BioMinE “Integrated project for the development

of biotechnology for metal-bearing materials in Europe”

Co-financed by the EU in the frame of the RTD FP6

General Coordinator BRGM – Dominique MORIN

EIDG – Raw Materials Supply Group 13 July 2007

2

European Base Metal Status

% of EU25 in global production / consumptionMine production

Metallurgical production

Consumption

10%

20%

30%

Cu ZnNi

% of EU25 in global production / consumptionMine production

Metallurgical production

Consumption

10%

20%

30%

Cu ZnNi

10%

20%

30%

Cu ZnNi

Europe’s metal need is highly dependent on importation

3

European Resource Assessment

European primary & secondary metal resourceshave a significant potential

4

Biohydrometallurgy

> Biohydrometallurgy can be defined as the field of

applications resulting from the control of natural

(biochemical) processes of interactions between

microbes and minerals to recover valuable metals

5

A mature industrial activityCerro Colorado (Chile)

BHP- Billiton

Kasese plant in Uganda (Cobalt) - BRGM

6

…Steady growth…

• Refractory gold sulphide

• Base metal sulphide

Concentrate tank bioleach development

Laboratory scale

Pilot scale

Demonstration scale

Industrial scale

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

First tests (Gencor, Mintek)

1 tpd Fairview (Gencor)

62 tpd Fairview (Gencor)

20 tpd Vaal Reefs (Mintek)

150 tpd Sao Bento (BIOX)

40 tpd Harbour Lights (BIOX)

158 tpd Wiluna (BIOX) 960 tpd Sansu (BIOX)

60 tpd Tamboraque (BIOX)

150 tpd Youanmi (Bactec)

1,069 tpd Kokpatas (BIOX)

First tests Cu (Mintek)

First tests Ni (Billiton)

250 tpd Kasese Co (BRGM)

BioNic Ni (Billiton, Mintek)

Penoles Cu (Mintek)

First tests Co (BRGM)

Chuquicamata Cu (Billiton)

100 ktpa Chuquicamata Cu (ACL)

BioZINC Zn (Billiton)

70 tpd Beaconsfield (Mintek)

120 tpd Laizhou (Mintek)

211 tpd Fosterville (BIOX)

750 tpd Bogoso (BIOX)

7

Why to support biohydrometallurgy implementation in Europe?

> Biohydrometallurgy covers technologies with very

relevant characteristics

> Biohydrometallurgy has reached maturity

> Europe has many resources that look suitable targets

> Europe has many of the required skills

(but scattered and not focused on European targets)

European Commission is looking for “Radical changes in the “basic materials” industry (excluding steel) for cleaner, safer and more eco-efficient production"

8

BioMinE project objectives

> To improve and optimally fit biotechnologies suitable

for treatment of European resources

> To integrate European expertise to achieve

biohydrometallurgical technology breakthroughs

> To develop and demonstrate technologies that can be

commercialized

9

BioMinE Integrated Project

> 17M€ budget

> 11.6 M€ EU contribution

> 4 years, from Nov 2004 to Oct 2008

> General Coordinator BRGM

> Reviewed by external experts every year

> Adjustment of the work programme every year

10

Partnership

•37 partners - 14 countries from Europe and South Africa including•13 industrial companies•16 universities •8 research organizations +

11

European Resource AssessmentNeves Corvo

Aljustrel

Aguablanca

Lubin

Aitik

Boliden

Bor

12

BioMinE project structure and rationale

• Commercial demonstration• Commercial agreements between partners (process development and applications)• Commercial spin-offs (e.g. monitoring tools and equipment)• ….

WP0 Coordination (BRGM)

WP1 (BRGM)Characterize resources &evaluate sustainability of

developed processes

WP2 & 3 (Mintek & Paques)Assess new concepts of

biotechnological processes adapted to selected resources

WP4 (Tecnicas Reunidas)Assess the technical and

economic viability of the new process options for metal recovery

WP5 (Management Committee)Assess exploitation

of the innovations and generate exploitation proposals with partners

WP6 (Skeria)Design modern training tools

Industrial demand andcontribution to workplan

Research and development

Industrial integrationCommercial pre-feasibility

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Screening of the European primary resources WP1

> Known European resources are relatively marginal in value and in size

> The best remaining opportunities are complex ores

> Biohydrometallurgy which has been developed on the border of conventional technologies has good opportunities in Europe

> The potentially suitable (bio)technologies have to be assessed individually on selected resources

14

Progress in bioleaching studies (WP2)

> Performances and optimization of bioleaching on selected European resources• Direct bioleaching on copper and copper polymetallic

resources

• Indirect and direct bioleaching on zinc and zinc polymetallic resources

• Treatment of secondary resources, tailings and slags

> Microbial exploration and studies • Selection of suitable microorganisms

• Better understanding of the microbial processes

• Better command of the molecular tools

15

Metal recovery by biological sulfate reduction (WP3)

Alternative A

Sulfate

Sulfate

reduction

reduction

Sulfur

Sulfur

productionproduction

S L

S L

E-donor Air Sulfur

Alkalinity recycle

Precipitated metals

Effluent to river

Sulfide to contactor for metal recovery

Influent

Sulfate

Sulfate

reduction

reduction

Sulfur

Sulfur

productionproduction

S LS L

S LS L

E-donor Air Sulfur

Alkalinity recycle

Precipitated metals

Effluent to river

Sulfide to contactor for metal recovery

Influent

Alternative B

Su

lfate

Su

lfate

redu

ction

redu

ction

Su

lfur

Su

lfur

pro

du

ction

pro

du

ction

S L

S L

S L

E-donor Air Sulfur

Alkalinity recyclePrecipitated metal ions

Effluent to river

Sulfide to contactor for metal recovery

Influent

Gypsum & metal ions

Lime

Air

Su

lfate

Su

lfate

redu

ction

redu

ction

Su

lfur

Su

lfur

pro

du

ction

pro

du

ction

S LS L

S LS L

S LS L

E-donor Air Sulfur

Alkalinity recyclePrecipitated metal ions

Effluent to river

Sulfide to contactor for metal recovery

Influent

Gypsum & metal ions

Lime

Air

• Investigations on energetic sources and optimization of the process

• Flowsheet alternatives to increase the profitability

• Monitoring and qualityassessment of effluent treatments

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Full process design (WP4)Zn-Pb-Ag

concentrateConditioning BioLeaching

L

S

Ironprecipitation

Limestone/Lime

Chem/Bio-Treatment

Zn

Bleed

Limestone

Zn-EW

Reusable liquid effluent

Additives

Metal compoundsto recycle

Solid by-products or

residues

Zn-SX

Modified ZINCEX process (or other)

Pb, AgLeaching

L

S

Leachingresidue

AgRecovery

Ag

ReductantAlkali Acid

PbRecovery

PbOxides

PLINT Process (or other)

Bleed

Rich air

NutrientsZn-Pb-Ag

concentrateConditioning BioLeaching

L

S

Ironprecipitation

Limestone/Lime

Chem/Bio-Treatment

Zn

Bleed

Limestone

Zn-EW

Reusable liquid effluent

Additives

Metal compoundsto recycle

Solid by-products or

residues

Zn-SX

Modified ZINCEX process (or other)

Pb, AgLeaching

L

S

Leachingresidue

AgRecovery

Ag

ReductantAlkali Acid

PbRecovery

PbOxides

PLINT Process (or other)

Bleed

Rich air

Nutrients

• Processevaluations have been carried out on innovative sequences of treatments like indirect bioleaching applied to zinc complex resources

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Progress per objective

1 – Identification of relevant resources in Europe 2 – Identification of biotechnologies relevant to screened European resources 3 – Testing and optimization of biotechnologies on

European resourcesIn

progress

4 – Integration of biohydrometallurgical expertise in Europe

5 – To carry out demonstration operations on benchmark resources

In preparation

Stay tuned…. http://biomine.brgm.fr