business, offering a fast entry and anchor point into the North American electric vehicle market,” said Vale Executive VP of Base Metals Deshnee Naidoo. 

“GM is strictly focused on building a secure, sustainable, scalable and cost-competitive EV supply chain,” said GM Executive VP Doug Parks. “The automaker has already signed multiple binding agreements to secure the battery raw material to support 1 million units of annual EV capacity in North America in 2025. This new agreement with Vale reinforces GM’s position in building a North American EV supply chain. Canada continues to play an important role in GM’s all-electric future and the material sourced from Vale will help support EV eligibility for consumer incentives under the new clean energy tax credits in the US.”

Source: GM