Advanced Mineral Recovery Technologies, (AMRT Ltd.) is an authorised & licensed operating company utilising the Advanced Mineral Recovery Technologies (“AMRT”) patented process. Some of the shareholders of IMS are also shareholders in AMRT.
AMRT has a proprietary technology for treating the waste streams from mining and smelting operations whereby the valuable metal content is recovered while the potentially hazardous waste is converted to an environmentally-inert slag.
The technology is broadly applicable: virtually all mining & smelting works creates waste in the form of dust, fines or slag.
1. 1
“The Next Phase in Mineral Recovery”
Technology & Applications Overview
September 2014
2. 2
The AMRT Technology & Process
The AMRT Mineral Recovery Process utilizes a patented
AC electric arc furnace/smelter technology uniquely
suited to profitably solve environmental and
sustainability problems in the metals industries in the
new century.
The Process
◦ Efficiently extracts valuable metals from a wide variety of
feedstocks
◦ Addresses significant toxic waste problems, turning liabilities into
profit-making assets
◦ Has low breakeven points (furnace size & commodity price)
◦ Can directly process “fines” and other problematic materials
without intermediate steps
◦ Ideally suited for local empowerment
◦ Energy efficient
3. 3
AAMMRRTT PPrroocceessss UUsseess PPrroopprriieettaarryy TTeecchhnnoollooggyy
Basic process patent granted in UK:
◦ UK Patent GB 2430276B “Control System for an Arc Furnace” granted
September 16, 2009 runs to 9/19/2025
◦ Protected in over 30 other countries
◦ Additional patent issued for treatment of bauxite residue (“Red Mud”)
used in successful demonstration funded by the European Commission
Patented Process Technology is based on:
◦ A proprietary thermo-dynamic model which produces an accurate mass
and energy model to predict how the process should be applied
◦ Proprietary software implemented in a digital programmable logic
controller (‘PLC’) used to control the operation of the furnace
4. 4
TTeecchhnnoollooggyy SSttaattuuss
Two furnaces operating in Greece funded on sole source
basis by European Commission to demonstrate
treatment of waste from aluminum production.
Applications Test Furnace operated at Jet Park in
Johannesburg, RSA for 2+ years
Over 3,000 successful test melts on wide variety of materials
Independent “Process Audits” by universities and independent
experts, sale of products on commercial terms during tests
Test Furnace located at major copper mine in Zambia
demonstrated 97%+ extraction of trace gold from copper
tailings.
◦ Tests independently audited by SGS Inspection Services Limited.
*Kilo Volt Amperes (KVA) and Mega Volt Amperes (MVA) are typical units for
describing the size of electric furnaces, similar to electrical transformers. To a
reasonable approximation, a 1000 KVA or 1 MVA furnace requires 1000
kilowatts (kW) or equivalently 1 megawatt (MW) of electric power.
6. 6
Basic Steps in Assessing Applications
Step 1: Obtain raw material chemical analysis (chemical
concentrations in %)
◦ Protected as required by NDAs
Step 2: Run Patented Mass-Energy Balance Analysis (time needed:
2 days)
◦ Paper projection of results of “recipe”
Input materials furnace output (metal + slag + volatiles)
Step 3: Run material sample through WT Pilot Scale Test Furnace
(3-5 days processing)
◦ Repeat runs as needed to optimize process results
Step 4: Obtain “Process Audit” by independent testing firm
◦ Obtain lab analysis of output (metal + slag + volatiles)
◦ Record process parameters (kWh use, reactants, emissions, etc.)
◦ Validates yields, process economics suitable for bank due diligence
Step 5: Develop plan for commercial operations
7. 7
MMaarrkkeett SSoolluuttiioonnss && GGrroouuppiinnggss
Bauxite Residue Treatment
Stainless Steel Dust Waste
Scrap Steel Dust Waste
Electronic Waste
Auto & Refinery Catalysts
Gold recovery from Copper Tailings
Lead and Zinc Slag
FerroNickel Dust
Chromite Fines
FerroManganese
Copper/Cobalt Fines & Ore
Cassiterite Fines & Ore
Waste Treatment
Mineral Recovery
Smelting
8. 8
SSaammppllee SSoolluuttiioonn ##11:: EEccoonnoommiiccaall DDiissppoossaall ooff
‘‘RReedd MMuudd’’ –– AA 112255 YYeeaarr OOlldd PPrroobblleemm
Bauxite
Residue
Bauxite residue – or ‘Red Mud’ – is produced during the
production of alumina from Bauxite using the Bayer Process
invented in 1888
Bauxite residue is a high-volume hazardous waste which is typically
stockpiled or dumped with little or no treatment
Approximately 100 million tons/yr being produced without an
economical or environmentally sustainable solution.
10. EENNEEXXAALL PPrrooggrraamm –– DDeemmoonnssttrraattiinngg aa
BBrreeaakktthhrroouugghh SSoolluuttiioonn ffoorr RReedd MMuudd
AMRT and the European Commission co-funded two
furnaces in Greece as part of the ENEXAL Program to
demonstrate treatment of bauxite residue (Red Mud):
◦ A 400 kVA furnace installed and operated with the National Technical
University of Greece (NTUA) at Ypato, 60 miles north of Athens
(commissioned 2011)
◦ A 1 MVA furnace installed at the plant site of Aluminium of Greece
about 60 miles west of the NTUA site (commissioned 2012)
The Program has demonstrated that pig iron and mineral
wool for industrial insulation can be produced from Red
Mud using the Process furnace technology and commercial
fiberization equipment.
11. Dryer
Red Mud Drying
EAF 1MVA
Bauxite
Residue
Reducing
Agents
Bag Filter
Off-gas
Treatment
Particle-free gases
Material dust
Pig Iron
Hot Slag
H2O
Furnace
Red Mud Treatment
Mix
RReedd MMuudd PPrroocceessss FFllooww DDiiaaggrraamm
Machine - Spinners
Fiber production
Mineral
Wool
Slag
&
Fibers
14. EENNDD PPRROODDUUCCTTSS
14
PIG IRON
Meets specs for input to
secondary cast iron
INDUSTRIAL
INSULATION
Performance 10%
better than standard
15. 15
Sample SSoolluuttiioonn ##22:: RReeccoovveerryy ooff TTrraaccee GGoolldd
iinn CCooppppeerr TTaaiilliinnggss
A major copper mine in Zambia is producing tailings containing an
average of 4.5% copper and 50-400 ppm gold.
Analyses of technologies for recovering the gold indicated
inadequate recoveries or high costs, leading the company to
stockpile the tailings under guard for possible future solution.
AMRT, and mine owner agreed to move a 650 KVA test furnace to
Zambia to test recoveries.
Results independently observed and tested by SGS Inspection
Services Limited (SGS), a noted mineral testing firm.
Tests indicated a 97% overall gold recovery in matte form suitable
for final refining into pure metal.
17. IInnddeeppeennddeenntt EEnnggiinneeeerr PPrroo FFoorrmmaa
Based on audited costs of materials, labor and energy,
750 KVA furnace would generate USD16.17 million/yr
EBIT
Total investment cost for furnace, accessories and site
under USD 2 million (WT estimate).
17
Pro Forma Source: Venmyn Rand (PTY)
Final Report Sept. 2010
18. 18
Process Economics for Selected Solutions
Electronic Waste
Ferro Manganese
Stainless Steel Dust
Tin
20. 2200
FFeerrrroo MMaannggaanneessee –– HHiigghh VVaalluuee RReeccoovveerryy
Smelting Medium-Carbon
Ferro-Manganese from
metallic dusts and
manganese oxide from
electric arc furnaces
$10M investment
$24M/yr gross profit
21. 2211
SSttaaiinnlleessss SStteeeell DDuusstt –– RReeccyycclliinngg BBaagg HHoouussee
DDuusstt WWiitthh NNoo PPrreepprroocceessssiinngg
2-3% of feedstock
captured in bag house can
be directly recycled to
production.
No cost or energy loss in
pre-processing
$10M investment
$16M/year gross profit
22. TTiinn –– MMeeddiiuumm ttoo HHiigghh GGrraaddee OOrree SSmmeellttiinngg aatt
2222
SSmmaallll oorr LLaarrggee SSccaallee
Processing Cassiterite
concentrate into tin
Can also process
medium grade ores
(25-35% tin)
Efficiency at small
scale adds local value
$10M investment
$48M/year gross
profit