This shortage, caused by the imminent closure of Mount Isa Mines’ copper smelter, will create a significant deficit in the market and jeopardise a significant proportion of the region’s industrial employment base.
COB has developed and patented a minerals processing technology for treating pyrite and demonstrated the potential economic recovery of elemental sulphur and metals from pyrite deposits.
This MOU sets out a partnership in which COB will provide advice to MICC on the requirements, challenges and barriers to a potential pyrite tailings re-processing operation to produce sulphuric acid.
COB has previously demonstrated its proprietary technology at its Broken Hill based demonstration facility with large-scale operations over the last 5 years producing around 10 tonnes of high purity elemental sulphur from pyrite feedstocks.