July 6, 2020, Toronto, Canada. BacTech Environmental Corporation (“BacTech” or the “Company”) (CSE:BAC, OTC:BCCEF) a Canadian bioleach company, has been investigating the use of bioleaching as a means of processing high arsenic concentrates and stabilizing arsenic contained in local tailings. This past weekend, there was a tailings breach in Ponce Enriquez, Ecuador. Approximately 50 tonnes of tailings material were released into the local Tenguel River after a containment wall of a local gold processing facility collapsed. Given the nature of the ore mined in Ponce Enriquez is heavily contaminated with arsenic, an unknown quantity of this was also released into the river.
Bernardo Brito, on behalf of BacTech, recently visited the area as part of a program initiated by the Company to collect representative samples of concentrate produced by local miners. In addition to the Company’s interest in arsenic stabilization, BacTech has also identified the need to provide a local answer to the issue of shipping concentrates to Asia at reduced valuations due to the presence of the arsenic. As it stands, local employment levels are penalized through exporting these jobs to Asia.
The samples collected over the past weekend will be assayed for gold, silver and arsenic. A composite sample of material from the 6 processing plants will be made and shipped to Perth, Australia where it will undergo bioleach test work under the direction of the Company’s Dr. Paul Miller. Results will be reported in 5-6 months, followed by a feasibility study and detailed engineering.