Mr. Ross Orr reports

BACTECH ENVIRONMENTAL UNVEILS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FOR 'ZERO-WASTE' METALS RECOVERY & FERTILIZER PRODUCTION

Bactech Environmental Corp. has filed an expanded provisional patent application introducing new intellectual property (IP) and methods capitalizing on the inherent mechanisms of bioleaching. This process, aside from effectively extracting valuable metals like nickel, copper and cobalt from pyrrhotite or pyrite tailings, uses ecofriendly technology and sustainable power sources to eliminate all waste during tailings reprocessing operations, delivering a first-ever zero-waste and low-carbon liberation and extraction approach for valuable metal recovery.

Key highlights:

• Company files expanded provisional patent application for zero-waste bioleach process intellectual property (IP);
• Engineered for ecofriendly nickel, copper and cobalt recovery from pyrrhotite and pyrite tailings, new zero-waste IP introduces novel methods for transforming remaining waste compounds into valuable, alternative green commodities;
• Zero-waste IP now optimized to convert soluble iron into iron metal (produced on site or as a feedstock to green steelmaking) and to create ammonium sulphate fertilizer from bioleach acid (sold as organic fertilizer);
• Independent estimates suggest approximately 80 million to 100 million tonnes of pyrrhotite tailings in the Sudbury, Ont., region alone (pyrrhotite and pyrite waste is common to many mining operations);
• Testing and collaboration with MIRARCO (Mining Innovation, Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corp.) continue for pilot-scale bioleach circuit testing in Sudbury.

"Bactech's IP development path specifically aligns with broader trends across mining and steel industry operations, consistent with continued public and policymaker calls to shift processes and reduce carbon emissions," said Ross Orr, president and chief executive officer of Bactech. "Furthermore, it is appropriate to the commercial interests of non-ferrous metal production, steelmaking and fertilizer production, which are all traditionally siloed as separate industries. We believe our zero-waste metals recovery IP will emerge as a defining solution. By diversifying the range of products derived from these projects, Bactech aims to reduce dependence on long-term metal prices as the primary drivers for investment in remediation efforts while treating pyrrhotite and pyrite waste streams from current operations. Bactech plans to capitalize on fostering both sustainability and profitability in the industry by creating land value previously occupied by a legacy of mining industry waste."

Making steel, fertilizer and recovering metals using green technology

Pyrrhotite is an iron sulphide mineral containing low levels of nickel, cobalt and copper -- typically dismissed and discarded as an uneconomical waste byproduct by mining operations that continues to perpetuate an environmental tailings legacy in need of remediation.

The company's updated intellectual property (IP) retains its original bioleaching approach to recovering metal values and producing multiple commodities from low-grade mine wastes but now introduces novel innovation to selectively convert soluble iron into iron metal for green steelmaking and produce ammonium sulphate fertilizer from the sulphur that is converted to acid during bioleaching.

While the patent application update offers two iron product options, Bactech will first explore direct electrowinning of iron from the bioleach solution for on-site iron metal production, potentially bypassing the need for manufacturing an iron feedstock for conventional iron/steel production and likely proving to be more environmentally sustainable and cost-effective. Further, following the sequential precipitation of copper, nickel and cobalt from the solution, the soluble ammonium sulphate, produced during the process, will be crystallized and packaged for sale at a premium as an organic fertilizer. Any residual water will be returned to the process, effectively leaving zero-waste.

Applicable to the treatment of existing pyrrhotite or pyrite tailings or streams from current operations, the primary products delivered through the new zero-waste , low-carbon bioleach processes specifically include:

• Mixed nickel/cobalt precipitate;
• Copper precipitate;
• On-site iron metal production through electrowinning or iron pellets for off-site conventional iron manufacturing or green steelmaking;
• Ammonium sulphate fertilizer;
• Additional minor byproducts such as magnetite powder and geopolymer silica for construction material or mine backfill.

The technology can also be adapted to recover precious metals and platinum group elements present in low-grade pyrite feedstocks.

Close collaboration with MIRARCO

Bactech continues its close collaboration with MIRARCO, an organization renowned for providing innovative solutions to challenges in the mining industry since its establishment in 1998. MIRARCO has set up a pilot-scale bioleach circuit in Sudbury to conduct test work on Bactech's technology, aimed at breaking down pyrrhotite sulphide minerals into individual elements. Independent estimates suggest that there are approximately 80 million to 100 million tonnes of pyrrhotite tailings in the Sudbury basin, containing 60 per cent iron, 30 per cent to 35 per cent sulphur, 0.85 per cent nickel, 0.03 per cent cobalt and copper, accumulated over a century of mining activity.

Drawing on past experience (Radio Hill, Australia) with bioleaching pyrrhotite material for nickel recovery, Bactech is confident in replicating previous results while the new IP enhances project value by enabling the production of multiple products previously unattainable through conventional bioleach processing. Zero or minimal waste from remediation operations also converts previously unusable land into valued assets.

About Bactech Environmental Corp.

Bactech Environmental is a company that specializes in environmental technology. The company uses 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 ecofriendly and uses naturally occurring bacteria that are safe for both humans and the environment. By using its proprietary method of bioleaching, Bactech can neutralize toxic concentrates and tailings while also creating profitable opportunities. The company is publicly traded on several stock exchanges, including the Canadian Securities Exchange, the OTCQB and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

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