Highlands Pacific releases updates on Ramu Nickel Cobalt Mine August 30, 2012

Highlands Pacific Limited (ASX:HIG) has advised that the US$1.5 billion Ramu Nickel Cobalt Mine is continuing with load commissioning as planned in accordance with its steady ramp-up to full production rate of 31,150 tonnes of nickel and 3,300 tonnes of cobalt by mid 2013.

Since the commencement of treating ore at the Basamuk treatment plant on 4 March 2012 the Manager of the Ramu Nickel Joint Venture, Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Limited, has now commissioned two of the three autoclave circuits and the commissioning has been ongoing continuously for over 20 weeks as at the end of July, producing approximately 3,500 tonnes (dry) of mixed nickel cobalt hydroxide intermediate product, which equates to approximately 1,300 tonnes of nickel and 130 tonnes of cobalt.

With the permission of the Chief Mines Inspector of PNG, High Pressure Acid Leach (HPAL) autoclave circuit #3 was the first to be commissioned and operated for a period of 8 weeks before it was taken off-line for planned maintenance. HPAL autoclave circuit #1 was then operated for 12 weeks and taken off-line two weeks ago for its planned maintenance. HPAL circuit #3 is now back on-line and operating at 60% capacity as planned.

Please see more in the attached announcement

For further information, please contact:

John Gooding or Craig Lennon
Highlands Pacific – 07 3239 7800

Investor Contact

Tristan George
Fortbridge
Sydney, Australia
Direct line: +612 9003 0483
Mobile: +61 407 218 832
Email: tristan.george@fortbridge.com