Dundee Sustainable Technologies Inc. (“DST”) (CSE:DST) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Empresa Nacional de Mineria, Chile (“ENAMI”) for the processing of gold concentrates (the “Concentrate”) produced by ENAMI’s operations, using DST’s proprietary Technology (the “Agreement”).
DST purchased from ENAMI 2 Tonnes of Concentrate to be used for a piloting campaign (“Piloting”), according to given metallurgical discounts and treatment charges and will retain all of the metal value extracted during the Piloting. The concentrate was received by DST in its Thetford Mines facility on September 15th.
This Agreement is part of a phased approach established between DST and ENAMI with the objective of implementing a processing facility, utilizing DST’s patented technology, in Chile.
The Piloting will further support the applicability of the DST process. Following the Piloting, DST and ENAMI will advance towards developing the technical and economic feasibility criterias for the implementation on a commercial scale of the DST process in Chile.
About ENAMI, a Chilean state-owned company
ENAMI’s mission is to promote the small and medium size private mining sector in Chile, by supplying technical, financial, metallurgical, production and trading services to small and medium size miners. ENAMI’s assets include one smelter, five processing plants and a network of technical support and facilities. ENAMI purchases ore and concentrate from producers in various purchasing agencies located throughout Chile.
About Dundee Sustainable Technologies, a company controlled by Dundee Corporation
DST is engaged in the development of technologies for the treatment of refractory ores containing sulfides and arsenic. DST has developed proprietary hydrometallurgical processes, and owns the related patents, for the extraction of precious and base metals from ores, concentrates and tailings, which cannot be extracted with conventional processes because of metallurgical issues or environmental considerations.
DST’s patented approach provides a cyanide-free process to allow the exploitation of gold and other deposits that would otherwise face metallurgical issues with conventional methods. The primary benefits of the innovative technology are shorter processing times, a closed-loop operation eliminating the need for costly tailings pond, reduced environmental footprint related to inert and stable characteristics of the tailings, and lesser emissions due to lower energy consumption.
The process developed by DST is a recognized “green technology” for which it was awarded a $5.7 million grant towards the construction and operation of a $25 million demonstration plant. With a capacity of 15 tonnes per day of concentrate, the demonstration plant will serve as a proof of concept for the chlorination extraction technology on an industrial scale and under continuous operating conditions.
DST has tested several different gold deposits, both oxide and sulfide ores at the lab level and at its pilot plant. These tests have, consistently achieved gold recoveries in excess of 90{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce}, using chlorination instead of cyanide.