Temas Resources Corp., Vancouver, Canada, (CSE: TMAS, OTCQB: TMASF), has signed an exclusive North American and European Licensing Agreement with MetaLeach Limited, London, United Kingdom, for its innovative leaching processes AmmLeach®, HyperLeach®, NickeLeach®, and MoReLeach® and others.
By licensing MetaLeach™ technology, Temas’ objective is to provide the lowest cost processing of base metals. This is integral to the delivery of technologies and products for now and in the future, especially ‘energy and battery’ metals. This objective will be achieved from the commercialisation of the proprietary & patented hydrometallurgical metals processing technologies (“Leaching Technologies”).
“This opportunity brings tremendous potential for attracting strategic partners who want a lower cost, environmentally friendly mineral processing solution for their producing mines,” said Michael Dehn, CEO of Temas Resources. “We will be open to engaging partnerships on an equity basis and/or licencing agreements with royalty arrangement. Direct ownership of mineral projects will also be considered.”
The Leaching Technologies have the potential to revolutionize the extraction processes for many base metal deposits. Reducing capital and operating costs and/or improving recoveries, and hence enhancing operating margins at the mine site. Being capable of producing metal or high value product on-site greatly enhances the mine gate economics compared to conventional concentrators. In addition, in many cases, the technologies will enable the treatment of base metals deposits which hitherto have not been possible to treat. The technologies are especially suitable for high-acid-consuming carbonate (oxide) hosted ores.
The merits of the Leaching Technologies and commercial adoption success are based on the potential for major operating and capital cost savings (expected to be a minimum 30-40% vs current technologies). This would be suitable and amenable for mines using the Leaching Technologies as the principal mineral processing method, to produce base metals or high value product, at the mine site.
In addition, these Leaching Technologies offer other significant operating and environmental benefits, including a reduction in carbon footprint when compared to conventional processing methods. The base metals of most commercial importance are essential for supplying the raw materials for the electric vehicle revolution, energy generation and storage technologies allied with ESG (Environmental and Social Governance) policies that these Leaching Technologies target are copper, nickel, cobalt and zinc.
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MetaLeach™ Leaching Technologies |
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AmmLeach® |
HyperLeach® |
NickeLeach® |
MoReLeach® |
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Equipment |
no special equipment required, small standard SX plant size for production |
heap leach or tank leaching |
heap leach or tank leaching |
highly selective leaching, separation and precipitation |
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Commodity Focus |
high selectivity for target metals, does not react with iron, Ca, Mg, Al, and removal of CN-soluble Cu from gold ores |
selective for Cu, Ni-sulphides over pyrite, selective for sphalerite over galena. Low dissolution of Fe, CA, Mg. etc. |
selective leaching of nickel and cobalt. Much lower reactions with Fe/Ca/Mg than conventional leach |
selective for molybdenum and rhenium ores, concentrates and tailings including leaching Mo/Re from copper flotation concentrates |
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Temp/Pressure |
ambient temperature and pressure, Heap or VAT Leaching |
rapid kinetics at ambient temperature and pressure. Reducing tankage and agitation costs |
ambient temperature and pressure, Heap or VAT Leaching |
ambient temperature and pressure, Heap or VAT Leaching |
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Economic Benefit |
minimal decommissioning costs, reagent recycle |
low reagent consumptions, can use high salinity water |
low operating costs |
high selectivity for Mo/Re |
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Other Benefits |
minimal reagent costs, ammonia can be 100% recycled; single leaching plant from oxide cap to primary sulphides with minor changes. Low purification requirements cutting opex |
can regenerate reagent using renewable energy |
leads to copper grade increases and reduction in penalties in copper smelter |
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Elements/Minerals |
ammonia reacts with Cu, Zn, Ni, Co, Mo, roaster concentrates; can treat oxides and sulphides |
leaches base metal sulphides including the following: chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, enargite, millerite, pentlandite, pyrrhotite, violarite, sphalerite |
Selective leaching of Ni and Co, with improved metal recoveries into solution |
Selective leaching of Mo and Re |
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Environmental footprint |
low, no roasting or acid plant. Residue is effectively environmentally neutral, essentially fertilizer in many cases |
environmentally friendly compared with smelting; no roasting or acid plant required. |
reagents are recycled |
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The path to greener nickel production with NickeLeach®
The NickeLeach® process offer a cost effective, environmentally friendly method of processing lateritic ores and concentrates to produce separate nickel and cobalt products. The process operates at ambient temperature and pressure, greatly reducing the cost and complexity of a process plant when compared with all other available technologies.
The acid processes consume vast quantities of sulphuric acid whilst NickeLeach® recycles the leaching agent greatly reducing costs. The omnivorous nature of the acid processes results in the production of very substantial volumes of precipitated wastes (hæmatite, gœthite, jarosite, gypsum etc.) which need to be stored in a lined tailings facility to eliminate any acid drainage problems. The highly selective nature of the NickeLeach® process eliminates any precipitation steps, the tailings revegetate rapidly and can be stored safely with minimal monitoring.
The ambient conditions used in the NickeLeach® process greatly reduce the capital cost of the plant compared to the high-cost materials required in the acid processes. The recycling of the main leach reagent also greatly reduces the cost compared to acid processes.
About Temas Resources
Temas Resources Corp. is focused on the advancement of mineral independence and the processes in which minerals are extracted. To reduce the environmental impact and carbon footprint of metal extraction by focusing on the uses of processing and leaching technologies.
Temas Resources flagship properties are located in the stable, mining-friendly jurisdiction of Quebec (Canada) bordering Vermont, Maine, and New York State (U.S.) in an area known as the Grenville Geological Province. The Grenville Geological Province is home to Lac Tio, the largest solid ilmenite deposit in the world.
As a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of Iron, Titanium, and Vanadium properties, Temas Resources has focused its efforts on advancing two major projects in the Grenville Geological Province area. The first, the DAB Property, is an option for 100% interest consisting of 128 contiguous mineral claims which covers 6,813.72 hectares (68.14 km²) within the Grenville Geological Province. The flagship, the La Blache Property, is 100% ownership of 48 semi-contiguous mineral claims which cover 2,653.25 hectares (26.53 km²) within the Grenville Geological Province.
About MetaLeach™
MetaLeach® was set up to own the proprietary and novel leaching technologies AmmLeach®, NickeLeach®, HyperLeach® and MoReLeach™ which have been developed over more than 10 years on global research & development. These technologies are all protected by an extensive and rigorous intellectual property strategy, including a comprehensive suite of patent applications in targeted countries around the world.
Qualified Person
Rory Kutluoglu, B.Sc, P.Geo, is the Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 who has reviewed and approved the technical information contained within this press release.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Temas Resources Corp.,
