Mineral exploration company Mirabela Nickel Ltd
(ASX:MBN) says it has begun mining at its Santa Rita project in Brazil.
The company says the mine will start with a production capacity of 4.6 million tonnes per annum increasing to a capacity of 6.4 million tonnes per annum in the second quarter of 2009.
Mirabela says the mine has a life of 19 years based on proven and probable reserves.
Managing director Nick Poll says it has only been five years since the company made the largest nickel sulphide discovery in over a decade and it remains on track to be the largest independently-owned nickel sulphide project worldwide.
Mirabela Nickel posted a profit in 2008 after losses the three years previous.
