Patent
Application Submitted for Energy Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Process
to Produce Electrolytic Manganese Metal
August 24, 2010 - Vancouver, British Columbia
Mr. Larry W. Reaugh, President and Chief
Executive Officer of American Manganese Inc. (�American
Manganese� or the �Company�), (TSX.V: AMY; Pink Sheets: AMYZF), is
pleased to report the Company has filed its application with the US Patent
Office for a provisional patent for the innovative robust energy efficient
hydrometallurgical process for treating low grade manganese resources to
produce high purity manganese metal and/or manganese dioxide; while minimizing
potential environmental impacts. Click the following link to view the
flowsheet: http://www.americanmanganeseinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/8-19-2010-1-55-46-PM.jpg
Mr. Reaugh states that: �the process which has been designed
to be energy and water efficient and address all processing concerns in regard
to the environment will not substantially affect the economics of the project
as envisioned in the previously announced NI 43-101 �Preliminary Economic
Assessment�.�
The process is described in the report �The Recovery of
Manganese from Low Grade Resources: Bench Scale Test Program Completed�
prepared for the Company by Kemetco Research Inc. (�Kemetco�) of Richmond,
British Columbia, dated July 1, 2010. The report confirms that the
process can extract manganese at greater than 90% efficiency while minimizing
water and energy use, and the potential environmental foot print. The
conceptual process flow sheet developed from this testing program is based on a
unique application of commercially available process equipment. In
addition to production of electrolytic manganese metal a saleable anhydrous
sodium sulphate by-product will also be produced.
Leaching studies performed on typical manganese samples of
large particle size (greater than 9.5 mm) with SO2 leachant in stirred tanks
indicates that the material is readily leachable. The material is friable
and large particles break down easily during stirred tank leaching.
SO2 leachant is produced on-site by burning elemental
sulphur with 20% excess air. At the contemplated feed processing rate of
3500 tonnes/day, heat exchanging the exhaust gases from the sulphur burner will
produce an estimated 20 tonnes per hour of steam at 400oC and 45 bar
pressure. In a condensing turbine this steam can produce 5 MW of
continuous electrical power; sufficient to operate the extraction and
by-product production processes.
The pregnant leach solution (�PLS�) is purified in two
stages prior to precipitating the metal as manganese carbonate.
Re-dissolving the manganese carbonate with recycled electrolyte produces a
solution that is conducive to producing high grade manganese metal by
electro-winning.
Water recovery from the manganese barren process solution
can be achieved with high energy efficiency because of the unique solubility
characteristics of the sodium sulphate remaining in solution. Sodium sulphate
can be crystallized by cooling the solution to 0�C, and the water can be
recovered via commercially available nano-filtration technology. This
approach is significantly more energy efficient than standard evaporation as it
avoids latent heat required for vaporizing the water.
Solid tailings with minimum water content are produced by
filtration of the final CCD underflow material minimizing water requirements
for the overall process. The solid tailings produced from test work were
shown to be benign by the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (�TCLP�),
and can be returned to mined-out areas of the open pit facilitating immediate
progressive reclamation of disturbed areas.
About Manganese
China controls electrolytic manganese production (EMM)
supplying and producing 97.44% of the world�s needs (2.6 billion pounds per
year).
There is no substitute for manganese in steel (total
manganese market greater than 30 billion pounds per year, fourth largest traded
metal).
Manganese is the most critical metal at risk to supply and
restriction in the United States as there is no US production. EMM�s greatest
uses are the upgrading of specialty steel (47%), and the manufacture of
aluminum alloys (32%) and electronics (14%).
China has a 20% export duty on EMM and the US has a 14%
import duty, world price is $1.28/lb. and US price is $1.53/lb.
Manganese
resources are declining in China.
The overall
manganese market grew at 8% per year to 30 billion pounds up to 2008. EMM
market grew at 26% per year from 2003 � 2008 to 2.6 billion pounds per year.
About Kemetco Research Inc.
Kemetco Research Inc. is a 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 B.C. Research. B.C. Research
had been in operation for over 60 years as a research and development
contractor in British Columbia, Canada.
About American Manganese Inc.
American Manganese Inc. is a diversified specialty and
critical metal Company focusing on potentially becoming the lowest cost
producer of electrolytic manganese from its Arizona Manganese Project.
This release has been reviewed by John W. Fisher, PEng, a
qualified person pursuant to National Instrument 43-101.
On behalf of Management
AMERICAN MANGANESE INC.
Larry W. Reaugh
President and Chief Executive Officer
Information Contact
Larry W. Reaugh
President and Chief Executive Officer
Head Office: 2A 15782 Marine Drive, White Rock, B.C. V4B 1E6
Telephone: 604-531-9639 Facsimile: 604-531-9634
www.americanmanganeseinc.com
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