Horizonte Minerals PLC Announces Vermelho ESIA Contract Awarded to Ramboll

Ramboll is a leading global consultancy firm with 300 offices worldwide, including Belo Horizonte. Ramboll's Impact Assessment services are based on both commercial understanding and technical rigour to deliver projects that are advanced, sustainable and provide value to society. Horizonte has previously worked with Ramboll on the hydrology for its flagship Araguaia ferronickel project.

The ESIA is an essential part of the permitting process for Vermelho and expected to lead to the award of the Preliminary Licence. As Vermelho is located within the Pará State, the technical agency responsible for reviewing the Environmental Impact Study and Report will be the Pará State Secretariat for Environment and Sustainability, SEMAS.

Previous owner, Vale, conducted multiple environmental and social studies and reached a positive construction decision in 2015. The historical database created by Vale provides an excellent background and basis of the new sustainability studies. Horizonte is also optimising the engineering for Vermelho's dry-stack residue storage facility option. An additional benefit from the Project resulting from this optimisation is the production of a bi-product, kieserite fertilizer which will be sold commercially into the Pará state agricultural market.

Ramboll will be completing new field campaigns in a Covid-19 safe manner and is well serviced by its existing sustainability team in the Pará state region. The integrated ESIA will reflect the current physical, biological and social settings and will include, but is not limited to:

• Water availability and quality
• An air and noise baseline study
• Soil quality
• A flora and fauna inventory
• Socio-economic considerations
• Community health and safety
• Resettlement
• Cultural heritage

In addition to local permit studies, further social and environmental impact assessments will be undertaken in line with International Finance Corporation Performance Standards and the Equator Principles (IV).

Horizonte CEO, Jeremy Martin commented: "The appointment of Ramboll highlights our commitment to the highest standards of sustainability practices as we work to develop Vermelho. Vermelho is a tier one nickel-cobalt project that will come online to supply the rapidly growing EV battery market. The planned completion of Araguaia financing will enable Horizonte to expedite the development of Vermelho through feasibility and permitting.

Vermelho is scheduled to start production at a critical point in the nickel market, where the supply deficit is projected to widen, particularly in the battery sector. With limited next generation nickel projects in the global near-term pipeline, Horizonte is in a unique position. Progressing Vermelho through to a construction ready status will significantly de-risk the Project and we believe this will be increasingly reflected in the value attributed to the Project by the market.

Advancing Vermelho and working towards start of construction at Araguaia are all part of our business plan as we move to become a significant nickel producer, allowing shareholders to realise value from our exceptional, wholly-owned asset base."

For further information, visit www.horizonteminerals.com or contact:

About Horizonte Minerals:
Horizonte Minerals Plc is an AIM and TSX-listed nickel development company focused in Brazil. The Company is developing the Araguaia project, as the next major ferronickel mine in Brazil, and the Vermelho nickel-cobalt project, with the aim of being able to supply nickel and cobalt to the EV battery market. Both projects are 100% owned.

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SOURCE: Horizonte Minerals Plc