Sudbury Pyrrhotite Tailings R&D Project for Clean Recovery of Metals
BacTech Provides Update on Sudbury Pyrrhotite Tailings R&D Project for Clean
Recovery of Metals
Team to Kick Off Detailed Bench-Scale Testing Program in January
TORONTO, ON, December 12, 2023 – BacTech Environmental Corporation (“BacTech” or
the “Company”) (CSE: BAC, OTC: BCCEF, FSE: 0BT1), a well-established environmental
technology company specializing in environmentally friendly bioleaching and remediation
solutions for the recovery of precious metals and critical minerals, has issued an update on its
proposed pyrrhotite bioleach R&D project in Sudbury, Canada.
As previously reported, BacTech is part of a consortium aiming to provide innovative solutions
for remediating 80-100 million tonnes of pyrrhotite tailings deposited in and around Sudbury.
Pyrrhotite (“Po”) is a highly reactive iron sulfide mineral that reacts strongly when exposed to
oxygen, releasing soluble acidic iron harmful to the environment. Historically, predecessor
companies such as INCO and Falconbridge separated pyrrhotite from the more valuable nickel
cobalt pentlandite, depositing resulting pyrrhotite waste either underwater or under caps/covers
to prevent oxidation. Despite being contained, natural bacteria can cause some degradation over
the years. Currently, Vale and Glencore, continue managing these tailings to reduce their long-
term liabilities.
Dr. Nadia Mykytczuk, President and CEO of Mirarco, a leader in innovative solutions for the
mining industry, confirmed that the continuous laboratory-scale bioleach pilot plant is
undergoing pre-testing of equipment. This will lead to BacTech’s technology being tested on a
few kilograms a day basis starting in January 2024, with the program estimated to run
approximately 6 months.
Techno-Economic Feasibility Testing
The objective of the overall test is to determine if bioleaching can not only break down pyrrhotite
to liberate small amounts of cobalt and nickel values as project revenue streams but also if other
by-products from bioleaching can be manipulated into intermediary products of value, creating
additional revenue streams. Technically, the results will be crucial for BacTech in securing
patent protection for this innovative process, representing the next step in advancing the
provisional patent application already in place. Commercially, the results are vital for designing
a fully integrated demonstration plant using commercial-scale equipment, proving the techno-
economics of the entire process and producing tonnage quantities of products for end-user
testing. This would lead to the construction of a full-scale prototype production facility.
Readying Proven Tech for Today’s Economy
Over 20 years ago, BacTech conducted a pilot project in Australia (Radio Hill Mine),
successfully bioleaching pyrrhotite to recover nickel and cobalt into a saleable mixed precipitate.
However, economic viability was hindered by the need to dispose of benign waste from the
bioleach process. Fast forward to the present, the total flowsheet concept has been redesigned,
focusing on managing benign waste streams as a key process driver to enhance profitability. The
combination of reducing the need for benign waste disposal facilities and diversifying revenue
streams benefits project economics. Proven technologies can integrate with conventional
bioleach processes to create saleable intermediary products from waste streams, reigniting
research in this area.
Ross Orr, President and CEO of BacTech, explained, “Pyrrhotite is an interesting mineral. The
idea here is to create separate products for sale from the original elements. For example,
roughly 60% of pyrrhotite is iron. If the free iron generated from the bioleaching process can be
reconstituted as a feed to replace iron ore as an input to steelmaking instead of being disposed of
as benign waste, we would have a major breakthrough.” Orr added, “In addition to iron,
production of elemental sulfur, another major component of the original pyrrhotite waste, could
be sold to the sulfuric acid industry. The nickel grade in Po is roughly 0.8%, with some
associated cobalt, a key feature of revenue. At today’s nickel prices, the tails contain
approximately $15 billion alone. These could be precipitated for sale, as demonstrated from
BacTech’s piloting experience in processing Radio Hill material in Australia. Finally, the clean
siliceous waste from our processing, making up about 15% of the original feed, can be used to
produce construction materials using innovative proven geopolymer technology.” Orr
concluded, “It may be that we cannot successfully manipulate all of these by-product streams,
but the transformation of a majority of process streams into revenue creators, as opposed to
creating benign wastes, would be an economic game-changer for environmental remediation of
pyrrhotite tailings using bioleaching.”
Success factors for this program include co-production of metals and materials, demonstration of
environmentally benign processing, and competitive economics in today’s evolving market.
BacTech anticipates providing results on an ongoing basis over the 6-month test program
About BacTech’s Tenguel – Ponce Enriquez Bioleaching Project
BacTech plans to construct an owner-operated bioleaching facility in Tenguel, Ecuador, a region
known for its association with arsenic in sulphide gold ore (Arsenopyrite). The company intends
to build a 50 tpd bioleach plant capable of treating high gold/a rsenic material. Such a plant,
processing feed with 1.75 ounces of gold per tonne, similar to what local miners provide, would
yield approximately 31,000 ounces per year. The modular plant designs allow for expansion
without disrupting ongoing production. BacTech has also signed an agreement with the
government for a Phase 2 plant that would add 150- 200 tpd of capacity, producing more than
100,000 ounces per annum.
Key economic highlights, assuming a base gold price of $1,600 per ounce, include:
• Pre-tax NPV (Net Present Value with a 5% discount rate) of $60.7 million
• Pre-tax IRR (Internal Rate of Return) of 57.9%
• Annual Gold Production of 30,900 ounces • Capital Cost of $17.0 million
• Bioleach Operating Cost of $212 per tonne
• Pre-tax Earnings Prior to Employee Bonus – $10.9 million annually
• Estimated local employee bonus pool – $1.64 million
The area hosts over 100 small mines, and BacTech is actively exploring the possibility of
establishing modern bioleaching facilities in other regions of Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. The
company aims to collaborate with national and local governments, non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), and other stakeholders to fund these projects and ensure adherence to high
environmental and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards.
About BacTech Environmental Corporation
BacTech Environmental Corporation is a company that specializes in environmental technology.
We use a process called bioleaching to recover metals like gold, silver, cobalt, nickel, and copper,
while also safely removing harmful contaminants like arsenic. This process is eco- friendly and
uses naturally occurring bacteria that are safe for both humans and the environment. By using our
proprietary method of bioleaching, we can neutralize toxic concentrates and tailings while also
creating profitable opportunities. The company is publicly traded on several stock exchanges,
including the CSE, OTCQB, and Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
For further information contact:
Ross Orr
President & CEO, BacTech Environmental Corporation
416-813-0303 ext. 222
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Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking information”, which may include, but is not limited
to, statements with respect to future tailings sites, sampling or other investigations of tailing sites,
the Company’s ability to make use of infrastructure around tailings sites or operating performance
of the Company and its projects. Often, but not always, forward- looking statements can be
identified using words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”,
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intend s”, “anticipates”, or believes” or variations (including negative
variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”,
“could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward- looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual
results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the for ward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the
Company disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward -looking
statements whether because of new infor mation, results, future events, circumstances, or if
management’s estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that
forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned
not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for
the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the
shares, nor is it a solicitation of interest from a prospective investor.