How innovative mines are gearing up to meet battery metal demand.

The global landscape is currently grappling with an imminent shortage of critical minerals, presenting a significant challenge for mining operations. As the demand for metals continues to surge, there is a growing urgency to address this issue while adhering to sustainable practices. The conventional methods of mineral extraction are not only proving insufficient to meet the escalating demand but are also contributing to environmental concerns.

The need for a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable and efficient metal extraction method has never been more apparent in this evolving mining landscape.

GlyLeach? Technology

GlyLeach? Technology from Draslovka is instrumental in addressing these challenges. This innovative approach not only addresses the immediate need for increased metal supply but also promotes environmental responsibility, promising a more sustainable future for the mining industry.

GlyLeach? is an alkaline leaching process that selectively leaches base metals like copper, nickel and cobalt, minimizing gangue. Powered by glycine, this environmentally friendly leaching process ensures efficient and cost effective metal recovery.

More than just a technology, GlyLeach? offers:

• Reusable and recyclable reagent: GlyLeach? is an alternative to acid leaching that provides more targeted and efficient leaching. The glycine reagent is recyclable and is 50-90% reusable, depending on the recovery method deployed. This reduces the processing costs even further.
• Selective extraction: Unlike conventional methods, GlyLeach? ensures efficient recovery of valuable metals, with almost no non-target metals like Magnesium or Iron extracted in the process.
• Simpler leaching process: GlyLeach? enables a simpler leaching process because it eliminates the need for smelting and shipping concentrate between facilities, with Nickel sulphate produced directly at the mine site.
• Low carbon footprint: GlyLeach? offers a pioneering and eco-conscious approach to waste reduction and resource conservation. With this technology, the amount of chemicals needed is reduced. Moreover, GlyLeach? is also skipping most of the CO2 intensive steps in the value chain, only refining (leaching) remains. In traditional nickel processing, every kilogram typically emits 20-30 kgs of CO2 (kgCO2/kgNi). This technology revolutionizes this norm by cutting emissions to a mere 3 kgCO2/kgNi, sometimes even achieving net-zero emissions, highlighting Draslovka's commitment to sustainable practices.

GlyLeach? for Copper

GlyLeach? enhances copper oxide production by replacing corrosive acids with non-toxic, biodegradable glycine. Carbonate hosted oxides that were previously deemed unviable to process due to high acid consumption, can now be economically processed using this technology. The financial advantages stemming from this operational efficiency are diverse, enabling mines to tap into previously neglected resources while maintaining a favourable financial outlook. Globally, mining ventures are experiencing the benefits of our GlyLeach? process, designed specifically for base metal recovery.

Our client in Zambia serves as an exemplary success story, with GlyLeach? evolving as a practical treatment method for carbonate-associated copper tailings. Draslovka has successfully utilized GlyLeach? to recover copper from low-grade historical tailings, achieving a remarkably calculated copper extraction of over 80% from the tailings.

GlyLeach? for Nickel and Cobalt

GlyLeach? enables production from tailings and higher purity metal from nickel and cobalt sulphide deposits. It can co-leach base metals in a single leaching step. In a specific instance, ?GlyLeach? achieved an average extraction of up to 80% across five test samples using a recycled glycine stream.

GlyLeach?’s cleaner and more selective leaching results in the recovery of target metals without iron, achieving a higher level of purity. Compared with acid leaching, it can make full use of cheaper and effective cement agglomeration methods. This means higher permeability and recoveries as well as having the option to crush to a finer size and take advantage of improved liberation characteristics of some ores.

Moreover, GlyLeach? operates within an alkaline pH range, eliminating the need for special construction materials in plant developments. This allows integration into existing plants with minimal CAPEX.

Summary

GlyLeach? stands as an emerging, effective, and sustainable approach to extracting value from waste. Positioned to address the challenges in critical minerals supply, it demonstrates efficient and sustainable leaching of metals, marking a pivotal advancement in environmentally conscious mining practices worldwide.

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