Recovery of Valuable Metals from Mining Wastewater: Case Studies

Recovery of Valuable Metals from Mining Wastewater: Case Studies Andrew G. Hall VP, Sales & Marketing

13 April 2012

BioteQ Profile Clean tech company treating industrial wastewater

ISO 14001 standards for environmental compliance

New Ion Exchange technologies

Proven technologies – first plant built in 2001

Sulphide precipitation technology TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca

2

Operations

Designed/operated by BioteQ Designed by BioteQ BioteQ Offices

TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca

3

Technologies & Applications

Metal Recovery & Removal

BioSulphide ChemSulphide Ion Exchange

MINING & SMELTING

Acid mine drainage Ground & surface water drainage Tailings water Bleed streams Process optimization


4

Features & Benefits 1. Maximize resource recovery



2. Generate revenue from waste



3. Reduce/eliminate waste sludge



4. Treated effluent meeting regulatory compliance




5

Bio/ChemSulphide: Metal Recovery & Removal BioSulphide Feed water Sulphur & reagents

BIOREACTOR

H2S

CONTACTOR

ChemSulphide CHEMICAL SULPHIDE

Treated Water

CLARIFIER

FILTER

Metal Sulphide Product to Refinery


6

Ion Exchange: Metal Recovery & Removal Loading

Treated Water Water with dilute solution of dissolved metals

Sulphide pH Adjustment

Regeneration Sulphuric Acid

CLARIFIER

Metal by-product To refinery TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca

7

Bio/ChemSulphide Performance Ranges Metals Removed

Copper; Nickel; Cobalt; Molybdenum Zinc; Cadmium; Antimony; Bismuth

Selective Metals Removal

Possible

Influent Metals Concentration (mg/L)

0.05 to 500+

Outlet Metals Concentration (mg/L)

< 0.03

Plant Capacity (m3/hr)

30 to 1,000+

Plant Footprint (m2/m3/hr per circuit)

1.7 to 4.5


8

Technology Benefits 1. Metal selectivity



2. Low-grade solutions (pre-concentration with IX)



3. Bioreactor independent of process streams



4. Technologies can be used together




9

Technology Comparison: Metals Value of metals recovered High value recovered

SX-EW

BioSulphide® ChemSulphide®

EMEW

Ion exchange High quality water

Low quality water

Water Quality

Membranes

Lime No value recovered TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca

10

Project Summary Project

Customer

Capacity m3/h

Product

BioSulphide

Freeport-McMoRan

500

Cu

Raglan

Xstrata Nickel

240

Ni

Dexing (2)

Jiangxi Copper

1,200

Mt Gordon

Aditya Birla

250

Cu, Ni, Co

Minto

Capstone Mining

160

No sludge

Caribou (2)

Breakwater

40

Zn, Cd

Wellington Oro

US EPA

35

Zn, Cd

ChemSulphide

Freeport-McMoRan

75

Zn, Cd

Lluvia

NWM Mining

340

Cu, CN

Mastra

Koza Gold

120

Cu, CN

Maricunga

Kinross Gold

750

Cu, CN

Sulf-IXTM

Freeport-McMoRan

25

SO4 removal

Dexing IX

Jiangxi Copper

800

Co, Ni

TSX:BQE Mobile IX www.bioteq.ca

Confidential

166

Ni

Cu, As

11

Raglan ChemSulphide Plant (Canada)

BACKGROUND

• Active nickel mine • Operates seasonally late spring to fall


DESIGN

6,000 m3/day

OBJECTIVES

1. Environmental compliance 2. No sludge generated 3. Resource recovery - Ni

12

Raglan ChemSulphide Plant Process


13

Raglan ChemSulphide Plant Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter

Average Influent

Average Effluent

Ni

13 - 30 mg/L

< 0.25 mg/L

TSS

Variable

< 1.0 mg/L

pH

6.4 – 8.0

~7.9

WATER TREATED

PRODUCTION

RECOVERY %

2010 = 1.06 million m3

2010 = 13.6 DMT Ni

> 96%

2011 = 1.16 million m3

2011= pending

MECHANICAL AVAILABILITY

PLANT PAYBACK

96% average

N/A


14

Wellington Oro ChemSulphide Plant (USA)

BACKGROUND

• Closed silver-zinc mine • Site seepage impacts surrounding creeks & rivers


DESIGN

820 m3/day

OBJECTIVES

1. Meet strict EPA regulations 2. No sludge production 3. Recover Zn & Cd

15

Wellington Oro ChemSulphide Flowsheet


16

Wellington Oro ChemSulphide Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter

Average Influent

Average Effluent

Cd

0.122 mg/L

< 0.0005 mg/L

Zn

135 mg/L

< 0.090 mg/L

pH

6.19

6.65

WATER TREATED

PRODUCTION

RECOVERY %

2009 = 100,000 m3

2009 = 28,000 lbs Zn/Cd

> 96%

2010 = 73,000 m3

2010 = 25,000 lbs Zn/Cd


PLANT PAYBACK

92% average

N/A


17

Dexing ChemSulphide Plant (China)

BACKGROUND

• Active copper mine

DESIGN

OBJECTIVES

24,000 m3/day

1. Maximize resource recovery – Cu

• Wastewater treatment from waste dumps & low-grade stockpile • Treated water re-used onsite TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca

18

Dexing ChemSulphide Flowsheet


19

Dexing ChemSulphide Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter

Average Influent

Target Effluent

Cu

149 mg/L

< 3 mg/L

Fe 3+

909 mg/L

126 mg/L

WATER TREATED

PRODUCTION

RECOVERY %

2009 = 5.8 million m3

2009 = 1.7 million lbs Cu

94%

2010 = 5.5 million m3

2010 = 1.9 million lbs Cu


PLANT PAYBACK

96% average

Less than 3 years


20

BioSulphide Plant (USA)

BACKGROUND

DESIGN

OBJECTIVES

• Inactive mine site

12,000 m3/day

1. Maximize resource recovery – Cu

• Treat drainage from large lowgrade stockpile

Bioreactor capacity: 3.8 t/d

• Treated water re-used onsite TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca

21

BioSulphide Plant Process


22

BioSulphide Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter

Cu

Average Influent

Target Effluent

154 mg/L

3 mg/L

WATER TREATED

PRODUCTION

RECOVERY %

2009 = 818,000 m3

2009 = 304,000 lbs Cu

> 99%

2010 = 561,000 m3

2010 = 276,000 lbs Cu


PLANT PAYBACK

2009 = 98%

Less than 3 years

2010 = 59%* * Site operations suspended temporarily due to technical problems with reagent supply


23

Project Economics – Case Study Metal Removed Inlet Metal Concentration (mg/L) Plant Capacity (m3/h)

Copper

Plant Location (labor costs etc)

Continental US

Project Life (Years)

15%

Cost of Capital

10%

Copper Price (USD/lb)

3.80

Copper NSR

85%


100

100, 1000 (2 cases)

24

Treatment Economics: 100 m3/hr Capacity Treatment Cost (USD/m3)

1.20 1.00 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20 0.00 Excl. Metals Credit

Metals Credit

OPEX TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca

Net with Metals Credit

CAPEX 25

Treatment Economics: 1000 m3/hr Capacity 1.20

Treatment Cost (USD/m3)

1.00

0.80 0.60

0.40 0.20 0.00 -0.20 -0.40

Excl. Metals Credit

Metals Credit

OPEX TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca

CAPEX

Net with Metals Credit 26

Summary

»

Field Application of Metal Sulphide Precipitation:

Meet Strict Effluent Discharge Targets (ppb)

»


Revenue offsets from Metal Concentrate Sales

Reduce/eliminate Sludge Disposal

27

BioteQ Environmental Technologies Inc 604-685-1243 [email protected]
