US Faces Nickel Deficit by 2035 Amid Smelting Crisis

#UnitedSates Faces 742,000 mt #Nickel Deficit by 2035 Amid Zero #Smelting Capacity

Posted on March 31, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

Infographic of the U.S. nickel supply and demand situation for 2035, highlighting a deficit of 742,000 metric tons. It shows the U.S. nickel stockpile, lack of smelters, and strategic shortfall, with pipelines illustrating connections to EV batteries and stainless steel production.

The United States currently operates no domestic nickel smelters, leaving North America entirely reliant on just two remaining pyrometallurgical facilities in Canada.

Compounding this critical supply chain vulnerability, a recent report by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace projects that the US will face a massive annual nickel deficit of approximately 741,987 tonnes by 2035.

To address this severe shortfall, awaruite (a naturally occurring nickel-iron alloy) is emerging as a strategic solution. Because awaruite concentrate can bypass traditional smelting and be directly converted into nickel sulfate, it is favorably positioned to qualify for the US Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit, helping to secure domestic defense and EV battery supply chains.