Spence Anglo Pilot - Scope Only

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Proposal for

Collaborative SFR pilot testing at Las Tortolas

Submitted to

Anglo American Chile & Spence Project Teams

February 2014

Proposal number WG 20140227

Revision 0

The information contained in this document and any related discussions and negotiations is
proprietary to Woodgrove Technologies Inc., and is strictly confidential. This document is
intended solely for the use and evaluation of the recipient named above and it may not be
disclosed, used or reproduced by any person except with the express, written authorization from
Woodgrove

Woodgrove Technologies Inc., 36 Glen Grove Ave East, Toronto, ON, M4N 1E7,
(416) 751 4848, woodgrove@woodgrovetech.com 2 of 9

Contents
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. Background and objectives .......................................................................................... 3
1.2. Pilot program duration .................................................................................................. 3
2. SFR pilot unit ...................................................................................................................... 4
2.1. SFR semi-continuous piloting ...................................................................................... 4
2.2. Two Modes of Operation .............................................................................................. 5
3. Piloting scope ..................................................................................................................... 7
3.1.1. Woodgrove Scope of Supply ................................................................................. 7
3.1.2. Host site scope of supply ...................................................................................... 7
4. Deliverables ........................................................................................................................ 8
5. Pricing ................................................................................................................................. 9


1. Introduction

1.1. Background and objectives

Both the Anglo American Chile and the Spence Project teams have expressed interest in
confirming and quantifying the advantages of employing SFR flotation technology in their copper
and molybdenum circuits. These potential benefits include:

- Smaller footprint and volume which would manifest as lower installed cost.
- Reduced power consumption; an operating cost savings.
- Superior selectivity particularly with floatable gangue species (such as pyrite)
- Improved molybdenum recovery

A pilot program at Las Tortolas, with supporting laboratory testing on the pilot feedstock, would
provide data for comparison with installed flotation cell types and for reliable scale-up, complete
with capital pricing
1
, of an SFR copper or molybdenum circuit for Las Tortolas, Quellaveco, or
Spence.

This test program would be a collaboration between Anglo American and Spence with the work
executed at Anglos Las Tortolas concentrator. Testing would focus on the molybdenum rougher
and cleaner circuits plus the bulk Cu/Mo cleaner scavenger circuit.

This document contains no pricing. The final scope and pricing will reflect subsequent
discussions between the Anglo and Spence teams and Woodgrove.

1.2. Pilot program duration

The total time required to conduct a flotation pilot program is very much dependent on the level
of readiness at site and amount of support provided by the host. We have allowed for one day of
safety training and induction, and two days of set up which has been sufficient in past semi-
continuous SFR pilot campaigns. During the program, one out of every seven has been set
aside for the pilot crew to rest and catch up on data entry.

Table 1 Program time budget

1
Pre-feasibility level.


2. SFR pilot unit

2.1. SFR semi-continuous piloting

The SFR pilot rig has been developed by Woodgrove Technologies as an appropriate step
between batch-mode bench-scale testwork and continuous operation. The rig provides the
demonstration of semi-continuous performance, however using the small sample sizes typically
available during the development phases of new Greenfields projects. The SFR rig operates in
semi-continuous mode, utilising a single SFR stage fed with approximately 20 l/min of slurry
feed. The tails after each pass through the SFR is collected and re-processed to emulate
continuous performance.

The testwork configuration, as illustrated in Figure 1, includes a complete Woodgrove SFR unit
(comprising PCU and BDU/FRU) as well as peripheral tanks, agitators, pumps, piping and
instrumentation to provide an integrated, stand-alone rig for testwork purposes.

Figure 1 Semi-continuous SFR pilot plant

PCU
8.3" x
14"
BDU/FRU
8.3" x 24"
Main slurry tank
16" x 30"
100 L
Pump
Secondary slurry
tank
16" x 30"
100 L
Pump
Barometric leg
1.0 HP motor
15 - 20 L/min
1 L/min


2.2. Two Modes of Operation

In semi-continuous mode, the testwork rig would operate in the following manner:

1. Approximately 100 litres of slurry is prepared and transferred to Feed Tank 1. Feed
preparation is carried out separately by grinding approximately 20 kg of feed ore to the
requisite grind size and slurrying with process water to the required feed pulp density.
2. Once the feed pulp is in the tank, the chemical conditions are adjusted and conditioning
is carried out.
3. At the beginning of a trial, the prepared slurry is pumped from Tank 1 through the SFR
unit at approximately 20 l/min. The tails from the BDU are returned to Tank 1.
4. Air is introduced to the PCU via an air lance, and the concentrate produced is returned
to Tank 1. The rig is operated in this mode just until steady state is achieved.
5. At this point, the concentrate from the SFR is directed to a sample bucket, and the tails
is directed to Tank 2. The small sub-sample of feed slurry (~ 1 l/min) is also drawn off
and returned to Tank 1. This stream is used to collect a representative feed sample. A
number of small incremental samples of feed, concentrate and tails is taken at this time.
The incremental samples are cumulated to provide a feed, concentrate and tails sample
for Stage 1.
6. Once Tank 1 is close to drained, feed is transferred over to Tank 2. As soon as feed
from Tank 2 reaches the PCU, the concentrate produced off the FRU is now returned to
Tank 2. The rig continues to operate is this mode only until steady state for Stage 2 is
attained. While the system is reaching steady state, any remaining feed sample in Tank
1 is drained into a bucket and manually added to Tank 2. This should only be a small
volume of sample, if any. Tank 1 is then flushed and prepared to start receiving Stage 2
tails.
7. At this point, the Stage 2 tails is switched to Tank 1 and the concentrate is collected in a
sample bucket. Sub-samples of Stage 2 feed, concentrate and tails are collected.
Operation continues in this mode until Tank 2 is close to drained.
8. Once Tank 2 is close to empty and the requisite samples have been collected, the feed
is transferred over to Tank 1 and the concentrate produced is also redirected to Tank 1.
9. The operation of the rig continues to cycle between Tank 1 and Tank 2 until between 5
and 8 Stages have been completed. Feed, concentrate and tails samples for each Stage
are collected and submitted for chemical analysis.
10. The remaining concentrate that is collected from each Stage is held as a slurry in
labelled buckets, in refrigerated storage, and is available for later blending and bench-
scale testwork, as required by the program.
11. Whilst a run is underway, two or three feed samples are also collected in a bench-scale
float cell (for example, Stage 1 feed, Stage 4 feed and Stage 7 feed), and taken
immediately through to the float lab for a rougher rate test. The results from these
rougher rate tests are used together with the data generated from each Mini-SFR run to
provide the complete data-set needed for modelling, scale-up and full-scale circuit
design.
12. The pilot SFR rig has the provision for under-froth wash water to be added, as required.
It is anticipated that runs on various feed stock will be undertaken both with and without
underfroth wash water.


In continuous mode, the testwork rig would operate in the following manner:

1. Approximately 100 litres of slurry is prepared and transferred to Feed Tank 1. Feed
preparation is carried out separately by grinding approximately 20 kg of feed ore to the
requisite grind size and slurrying with process water to the required feed pulp density.
2. Once the feed pulp is in the tank, the chemical conditions are adjusted and conditioning
is carried out.
3. At the beginning of a trial, the prepared slurry is pumped from Tank 1 through the SFR
unit at approximately 20 l/min. The tails from the BDU are returned to Tank 1.
4. Air is introduced to the PCU via an air lance, and the concentrate produced is returned
to Tank 1. The rig is operated in this mode just until steady state is achieved.
5. At this point, the concentrate from the SFR is directed to a sample bucket, and the tails
remains directed to Tank 1. The small sub-sample of feed slurry (~ 1 l/min) is also drawn
off and returned to Tank 1. This stream is used to collect a representative feed sample.
A number of small incremental samples of feed, concentrate and tails is taken at this
time. The incremental samples are cumulated to provide a feed, concentrate and tails
sample for one point on the grade/recovery curve.
6. The operation of the rig continues until enough time has passed for a complete
grade/recovery curve to be generated. Feed, concentrate and tails samples are taken at
timed intervals over this period and submitted for chemical analysis.
7. The concentrate that is collected from the run is held as a slurry, in refrigerated storage,
and is available for later work, if required.
8. Feed samples are also collected in a bench-scale float cell and taken immediately
through to the float lab for a rougher/cleaner test. The results from these lab tests are
used together with the data generated from each SFR run to provide the complete data-
set needed for modelling, scale-up and full-scale circuit design.
9. The pilot SFR rig has the provision for under-froth wash water to be added, as required.
It is anticipated that runs on various feed stock will be undertaken both with and without
underfroth wash water.


3. Piloting scope

3.1.1. Woodgrove Scope of Supply

Use of the 20 l/min pilot SFR rig (SFR/20-pilot) on a rental basis, for the duration of
the program.
Crating and Shipment of equipment to the site
Man-power for installation, commissioning, and operation, including expenses.
Review of testwork results, data analysis and report, including modelling and scale-
up.
Equipment de-commissioning, packing, return shipment, and post program
maintenance.

3.1.2. Host site scope of supply

One technician as required to act a liaison with plant operations and maintenance
teams.
All sample preparation and assays including priority assays on the feed, aggregate
concentrate, and final tails samples for each run.
Supply of a clean and safe working area for the pilot plant complete with air,
electrical, and water supply.
A slurried feed sample (taken in batch from the stream we are testing against).
Safe method for disposing of the flotation products
Reagents and access to laboratory equipment for their preparation
Access to a bench batch flotation machine to conduct kinetic rougher and low air
cleaner tests.
Parameters to be used in scale-up and commercial SFR circuit design (for Spence,
Las Tortolas, or Quellaveco) including:
dry feed rate
plant availability
feed % solids
dry solids SG
# of rougher rows
P80 of rougher and cleaner feeds
feed valuable and gangue sulphide assays
expected rougher and cleaner circuit recoveries
final grade target, rougher concentrate grade target
cleaner concentrate dry solids SG

Existing Las Tortolas flotation circuit details if available including: # of rougher and
cleaner rows, tank and column cell sizes, and installed power, etc.
Estimated per kg fabrication price in Chile.


4. Deliverables

The data analysis, scale-up, SFR circuit design and pricing would be summarised concisely in a
report. The report elements would include:

1. Tabulation of laboratory and pilot assay data.

2. Pilot grade/recovery curve and selectivity data and where appropriate, comparison of
pilot SFR data to host plant data.

3. Preliminary scale-up and design of commercial SFR circuits for Anglo and Spence
2

including equipment sizes, installed power, estimated footprint and overall height
requirements, etc.

4. Budget pricing for SFR cells (ex-works).

5. Estimated rougher and cleaner circuit footprint and power reductions compared to a
conventional tank/column cell flotation plant
3

6. Discussion regarding how the enhanced SFR selectivity can be used to improve cleaner
circuit metallurgical performance and/or reduce equipment costs versus the current final
concentrate grade and recovery targets.

2
We have budgeted for one design per circuit per client (circuits would be moly rougher, moly cleaner, and bulk
cleaner scavenger)
3
Assumes requested details about a tank/column cell circuit have been provided (see Client deliverables).


5. Pricing

To follow.

Spence Anglo Pilot - Scope Only

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