BacTech Environmental Corp. · CSE:BAC
BacTech Environmental — BacTech Mining — Technical Presentation (May 2009)
30 slides from BacTech Environmental's technical presentation, May 26, 2009
Slide 1: The use of bioleaching for cobalt arsenic tails remediation in Cobalt, Ontario
The use of bioleaching for cobalt arsenic t il remediation tails di ti in i Cobalt, C b lt Ontario O t i By Paul Miller BacTech Mining Corporation Canada
Slide 2: Vision for Environmental Projects
BacTech Mining Corporation......... VISION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS: “ TO APPLY BIOLEACH TECHNOLOGY T O ABATEMENT PROJECTS AND REMOVE HARMFUL ELEMENTS FROM THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THIS IS ASSISTED BY A CASHFLOW FROM METAL RECOVERY”
Slide 3: BacTech Mining Corporation company background
BacTech Mining Corporation......... Company originated in Australia in 1988 and listed Toronto 1997 (TSX venture BM) Company’s Bioleach Technology first used in 1994 in West Australia for refractory gold treatment. Technology applied to other refractory gold projects with success (1998 – 2005)
Slide 4: General Bioleach Scheme for Sulphide Concentrate Treatment
GENERAL BIOLEACH SCHEME FOR SULPHIDE CONCENTRATE TREATMENT LIQUOR : COPPER; ZINC; COBALT NICKEL; IRON CONCENTRATE ARSENIC BIOLEACH PRODUCTION OPERATION SOLID : GOLD SILVER ;PGMS; LEAD
Slide 5: Reactor Bioleaching Operation
Reactor Bioleaching g Operation Tanks open to atmosphere – use LP Blowers and agitation g for O2 transfer from air Use pulp feed of concentrate 20%wt/wt Use water cooled baffles to remove heat to maintain 40c – 50c Sulphate medium weak acid pH1.0 Continuous process 4 to 6 days Bacteria g
Slide 6: China Bioleach Plant for Arsenical Gold treatment
China Bioleach Plant for Arsenical Gold treatment
Slide 7: Bioleach Reactors
Bioleach Reactors
Slide 8: Stockpile High Arsenical Low Grade Gold Concentrate for Bioleaching
Stockpile High g Arsenical Low Grade Gold Concentrate for Bioleaching
Slide 9: Products: Ferric Arsenate, Tails Residue, Final Gold
Products : 1) Stable Benign Ferric Arsenate 2) Tails Residue after gold extraction 3)) Final gold g sold directly y onto Exchange g
Slide 10: Bioleach Example Final Base Metal Product
Bioleach Example p Final Base metal pproduct ( LME grade “A” Cathode Copper )
Slide 11: Attributes of proven BacTech bioleach technology for environmental projects
Attributes of proven BacTech bioleach Tech f environmental for i t l projects j t ......... Commercially Proven Technology Cost effective Treatment of toxic elements Ability b ty to ttreat eat low o grade g ade co concentrates ce t ates Ability to treat multi-metals Integrate into conventi
Slide 12: Cobalt Remediation Project Ontario
Cobalt Remediation Project Ontario • Town of “Cobalt” 300 miles N of Toronto •Silver Mining left legacy of arsenic pollution • 18Mt of tails generated •Tails contain arsenic cobalt nickel copper and residual d l silver l values l
Slide 13: Don't Drink the water!
Don’t Drink the water !.................
Slide 14: Regional Map of Old Workings
Regional Map of Old Workings Cobalt and surrounding region
Slide 15: Existing problems
Existing problems.......................
Slide 16: Sterile because of arsenic
Sterile because of arsenic..................
Slide 17: Our proposed process using bioleach technology
Our proposed process using g bioleach technology gy
Slide 18: Average Feed Assay
Average Feed Assay ASSAY PARTICLE SIZE As = 0.42% Co = 0.12% P80 < 250μM Cu = 0.04% Cobalt / Silver Ni = 0.07% well liberated S = 0.15% Fe = 8% Co3 = 6.5% Ag g = 78ppm 8pp Hg= 4ppm
Slide 19: Tails Cobalt Silver Mineralogy
Tails Cobalt Silver Mineralogy Cobaltite C b ltit CCoAsS A S Skutterudite CoAs3 Erythrite Co3As2o88H2O Saffrolite CoAs2 Argentite Ag2S Native Silver Ag
Slide 20: Silver Liberation (Green Particles)
SILVER LIBERATION – ((GREEN PARTICLES)) Background Lollingite(C o??) Lollingite Group Ag-Minerals Galena Sphalerite C halcopyrite Arsenopyrite Pyrite Pyrrhotite Other_Sulphides HiBSE Other(G08) Quartz Micas Mi Amphibole Diopside/Salite Plagioclase C hlorites K-Feldspar C alcite Kaolinite Epidote Tal
Slide 21: Cobalt Liberation (Blue Particles)
COBALT LIBERATION – ((BLUE PARTICLES))
Slide 22: Tails Gangue Mineralogy
Tails Gangue Mineralogy Calcite C l it Dolomite Quartz Chlorite
Slide 23: Project Criteria
Project Criteria 1Mtpa Commercial facility (200ktpa Demo Plant Average Feed Grades: Co = 0.12%; Ni 0.07%; Ag 2.5oz/t ; As = 0.42% Target Recovery: Area Co/Ni Ag As Grav / Float Conc. 80% 80% 94% Bioleach 98% - 98% Residue Treatment - 88% - Overall 75% 70% 92%
Slide 24: Project Criteria (cont)
Project Criteria ..................(cont) (cont) Concentrate feed to bioleach = 130tpd at commercial scale & 25tpd demo scale Production at 1Mtpa reclaim : 850tpa Cobalt ; 500tpa Nickel ; 1.6Moz Silver Initially Produce Mixed or separate pptates Project Life 15 years+ Post tax IRR > 20%
Slide 25: Gravity & Flotation Concentration
Gravity & Flotation Concentration FEED GRADE CONC GRADE As = 0.42% As = 7.5%+ Co = 0.12% Co = 1.8% Cu = 0.04% Cu = 0.6% Ni = 0.07% CONC Ni = 1.0% S = 0.15% 5%-7% S = 3.5% Fe = 8% byy wt Fe = 20% Co3 = 6.5% Co3 = 4% Ag g = 78ppm 8pp Ag g = 1200ppm+ 00pp Hg= 4ppm Hg = 20ppm
Slide 26: Flotation Tail Specs
Flotation Tail Specs FEED GRADE TAIL FLOAT SPECS As = 0.42% As = 0.03% Co = 0.12% Co = 0.01% Cu = 0.04% Cu = 0.006% Ni = 0.07% TAILS Ni = 0.01% S = 0.15% 93 - 95% S = 0.01% Fe = 8% byy wt Fe = 4% Co3 = 6.5% Co3 = 7.5% Ag g = 78ppm 8pp Ag g = 10ppm 0pp Hg= 4ppm Hg < 1ppm
Slide 27: Bioleach Liquor & PLS Specs
Bioleach Liquor q & PLS Specs p : BIOLEACH MINIMUM PLS LIQUOR Recycle GRADE As = 12g/L g Co = 7.5g/L g Co = 3.2g/L PLS Ni = 3.3g/L Cu = 0.3g/L 0 3g/L Fe/As/Cu Reject Ni = 1.7g/L Fe= 30g/L+
Slide 28: Bioleach Residue Specs
Bioleach Residue Specs p : BIOLEACH BIOLEACH FEED RESIDUE WEIGHT LOSS Ag = 40oz/t Ag = 60oz/t As = 7.5% 7 5% BIOLEACH As = <0 0.05% 05%
Slide 29: Project Schedule
PROJECT SCHEDULE June 2009 – revised drilling g Campaign p g (variability and confirm resource definition) July 2009 – Full Feasibility study and permitting of Demo Plant November 2009 – Demo Plant Engineering April 2010 – Start Construction June 2010 – Start reclamation and stockpile conc
Slide 30: Conclusions
CONCLUSIONS Increased scope for bioleaching by treating toxic waste Profitable environmental remediation f d db funded by cashh flflow ffrom metals t l Future Applications in 1. Other Cobalt Nickel projects 2 Other Arsenic wastes eg Gold/Silver 2. 3. Other Base metal tails e.g. Zinc/ silver Lead