BacTech Environmental Corporation announced it has filed an expanded provisional patent application introducing new Intellectual Property (IP) and methods capitalizing on the inherent mechanisms of bioleach. This process, aside from effectively extracting valuable metals like nickel, copper, and cobalt from pyrrhotite or pyrite tailings, uses eco-friendly technology and sustainable power sources to eliminate all waste during tailings reprocessing operations, delivering a first-ever zero-waste, low-carbon liberation, and extraction approach for valuable metals recovery. 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 by-product 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 steel making and produce ammonium sulphate fertilizer from the sulphur which 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 via electrowinning or iron pellets for off-site conventional iron manufacturing or green steel making. Ammonium sulphate fertilizer. Additional minor by-products such as magnetite powder and geopolymers 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.