Oct 9 2003
Inco officially opened their mini pilot plant in Ontario, Canada today. The pilot plant was set up to test the hydrometallurgical processing technology for Voisey’s Bay concentrates.
The success of the pilot plant will play an important part in the future of the Voisey’s Bay nickel-copper-cobalt project.
Inco have spent $134 million on the research and development project which promises to offer a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional smelting and refining.
Advantages of Inco’s hydrometallurgical process include lower capital and operating costs, improved energy efficiency and it is more environmentally friendly, eliminating sulfur dioxide and emissions associated with conventional smelting.
The pilot plant is the second stage in the development of the technology. It was preceded by bench-scale laboratory testing. If the pilot plant proves successful, they will move to a demonstration plant, and finally a commercial plant. This development strategy has been successfully employed by Inco for their Goro Project in New Caledonia.
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