Sunday, August 26, 2012

Rare earth metals and new method of metals recovery

Ateneo Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Nick Hodges of Energy and capital wrote about new method of metals recovery. Talvivaara Mining has such a unique process:

l.  Ore is mined and stacked in a heap pad;

2.  Bacteria is sprinkled onto the ore;   water makes the bacteria seep into the ore,   fans feed more of the bacteria into the ore.

3.  Bacteria eats into the ore;  and releases chemicals that eat into the ore;

4.  Metals are recovered, and the solutions coming from the process are sent back to the ore heap.

With a little help from nature.

Investing into this kind of mining means access to precious metals and rare earth.  For example, electric cars, the wave of the future would require plenty of battery power, coming from lithium, a rare earth element, (REE)

"New ideas create more and better new products and services; create more wealth."

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