Talon Metals and EnviCore Partner to Reduce Mine Waste and Pioneer "Full Value Mining" Approach Trialing new technology for producing low-carbon building materials instead of waste
Talon Metals and EnviCore Partner to Reduce
Mine Waste and Pioneer "Full Value Mining"
Approach
Trialing new technology for producing low-carbon building
materials instead of waste
Calgary, Alberta and Tamarack, Minnesota--(Newsfile Corp. - March 28, 2023) - EnviCore Inc.
("
EnviCore
") and Talon Metals Corp. (TSX: TLO) through its subsidiary Talon Nickel (USA) LLC
("
Talon
Metals
") are working together to study EnviCore's technology that avoids the creation of mine
waste (tailings) in mineral processing, turning them into value-added products for the building,
construction and infrastructure industries. The product would replace primary raw materials in legacy
cement and concrete production that require significant CO
2
emissions in processing.
Talon Metals is the majority owner and operator of the Tamarack Nickel Project in central Minnesota, a
world-class high-grade nickel deposit.
The process of concentrating metallic minerals like nickel
produces a waste known as tailings. Legacy mining practices often ignore the full value potential of
repurposing mine tailings as value-added products, leading to higher costs for waste storage and loss of
valuable secondary by-products.
Mining companies like Talon Metals and technology companies like EnviCore are challenging the
concept of waste and exploring how the full value of what is extracted from the earth can be utilized by
society.
This "full value mining" approach is part of a new era of sustainable practice in the materials
supply chain.
EnviCore and Talon Metals are conducting lab-scale studies to utilize EnviCore's technology to
potentially transform tailings from the processing of nickel and copper bearing ores into products that are
used in construction and infrastructure projects, thereby reducing and potentially avoiding the creation of
waste.
Industry scientists refer to products that replace inputs that currently require primary mining as
Supplementary Cementitious Materials ("
SCM
"). The partnership will leverage EnviCore's expertise in
development of tailings management solutions and Talon Metals' expertise in mineral extraction to
validate
EnviCore's innovative and sustainable process for efficacy, safety, and durability.
Figure 1: High-level schematic of process to transform tailings into supplementary
cementitious materials ("SCM") for use in cement and concrete for building, construction, and
infrastructure projects
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2443/160069_36dbd11674077b81_002full.jpg
"
We are thrilled to be working with Talon Metals to test and scale our technology in lab studies that if
proven, can fundamentally change the way the mining industry looks at its waste streams
," said
Shahrukh Shamim, CEO of EnviCore. "
Our partnership is focused on new sustainable and
environmentally responsible practices that potentially avoid waste and provide society with multiple
useful materials.
"
Henri van Rooyen, CEO of Talon Metals, added: "
While these are lab scale studies, it's very exciting to
challenge conventional thinking about waste.
The work we are doing with EnviCore has the potential to
avoid waste in the first place. As a bonus, these materials may reduce the carbon footprint of cement
and concrete. If aspects of the ore other than the highly valuable nickel and copper can replace other
materials that society needs, then we are ensuring that we make full use of the natural resources that
society allows us to extract.
This "full value mining" approach is an area of sustainable practice that
Talon Metals is dedicated to leading the industry
."
Talon Metals and EnviCore are subjecting core samples from Talon Metal's Tamarack Nickel Project in
central Minnesota to the mineral process of extracting the Cu, Ni and Fe sulphides, and conducting lab
tests on replicated waste streams. If the lab studies prove successful, significant independent scientific
studies will need to be completed to validate the safety and efficacy of the supplementary cementitious
material for public use.
Any marketable product would also have to be tested in state and federal
permitting process. Development of supplemental cementitious material, that replaces primary materials
like Portland cement, is a key focus of the cement industry as it tries to decarbonize one of the highest
carbon emitting industries.
About EnviCore Inc.
EnviCore is a Calgary, Alberta based growing technology company offering innovative and sustainable
by-product treatment solutions with superior performance, efficiency, and valuable repurposing.
Providing a low-cost and environmentally friendly alternative, changing the adverse narrative associated
with industrial waste materials. EnviCore's technology is based on a transformational approach to
converting a diverse set of mineral feedstocks into SCMs at low temperatures. The technology involves
processing multiple types of mineral feed at low temperatures to achieve activation and successful
partial replacement of cement in a concrete mix without sacrificing its early strength.
For additional information on EnviCore, please visit the Company's website at
www.envicoreinc.com
.
About Talon
Talon Metals is a TSX-listed base metals company in a joint venture with
Rio Tinto
on the high-grade
Tamarack Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Project
located in central Minnesota. Talon Metal's shares are also
traded in the US over the OTC market under the symbol TLOFF. The Tamarack Nickel Project
comprises a large land position (18km of strike length) with high-grade intercepts
outside the current
resource area
. Talon Metals has an earn-in right to acquire up to 60% of the Tamarack Nickel Project,
and currently owns 51%. Talon Metals is focused on (i) expanding and infilling its current high-grade
nickel mineralization resource prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 to shape a mine plan for
submission to Minnesota regulators, and (ii) following up on additional high-grade nickel mineralization
in the Tamarack Intrusive Complex.
Talon has an agreement with Tesla Inc.
to supply it with 75,000
metric tonnes (165 million lbs) of nickel in concentrate (and certain by-products, including cobalt and
iron) from the Tamarack Nickel Project over an estimated six-year period once commercial production is
achieved. Talon Metals has well-qualified and experienced exploration, mine development, external
affairs and mine permitting teams.
For additional information on Talon Metals, please visit the Company's website at
www.talonmetals.com
.
Contacts:
Talon Metals Corp.
Todd Malan
Tel: (202) 714-8187
Email:
EnviCore Inc.
Shahrukh Shamim, CEO
Tel: (587) 966-3080
Email:
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements". All statements, other than statements
of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that Talon Metals and EnviCore believe,
expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking
statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of Talon Metals and EnviCore based on information
currently available. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to the development of
the technology for tailings repurposing, the potential of the technology to transform tailings into
supplementary cementitious materials, the ability of the technology to meet environmental and safety
requirements, and the potential for the technology to create value for stakeholders.
Forward-looking
statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual
results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such
actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the
expected consequences to, or effects on Talon Metals and EnviCore.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be
required by applicable securities laws, Talon Metals and EnviCore disclaim any intent or obligation to
update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or
otherwise. Although Talon Metals and EnviCore believe that the assumptions inherent in the forward-
looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent
uncertainty therein.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit
https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/160069