TALVIVAARAN BIOLIUOTUSPROSESSI

Transcription

1 TALVIVAARAN BIOLIUOTUSPROSESSI Rautaa hapettava mikrobit nikkelin tuotannossa TALVIVAARA BIOLEACHING PROCESS Raudasta on moneksi -seminaari Pauliina Saari 1

2 DISCLAIMER The following information contains, or may be deemed to contain, forward-looking statements (as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements relate to future events that involve known and unknown risks and other uncertainties. By their nature, forwardlooking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. All forward-looking statements made in this presentation based on information presently available and Talvivaara Mining Company Plc. assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. Nothing in this presentation constitutes investment advice and this presentation shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or otherwise to engage in any investment activity.

3 COMPANY HISTORY AND KEY MILESTONES Company foundation Talvivaara deposits discovered in 1977 by Geological Survey of Finland and held by Outokumpu Deposits extensively explored and their metallurgy studied by Outokumpu in the 1980 s and early 1990 s Deposits and related research data acquired by Talvivaara in February 2004 Production ramp-up ongoing Construction of the Talvivaara mine from forest land to an operating mine realized in record-breaking time between April 2007 and October 2008 Production ramp-up ongoing targeting full scale nickel production of approx. 50,000 tonnes London TALVIVAARA Sotkamo Oslo Helsinki Stockholm Copenhagen Hamburg Berlin Acquisition of concessions, exploration and Company research data incorporated 17,000t on site Biohepleaching trial Submission EIA report Application for Environmental Permit 7m financing 33m Financing Complete BFS, receive Environmental Permit $320m committed Term Loan facility 302m IPO LSE First operational blast of ore 85m convertible bond Start up: first metal sulphide production Start of stacking & bioheapleaching First deliveries of products 50m working capital loan 82m equity placing New rail link operational Zinc streaming agreement w/ Nyrstar Refinancing of $320m Project Term Loan 100m Corp. Revolver H1 H2 H1 H2 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q

4 TALVIVAARA IN BRIEF TOP GLOBAL NICKEL PRODUCER Significant base metals producer utilising advanced proven technologies Ramping up a world-class nickel mine in Finland with targeted full-scale nickel production of 50,000tpa 2012 target t nickel Estimated mine life several decades Listed on LSE Main Market (FTSE250) and Helsinki Stock Exchange Targeted full scale production Nickel 50,000 tpa Zinc 90,000 tpa Copper 15,000 tpa Cobalt 1,800 tpa Uranium * 350 tpa * Subject to all necessary permits 4

5 1,000 m Primary Heap Open Pit Metals Recovery Kuusilampi Secondary Heap Kolmisoppi Talvivaara mineral resources Category Mt Nickel% Measured Indicated Subtotal Inferred Total N Nickel cut-off 0.07% 5

6 MINERAL COMPOSITION (WT%) Apatite 1 % Garnet (sp) 1 % Oxides 3 % Tremolite 4 % Feldspars (Pl) 12 % Others (?) 5 % Sulphides (tot) 31 % (20-30 %) Graphite 12 % Micas (Bt) 14 % Quartz 17 %

7 SULPHIDE MINERALS DISTRIBUTION OF NI (Zn,Fe)S CuFeS 2 Sphalerite 3 % Chalcopyrite 2 % Oxidized po 14 % MnS (Fe,Ni) 9 S 8 Pentlandite 0 % Altered pentlandite Alabandite 1 % 6 % Pyrite 25 % FeS 2 Pyrrhotite + oxidized po 33 % Pentlandite 7 % Pyrrhotite 49 % FeS Pyrite 1 % Altered pentlandite 59 %

8 PRODUCTION PROCESS 8

9 BIOLEACHING Naturally occurring process Microbes catalyse leaching of metals from ore to solution: - The process requires oxygen, water, acidity and some nutrients for the microorganisms - Modern, industrial applications: accelerating the process by increasing the amount of microbes and making the conditions favorable for their growth Widely used for copper and gold (biooxidation for gold) 6

10 BIOLEACHING Microbially-assisted conversion of sulphides, liberating metals and generating reaction heat The microbes oxidise ferrous iron (Fe 2+ ) and sulphur (S) to produce ferric iron (Fe 3+ ) and sulphate (SO 4 2- ) The Fe 3+ in turn reacts with the sulphide minerals to produce Fe 2+ and S Fe 2+ oxidizing microbes can accelerate oxidation rate of Fe 2+ in acidic solutions by up to 10 6 Incomplete oxidation of sulfide entity results in formation of polythionates and elemental sulfur which can passivate sulfides Iron and sulphur oxidizers Fe 3+, SO 4 2- Ni in pentlandite ((Ni,Fe,Co) 9 S 8 ) Ni 2+ in solution

11 BIOHEAPLEACHING PROCESS A natural process Leaching is accelerated through crushing, aeration and irrigation 11

12 BIOLEACHING IS MOSTLY INDIRECT CONTACT LEACHING PROCESS

13 BIOHEAPLEACHING STRUCTURES 10

14 BIOLEACHING AT TALVIVAARA Process run in two stages - Primary leaching for months; expected nickel recovery approx % - Secondary leaching for approx. 3.5 years; total expected nickel recovery >90% +20 C -20 C

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16 BIOLEACHING MICROBES Acidophiles or active in acidic conditions (ph 1 3) Get their energy by oxidizing iron and/or inorganic sulphur compounds Get the carbon needed for growth from the carbon dioxide in air Can often tolerate high metal concentrations Classified according to temperature at which they are active namely: - Mesophiles (30-42 C) - Moderate thermophiles (45-50 C) - Extreme thermophiles (65-85 C)

17 Examples of bioleaching microorganisms Mesophiles Bacteria Oxidation Optimum T ( C) Optimum ph Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Fe,S Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans S Leptospirillum ferrooxidans Fe Leptospirillum ferriphilum Fe Acidithiobacillus caldus S Acidimicrobium ferrooxidans Fe Leptospirillum thermoferrooxidans Fe Sulfobacillus acidophilus Fe,S Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans Fe,S Thermophiles

18 Examples of bioleaching microorganisms Mesophile Archaea Oxidation Optimum T ( C) Optimum ph Ferroplasma acidiphilum Fe Sulfolobus metallicus Fe,S Metallosphaera sedula Fe,S Acidianus brierleyi Fe,S Acidianus infernus S 90 2 Thermophiles

19 MICROORGANISMS IN TALVIVAARA PILOT DURING PRIMARY LEACHING Microbe M. 0-5 M. 6-7 M M M Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans x x x x X Leptospirillum ferrooxidans x x x x X Acidithiobacillus caldus x x X Alicyclobacillus tolerans x x x Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius X Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans x x x X Ferrimicrobium acidophilum x X Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans x x x x X Acidophilum sp. x x x Sulfobacillus acidophilus x Ferroplasma x Uncultured archae x x x x

20 FUTURE RESEARCH AREAS Iron-oxidizing microbes - Microbial community and its changes - Ways to control the microbial community Temperature considerations - Temperature profile inside the heap and its changes - Effect of temperature on reactions involving iron - Ways to control the temperature profile Iron precipitation - Reactions occurring inside the heap - Factors affecting iron precipitation - Ways to control iron precipitation

21 THANK YOU! Q & A

22 BIOLEACHING MECHANISMS