CVMR®’s Piloting Facilities For Refining

CVMR® in Toronto, Canada, has a range of piloting facilities to undertake various metallurgical tests, experimental and pilot plant work in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. These facilities are also used to demonstrate CVMR®’s technological capabilitiesin extraction and refining of various metals. These include bench scale pilot plants, intermediate scale pilot plants and a full-scale pilot/demonstration plant.

Bench scale pilot plants

The bench scale pilot plants are designed for the evaluation of different ore bodies, intermediates, concentrates and other metal containing samples. They are used for evaluating, roasting, reduction, metal extraction and refining. Samples requiredfor pilot runs are between 1g and 10g. The bench scale pilot plants are fully automated and have direct interface with CVMR®’s computer system for control and data collection.

Examples of Test Runs:

ProcessOre roasting
Sample size:10 g
Temperature:800°C
Gas:Air
Pressure:Atmospheric
ProcessReduction of mixture of hydroxides
Sample size:5 g
Temperature:500°C
Gas:Hydrogen
Pressure:Atmospheric
ProcessNickel extraction from ore intermediate
Sample size:10 g
Temperature:80°C
Gas:Carbon monoxide
Pressure:10 bar
ProcessReduction of mixture of hydroxides
Sample size:1 g
Temperature:100°C
Gas:Phosphorus trifluoride
Pressure:20 bar


Intermediate scale pilot plants

The intermediate scale pilot plants are designed for the piloting of roasting, acid leaching, reduction, metal extraction and refining of metal bearing ores, intermediates, concentrates and other metal-containing samples. Samples requiredfor pilot runs are between 1 Kg and 10 Kg. The intermediate scale pilot plants are fully automated and have a direct interface with CVMR®’s computer system for control and data collection. The intermediate scale pilot plants have a rangeof interchangeable reactors. These include:

    • fluid bed reduction reactors
    • rotational reduction reactors
    • fluid bed metal extraction reactors
    • rotational metal extraction reactors
    • metal powder production decomposition reactors
    • metal coating production decomposition reactors
    • metal net shape production decomposition reactors

An intermediate pilot plant can integrate several piloting steps such as reduction, metal extraction and metal powder production in the same pilot run. Each intermediate pilot plant also includes gas recycling and gas cleaning systems.

Examples of Test Runs:

ProcessReduction of mixture of hydroxides
Sample size:5 Kg
Temperature:450°C
Gas:Hydrogen/Nitrogen
Pressure:Atmospheric
ProcessNickel extraction from ore intermediate
Sample size:3 Kg
Temperature:50°C
Gas:Carbon monoxide
Pressure:Atmospheric
ProcessCobalt extraction from ore intermediate
Sample size:1 Kg
Temperature:80°C
Gas:Carbon monoxide/Nitrogen oxide
Pressure:10 bar
ProcessNickel powder production
Sample size:1 Kg
Temperature:350°C
Gas:Carbon monoxide
Pressure:Atmospheric
ProcessPlatinum powder production
Sample size:300 g
Temperature:350°C
Gas:Phosphorus trifluoride
Pressure:Atmospheric

Full scale pilot/demonstration plant

The full scale pilot/demonstration plant is designed for the piloting of roasting, reduction, metal extraction and refining of ore, intermediates, concentrates and metal-containing samples. Samples required for the pilot runs are between 100Kg and 1,000 Kg. The full scale pilot/demonstration plant is fully automated and has direct interface with CVMR®’s computer system. The full scale pilot/demonstration plant has a range of interchangeable pilot reactors:

    • ffluid bed reduction reactor
    • frotational reduction reactor
    • ffluid bed metal extraction reactor
    • fstatic bed metal extraction reactor
    • frotational metal extraction reactor
    • fmetal powder production decomposition reactor
    • fmetal coating production decomposition reactor
    • fmetal net shape production decomposition reactor

The full scale pilot/demonstration plant is designed to integrate the complete process of material treatment, metal extraction, metal purification and metal production in the same pilot run. The full scale pilot/demonstration plant also includesgas recycling and gas cleaning systems. The results from the pilot/demonstration plant are used to design a full-scale production plant, to support a bankable feasibility study, or to produce sample products for evaluation.

Examples of Test Runs:

ProcessReduction of mixture of hydroxides
Sample size:200 Kg
Temperature:450°C
Gas:Hydrogen/Nitrogen
Pressure:Atmospheric
Followed by:
ProcessNickel extraction
Temperature:50°C
Gas:Carbon monoxide
Pressure:Atmospheric
Including:
ProcessNickel powder production
Temperature:350°C
Gas:Carbon monoxide
Pressure:Atmospheric
Runs include gas recycling and purification.