Breakthrough Mining Technology LowGrade Ore Use Enabled Cost
Breakthrough Mining Technology Low-Grade Ore Use Enabled Cost Effective Recovery From Sulfide Heaps & Low-Grade PLS September 2012 © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies
Goal Unlocking Low-Grade Chalcopyrite’s Vast Potential Revolutionary Solution to a Persitant Problem • Our new process can allow existing facilities to now produce with this ore • Plug-in solution is compatible with existing processes • Immediate benefits: Increases asset values & rapid new production Huge Economic Potential • Can unlock 1/3 of world’s copper ore which can’t be processed currently. © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 2
DEMET Benefits DEMET Unlocks New Value from Wastes New Production from Low-Grade PLS • Empower new production at 45% GM from existing copper mines • Expand useful ore reserves & extend viable mine life • Permit copper recovery from old tailings & heap washdowns Leverage Existing Infrastructure • Maintain full legacy leach infrastructure use & prolong heap economic viability © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 3
Implications Profitable New Metal Recovery Increases Revenues Ore asset value increased and useful mine life extended New Revenue Generation • Utilize sub-economic ores and enable more production • Improve Market Cap • Recycle old waste ore and drain down effluent into production Cost Reductions • Push back mine closure • Defer brownfield maintenance mode and/or shutdown costs • Avoid typical greenfield or expansion permitting challenges © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 4
Value Significantly Increased Production Enabled Dramatically leverages existing assets/facilities DEMET™ Augmented New Production 10, 000 GPM @ 0. 1 g/L Normal Heap Leach Operation Low-Grade Sulfide Ore Heaps Produced at < ~ $2/lb $3/lb 10, 000 GPM @ 0. 5 g/L 10, 000 GPM Low-Grade Ore Heap Low-grade PLS 0. 1 g/L SX/EW 50, 000 GPM @0. 5 g/L Raffinate 10, 000 GPM 0. 5 g/L Raffinate 50, 000 GPM @ 0. 1 g/L DEMET™ Treatment PLS 10, 000 GPM @ 2. 0 g/L DEMET CAPEX: $74 M to $105 M Avg. Copper Price = $3. 25/lb © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies SX/EW Unrestricted Business Information 79, 000 17, 000 lbs/yr Gross: Est. Net: Cost Assumptions: Next Slide $257 M/yr $55 M/yr ~ < $100 M/yr $ 5 M/yr 5
Cost Calculation Assumptions and Implications See included Excel File: PLS Calculation © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 6
Application DEMET Readily Integrates into Existing Processes Enables legacy facilities to process new ores DEMET™ Enabled New Production Current Practice Raffinate Low-Grade Sulfide Ore SX/EW NONE Raffinate Copper Leach Heap Currently NOT economical DEMET™ Treatment Product (strong PLS) Produced at ≤ $2/lb Weak PLS © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 7
Key Impact Areas Traditional Processing Barriers are Shattered and New Value Chains Activated • Utilization of low-grade chalcopyrite, marginal ores, and old tailings • Production of various leached metals by a number of leach chemistries • Treatment of heap washdown effluent • Metal recovery and re-acidification of heap leach raffinate © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 8
Operation Integration Modular DEMET Provides Flexible Deployment DEMET can improve a variety of water processing operations Generic mine water system with potential DEMET enhanced drainage treatment facilities D-T DEMET Treatment Plant Positions D-T D-T Adapted from: http: //www. gardguide. com/index. php/Chapter_7 © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 9
Operation We Cost-effectively Strengthen Weak PLS For Normal Use INPUTS Low-Grade Ore Electricity Water + H 2 SO 4 Product Input Weak PLS (weak stream) Metal Removal OUTPUTS © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Concentrate Product Barren PLS (Raffinate) Strong PLS Return Back to Heap SX/EW Unrestricted Business Information 10
Implementation Flexible Staging Reduces Risk & Ensures Best ROI Bench Verification Operation Lab Pilot Commissioning Pilot Process Optimization General e al tion c a l-S niti l Fu ct I e oj r P Pilot Field Validation Portable Testing Pilot Module Selection (Intermediate Scale) Economic Validation (Intermediate Scale) Scale Up Site Specific Construction System Layout (Full Scale) Site Specific Scoping Evaluation Adapted From: “Copper Leaching, Solvent Extraction, and Electrowinning Technology, ” G. Jergensen II Ed. : Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. , Section I, p. 102 (1999). © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 11
Project Timeline/Financials Rapid Project Payback and Fast Implementation Construct Cost ($k) 10, 000 1, 000 Operational Validate Module Design System 100 Shake down Develop Spec Typical CAPEX $74 M-$105 M Typical Net Revenue $100 M/yr Scoping Tests Typical Payback 10 21 -31 months Full-Scale Project Initiation 0 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 Time (months) © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 12
Solution Options The DEMET system & business flexibility provide various options to best meet specific site needs The BPS solution provides long term ROI value while solving critical environmental challenges DEMET Deployment Options Equipment • Moveable skid mounted system • Fixed installation © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Operation • Buy Equipment • Rent Equipment • Service Contracts Unrestricted Business Information 13
Moving Forward Every Day Waiting is More Value Lost BPS is ready to help • Contact BPS about your ARD treatment/metal recovery challenges • Provide a sample of your waste stream and commission low-cost scoping tests to verify DEMET performance for your waste • Arrange a pilot-scale field test to verify project economic feasibility and consistent performance • Explore options with BPS for full-scale system module deployment to validate full system economics and operation © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 14
Contact For More Information Dr. Patrick James President 608 334 4828 pijames@bps 09. com © 2012 Blue Planet Strategies Unrestricted Business Information 15
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