Rethinking Processing
redefining resource value


Humanity is evolving a greater consciousness on the origins and impacts of the products used in our daily lives. The metals required to combat climate change are currently costly to mine sustainably and energy intensive to produce. Relevant, innovative and substantially improved technologies are needed in order to address current and future requirements.

The technology lends itself to a high level of automation leading to sustained levels of enhanced productivity and efficiency, while providing consistent product quality and increased profit margins. The deployment of advanced machine learning and in-process analytics means improved workplace safety, reduced labour and associated costs and overall increased  productivity.

Transformational metals extraction, refining and manufacturing; Enabling vertical integration into the Global Supply and Value Chain. 

Dry Process:
No wastewater and effluent monitoring and treatment infrastructure required
No water contamination by acids, alkalis, heavy metals or radionuclides
No requirement for complicated and costly water balance management

Contained process costs:
In-process reagent generation, recovery and reutilization
Energy recovery and re-utilization in-process
‘zero waste’ potential

Potential for ‘net zero carbon emissions’ in the recycling of any Carbon Dioxide produced in the process back to process reagents; with excess Oxygen reutilized or as a marketable co-product.

Reduced overall Input and Output Logistics costs and associated emissions.
Producing higher value products requiring less downstream processing.

Integrated with renewable energy sources by design. Enhanced Energy Security.

Smaller plant footprint:
Higher reactor fill factor
Shorter residence time
Fewer process steps
No water infrastructure

Substantially Reduced Land Use!

innovative Process technology

Cyanide-Free gold process

TCM Research has developed a proprietary metallurgical process capable of treating a diverse range of gold bearing materials, including carbonaceous refractory gold ores and concentrates. The technology can achieve high extraction yields for Gold, with co-recovery of Silver, Copper, Lead and Zinc. Studies have been successful on materials that are not amenable to direct cyanide processing and other materials that would usually require complex and costly pre-treatment processes prior to cyanidation.

vanadium +
Iron, Titanium & Aluminium

VTM (Vanadium-Titanium-Magnetite) concentrates have historically been treated via the conventional Vanadium Salt Roast Process, which extracts Vanadium ONLY, translating to <1% overall resource utilization. The conventional process is energy intensive and produces substantial amounts of tailings and other wastes.
TCM Research is currently commercializing a process for the production of a range of high purity Vanadium products, as well as marketable Iron, Titanium and Aluminium co-products.

multiple applications
  • Rare Earth Elements
  • Tantalum, Niobium, Tin & Tungsten
  • Platinum Group Metals
  • Nickel & Cobalt
  • Gallium, Germanium & Indium
  • Lithium
  • Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead & Zinc
  • Iron, Titanium, Aluminium & Vanadium

essential metals

NORM & TENORM

The radioactive content in primary materials containing Tantalum, Niobium and Rare Earth Elements increases the cost and complexity in responsible mining, processing, logistics and disposal. The TCM Research Process aims to addresses the radiological risks and the management and mitigation measures to minimize these risks. Uranium and Thorium are extracted together in an upfront extraction stage. These can be separated , with the uranium (yellow cake) as a saleable product. The Thorium can be converted to oxide(which is considered to be the most stable form), or other Thorium products; which could be sold if the market is created.


TANTALUM +
NIOBIUM, TIN & TUNGSTEN

Currently, to achieve a 'market specification' concentrate; mining companies focus on concentrate grade and composition rather than on resource recovery.

TCM Research has developed a process capable of economically treating lower grade feed materials of varying compositions, transferring the focus to resource recovery; extending the life of mine and increasing the overall project resource value.

Additionally, the process is capable of treating other wastes and scrap containing these essential metals.

Rare Earth Elements

The conventional processes to produce Rare Earth Elements are complicated, involving many stages of physical, thermal and chemical treatment. The energy and reagent consumptions are high and the treatment of wastes, emissions, contaminated water and tailings is costly and challenging. The cost to produce rare earths and the environmental impact of their production is thus very high. TCM Research has developed a process that can treat a diverse range of feed materials, lower grades, high deleterious elements and varying ratios of rare earth elements. In-line with our ‘Enhanced Resource Utilization’ philosophy; the production of commercial co-products, like Niobium and Phosphate Chemicals and the ability to produce a range of Rare Earth metal, oxide and chemical products would greatly enhance the viability of any project.


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