Tag Archives: BASF

BASF and hydroGEOPHYSICS to pair solutions to optimise copper leach extraction

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral processing, , , , , ,

Global chemical company BASF and hydroGEOPHYSICS Inc (HGI) have announced an exclusive partnership aimed at combining expertise in mineral processing, hydrometallurgy and deep well injection.

The collaboration aims to optimise copper extraction in the mining industry by using HGI’s geophysical techniques to identify areas within the heap that currently offer poor recovery and will involve the design and implementation of a deep well injection program, incorporating BASF’s LixTRA leach aid to facilitate a significant uplift in copper extraction.

HGI employs state-of-the-art geophysical technologies to characterise the structural components of heap leach pads, enabling the design, operation and monitoring of targeted lixiviant injection wells, the companies explain. By adding BASF’s LixTRA leach aid, greater ore-lixiviant contact is made, which ultimately leads to higher copper dissolution and increased metal recovery. Initial results from a customer’s site have demonstrated a 20% increase in copper recovery during the trial period, prompting further testing on a larger scale to quantify the benefits, they added.

Caren Hoffman, Vice President Mining Solutions at BASF, said: “Technological advancements are essential if the industry is to meet the projected copper demand going forward. Using HGI’s expertise to identify areas of poor heap leach performance and then targeting these areas through deep well technology and BASF’s LixTRA reagent is a great example of how partnerships can drive sustainable process improvements in the mining industry.”

Brian Cubbage, Executive Vice President, Operations at HGI, added: “Enhancing copper recovery is a sustainable and safe manner is the main focus for most of the mines HGI works with. Leveraging HGI’s expertise in locating and enhancing copper recovery in underperforming areas in heap leach pads, with applying BASF’s LixTRA reagent through our injection programs, has provided a significant boost in the efficiency of copper recovery.”

BASF bolsters flotation product line with Luprofroth and Luproset solutions

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

BASF mining solutions has added two new product brands to its range of flotation solutions as part of its plan to become a full solution provider for the mining industry.

Luprofroth™ has been added to its growing frothers portfolio and Luproset™ is tailored for flotation modifiers.

In recent years, BASF’s flotation business has expanded from niche applications to a broad range of flotation solutions. By introducing two distinct brands for frothers and modifiers, BASF says it can now communicate its flotation portfolio in a clear and consistent way.

The launch of the Luprofroth brand comes with the introduction of a brand-new range of sulphidic frothers formulated to enhance the overall flotation circuit performance.

Graeme Stewart, Sulphide Flotation Specialist for BASF, explains: “Our new sulphidic frother portfolio comes with a wide spectrum of products suitable for diverse process conditions, such as bubble size, bubble coalescence, presence of fine and coarse particles, induction time and froth stability. A key feature of the new range is its enhanced EHS profile, with lower toxicity and ecotoxicity values and reduced flammability risks, which are often major concerns for our customers.”

The Luproset portfolio consists of multiple innovative technologies designed to improve mineral recovery, maximise concentrate grades and reduce reagent consumption with clear downstream benefits.

Benjamin Hepe, Head of Global Segment Flotation, BASF Mining Solutions, said: “Because BASF recognises the challenges and transformation in the mining industry, our priority is to develop solutions that enable our customers to achieve more with less. An example I particularly like is the Gold Activator Luproset A 1127, an innovative technology that improves gold recovery at low dosage rates.”

One of the key advantages of Luprofroth and Luproset is BASF’s extensive integrated chemical value chain, the company says. As a result of the backward integration, along with BASF’s global scale operations, the company is are able to use resources more efficiently and expand its mining portfolio continuously through innovation.

Caren Hoffmann, Vice President Mining Solutions for BASF, concluded: “I am very excited about the launch of the new brands; it sets a consistent base that will enable us to continue growing our flotation business for frothers and modifiers alongside our collectors. Our team is constantly working on the development of new technologies, and we expect to advance further in this field with the expansion of a dynamic pipeline.”

BASF and Moleaer join up to tackle primary copper sulphide leaching issues

Base metals, Mineral processing, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

BASF and Moleaer™ Inc have announced an exclusive partnership to combine expertise in mineral processing, hydrometallurgy, gas transfer and nanobubble technology to develop what they say are innovative processes for mining.

The initial aim is to target the copper leaching process and improve extraction rates of copper ores containing high levels of chalcopyrite, which have historically been difficult to leach.

The companies explained: “Copper is extracted from primary sulphide ores through a flotation process and low-grade ores are traditionally discarded because they are too costly to process. Currently, an alternative hydrometallurgical heap leach process is employed for low-grade oxide and secondary sulphide ores. It is, however, very difficult to leach primary sulfide ores, such as chalcopyrite, which leads to low recovery efficiencies.”

Based on test work conducted by BASF, Moleaer’s nanobubble technology improves the extraction process of valuable metals such as copper.

When combined with BASF’s LixTRA™ reagent, the mineral recovery rates and efficiencies are compounded, especially in sulphide-based ores, such as chalcopyrite, they claim.

Caren Hoffman, who leads the global mining solutions business at BASF, stated: “Technological improvements and collaborations like the one we announced today are essential if the industry is to maximise the recovery of copper at existing mines. By combining BASF’s LixTRA reagent, allowing greater ore-lixiviant contact, together with Moleaer’s nanobubble technology to facilitate a higher oxidative environment, we offer technology to the industry to significantly increase copper recoveries.”

Nick Dyner, CEO of Moleaer, added: “We look forward to working with BASF, a global leader in mineral extraction chemistry, to improve the recovery of copper and help support the green economy. This important collaboration comes at a time when the ability of mining copper is only getting more costly and challenging. Moleaer’s nanobubble technology will allow the mining industry to improve the efficiency and efficacy in existing mines and narrow the gap between supply and demand of copper.”

KaMin adds to industrial minerals mining base with acquisition of BASF’s kaolin minerals business

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KaMin LLC, a global performance minerals company owned by IMin Partners, has acquired BASF’s kaolin minerals business, which includes four production sites and related mines, reserves and two processing facilities in Georgia, USA.

“This acquisition is transformative for KaMin on day one by further diversifying into highly engineered, growth segments and adding to an extensive portfolio of innovative product solutions for everyday life,” Mike W Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer of KaMin, said. “The combination of these two businesses will create a global leader with significant scale, technical capabilities, and talent that will deliver enhanced value to our customers, distributors, and brand owners worldwide

“We are excited to welcome approximately 440 new employees to the KaMin team. Their expertise will enhance our already strong organisation and further differentiate us in the industrial minerals sector.”

The co-located refinery catalysts operations will continue to be owned and operated by BASF’s refinery catalysts business and are not part of the divestiture.

KaMin is recognised says it has more than 95 years of experience in delivering performance mineral solutions in a broad spectrum of end use markets including building and construction, automotive and catalyst, agriculture, health and beauty, packaging, and specialty and graphic paper. The company mines, produces and distributes its products from its three US plants located in Georgia – Macon, Sandersville and Wrens – and internationally through its CADAM facilities in Brazil and Europe.

FBICRC’s battery value chain plans accelerate with cathode precursor pilot plant launch

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The Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre (FBICRC) has launched its flagship project – the Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant – in Western Australia.

Backed by 19 industry, research and government participants, the launch represents a major step in Australia’s journey to expand its presence throughout the global battery value chain, it said.

The first of its kind in Australia, the Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant will establish the technology and capabilities for Australia to design and build cathode precursor manufacturing facilities on a commercial and industrial scale.

The FBICRC explained: “Cathode precursors are precisely engineered materials, the highest cost component of a cell, and a crucial element of the battery value chain. The FBICRC’s report – ‘Future Charge – Building Australia’s Battery Industries’ – identified establishing an active materials manufacturing capability as an immediate priority for Australia to move up the global value chain, which could deliver A$1 billion ($672 million) to the economy and support 4,800 jobs by 2030.”

The Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant capitalises on Australia’s strong position in mining and its emerging battery metal refining industry. The facility will link with other FBICRC flagship projects across Australia, including the National Battery Testing Centre at the Queensland University of Technology, battery materials research at the University of Technology Sydney, electrolyte research at Deakin University and battery anode research at the University of Melbourne.

Shannon O’Rourke, CEO of the FBICRC, said: “The launch of the Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant is the culmination of several years of hard work, collaboration and integration by industry-leading partners and academic institutions, to progress the current and future needs of industry. We’re delighted to see this world-class facility up and running.

“The incoming government has committed to a National Battery Strategy which will help to seize local battery manufacturing opportunities. The Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant will be a key enabler to build an Australian manufacturing capability.”

The global battery market is expected to grow 9-10 times by 2030 and 40-fold by 2050. In a net-zero world, between now and 2050 over A$23 trillion will be spent on batteries, according to the FBICRC. Australia is positioned to capture more of this value given it has leading resources of all raw materials required to make high performance batteries – nickel, cobalt, manganese, graphite and lithium.

Cathode precursor materials are further processed to create cathodes in the battery cell. The performance, durability, safety, and operating envelope of a cell are impacted by the properties of precursor materials. Composition, shape, and surface properties must be controlled closely to ensure a cell performs reliably over many years.

Over 18-months, the plant will run a series of test campaigns through four fully integrated and automated P-CAM production units, provided by BASF. The four units will enable the Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant to run different compositions and ratios of chemistries simultaneously, or to run the same chemistries under four different conditions, changing variables such as temperature, pH or stirring rate. Produced P-CAM is then lithiated, calcined and electrochemically tested at the FBICRC-funded Electrochemical Testing Facility at the Queensland University of Technology.

BHP Nickel West has also provided equipment for the precursor facility, repurposed from its nickel sulphate pilot plant.

The Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant will not only deliver the technical capabilities required to build commercial scale P-CAM manufacturing facilities, it will help educate and upskill the next generation for a future battery industry, it said.

O’Rourke concluded: “Australia has the potential to develop into a competitive player in the international batteries industry. The Pilot Plant launch is a significant step in developing the on-shore capabilities and industry knowledge to create thousands of jobs and add billions of dollars to our economy.”

Jessica Farrell, Asset President, Nickel West, said: “The launch of the Cathode Precursor Pilot Plant is a vital step towards developing a future growth industry here in Western Australia. The launch of this plant, made possible through the repurposing of equipment from our nickel sulphate pilot plant, will allow the FBICRC and the State Government to explore further options for a downstream battery materials manufacturing industry. This is another exciting step for BHP as a major supplier of nickel, a commodity highly sought after by car and battery manufactures across the globe.”

Project participants include: BASF Australia Limited, BHP Nickel West, Queensland University of Technology, Curtin University, CSIRO, Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia, University of Technology Sydney, HEC Group Pty Ltd, JordProxa Pty Ltd, Ardea Resources Limited, IGO Limited, Blackstone Minerals Limited, Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited, Calix Limited, Alpha HPA Limited, Lycopodium Limited, ChemX Materials Limited, EV Metals Group PLC and Allkem Ltd (formerly Galaxy Resources Limited).

Transform or be marginalised: industry experts explore the future of mining

Automation, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

What will the future of mining look like? Why does the industry need to change? How can mining embrace innovation? These were just some of the questions pondered when a panel of industry experts came together to discuss the need for change in the mining industry from an operator, solution, technology and investor perspective at IntelliSense.io’s recent ‘Inspirations20’ event.

In this keynote session, IntelliSense.io’s Founder and CEO, Sam G Bose, was joined by Damien Caby, Senior Vice President Oilfield & Mining Solutions, BASF; Ippei Akiyoshi, CVC Mineral Resources Group, Mitsubishi; and Cleve Lightfoot, Head of Innovation, BHP.

Central to this discussion was the notion that mining technology and processes have become outdated.

“We’re dealing with technology and processes that were developed about 100 years ago, that aren’t apt for what comes next,” BHP’s Lightfoot explained. “What we’ve done in between is we’ve made them bigger, better and more efficient and we’ve done a good job at that. What we haven’t focused on is how the context in which we operate has changed, and it’s changing more and more rapidly.”

When designing new technologies for the industry, IntelliSense.io’s Bose explained that demand for sustainability solutions has become a top priority.

“We’re seeing the next generation of miners who are entering the industry are becoming vocal components of this change to be able to mine in a more sustainable way,” he said. “They’re also looking for different systems which have access to information in real time, they can make decisions on data, and we’re also seeing this acting as a big driver for the industry to look at different ways to operate.”

Mitsubishi’s Akiyoshi supported this notion, adding investors are also increasingly interested in mining company’s environmental consciousness.

“Creating good economic value is not enough; to be in good shape, mining companies need to show that they are responsible and care about the environment,” he said.

Akiyoshi added: “I think mining has not been a consumer-oriented business in the past, but now the big, influential companies like Tesla and Apple are talking about the importance to think about where the materials in their products come from, and in what kind of operation that material is produced. In this case, we’re indirectly exposed to consumer’s consciousness and awareness of environmental value, so this has forced us to think more seriously about how to change.”

BASF’s Caby added that from an operational perspective, the demand for ethically-sourced and environmentally-conscious material is also heavily influencing the direction of the mining industry.

“We see that, both as a supplier to the mining sector and a supplier to the battery industry, there are tremendous changes in the nature, the quality of metals that are going to be required for the world, which in itself is a major driver for change,” he explained.

“I just don’t think we’re going to provide the nickel, the coper and cobalt for e-mobility the same way that 20 years ago the industry was able to react to the surge in demand for rare earths, and I think overall that’s the biggest driver of change.”

With the pressure to innovate or perish, panellists conceded it may appear difficult for mining companies to know where to start, but prioritising opportunities was key.

“We’re great at building big infrastructure projects, but we need to learn how to figure out how we take little bits and transform through little bits. So, accept the ambiguity, and the risk associated with these things through bites we can actually manage,” Lightfoot said.

Caby suggested that for mining operators unsure of how to start their innovation journey, the most pragmatic option may be to start with unlocking the value in their operational data.

“How do we start our journey of innovation? In our experience, it really starts with understanding of the situation of the mine and really diving into the situation of what’s the challenge, and that’s all really data based,” he said.

“That’s the reason behind our [Intelligent Mine] partnership with IntelliSense.io, that we can really accelerate that initiation and make it more effective by leveraging the power of digital. You can have much easier access to information, you can measure the impact of the improvements you make and correct the results for changes in feed and operating conditions, you can make simulations which really help address risk concerns.

“If you can run scenarios, if you can put boundaries, if you can try and see what can happen worse case on the computer compared to trying in real life, you really have a very powerful tool to enable innovation.”

BASF chooses Harjavalta, Finland, for battery materials production hub

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As part of BASF’s €400 million ($460 million) multi-step investment plan, it has selected Harjavalta, Finland, as the first location for a battery materials production hub serving the European automotive market.

The plant will be constructed adjacent to the nickel and cobalt refinery owned by Norilsk Nickel, which is cooperating with BASF on the supply of raw materials for future battery materials production for lithium-ion batteries in Europe.

The investment builds upon initial battery materials production started in Harjavalta this year.

Start-up of the hub is planned for late 2020, enabling the supply of approximately 300,000 full electric vehicles per year with BASF battery materials, BASF said. The new plant will use locally-generated renewable energy sources, including hydro, wind and biomass.

Additionally, BASF and Nornickel have signed a long-term, market-based supply agreement for nickel and cobalt feedstock from Nornickel’s metal refinery. BASF said: “The agreement will establish a locally sourced and secure supply of raw materials for battery production in Europe.”

Kenneth Lane, President, BASF’s Catalysts division, said: “With the investment in Harjavalta, BASF will be present in all major regions with local production and increased customer proximity further supporting the rapidly growing electric vehicle market.

“Combined with our Nornickel cooperation, we are creating a strong platform that connects the efforts between industry leaders in raw material supply and battery materials technology and production.”

Jeffrey Lou, Senior Vice President, Battery Materials at BASF, added that the company’s high-nickel cathode materials were key to delivering enhanced energy density and vehicle range to its customers.