Aim- and TSX-listed Atalaya Mining has approved the construction of the first phase of an industrial-scale plant that uses the E-LIX System, which it says will produce high-value copper and zinc metals from the complex sulphide concentrates sourced from its Proyecto Riotinto site in south-west Spain.

This is expected to unlock significant value from Atalaya's portfolio of polymetallic resources in the Riotinto District by materially increasing the recoveries of copper, zinc, lead and precious metals from complex sulphide ores.

Producing high-purity metals on site will reduce transportation costs, treatment charges and penalties associated with producing and delivering conventional concentrates, Atalaya notes.

E-LIX is expected to reduce Atalaya's carbon footprint through a reduction in land and sea freight and by using power from Proyecto Riotinto's planned solar plant.

Atalaya has concluded a feasibility study that evaluated the technical and economic viability of producing cathodes from complex sulphide concentrates by applying E-LIX, a new electrochemical extraction process developed and owned by Lain Technologies with the financial support of Atalaya. E-LIX is patented by Lain Tech.

Relative to conventional flotation techniques, the value creation potential of E-LIX offers a unique opportunity for Atalaya, the company says.

As a result, it has secured certain terms of exclusivity with Lain Tech for the use of E-LIX within the Iberian Pyrite Belt.

The E-LIX plant will dissolve the valuable metals contained within the concentrates. The testwork and system design allows for the dissolution of chalcopyrite, while avoiding the passivation of particles.

After copper or other metals are brought into solution, they can be recovered by conventional precipitation or solvent extraction followed by electrowinning.

The Phase I plant has been designed to produce between 3 000 t/y and 10 000 t/y of copper or zinc, depending on the ratio of copper to zinc in the concentrate feed.

The estimated capital expenditure for Phase I is €12-million and the design allows for unlimited capacity expansion through the addition of multiple lines in parallel.

Atalaya will start the construction of the plant in the coming weeks and it is expected that the plant will be operational and commissioned later this year.

The decision to approve and build the Phase I industrial-sized plant follows over six years of evaluation and de-risking work, including continuous tests at the laboratory, a small pilot plant and, finally, a semi-industrial pilot plant.

A semi-industrial E-LIX pilot plant was built in late 2019 and has operated throughout 2020 and 2021 despite the challenges brought about by Covid-19.