American Manganese to apply for process patentMr. Larry Reaugh reports
AMERICAN MANGANESE TO FILE PATENT APPLICATION FOR PROPRIETARY PROCESS TO PRODUCE ELECTROLYTIC MANGANESE METAL FROM ITS ARTILLERY PEAK RESOURCES
Kemetco Research Inc. has completed its task to develop a conceptual process for extraction and recovery of high-purity manganese metal from American Manganese Inc.'s vast manganese resources at Artillery Peak, Mohave county, Arizona.
The overall process, based on a unique application of commercially available process equipment is deemed to be very robust, energy efficient, uses minimal water and in addition to production of electrolytic manganese metal will also produce a clean, saleable anhydrous sodium sulphate by-product. The energy to recover water and destroy dithionates is balanced with the energy produced by burning of sulphur to produce sulphur dioxide. High energy requirements for these applications were a major challenge facing prior art. Dithionate destruction yields sulphur dioxide which can be recycled to the leaching stage and use of water is minimized thru production of solid tailings which can be returned to worked out areas of the open pit.
The Company has agreed to Kemetco's recommendation to seek patent protection for this novel innovative proprietary technology which will enable the manganese resources at Artillery Peak to be processed at minimum cost: Kemetco will prepare and submit documents for patent application immediately.
Solid waste products are benign. Overall, the process is judged to be a significant development in hydrometallurgy for production of manganese metal from U.S. domestic resources.
About Kemetco Research Inc.:
Kemetco Research is privately owned contract Research and Development Company specializing in extractive metallurgy, chemical processing and specialty chemical analysis. Kemetco was formed after the acquisition of the Industrial Process Division of BC Research. BC Research had been in operation for over 60 years as an R&D contractor in British Columbia, Canada.
This release has been reviewed by John W. Fisher, P.Eng., a qualified person pursuant to National Instrument 43-101.