Solvay to share its latest advancements in mining reagent technology and new digital capabilities at Expomin 2018

Saddle Brook, NJ, April 19, 2018 – Solvay will share its latest developments in mining reagent technology during Expomin 2018 from April 23-27 in Santiago, Chile. Solvay’s Mining Solutions team will connect with industry experts from across the mining value chain to discuss complex metallurgical challenges facing the industry and work toward solutions. The 2018 conference marks the first time the Mining Solutions group, which was previously part of Cytec, will participate as a fully integrated Solvay global business unit.

Solvay will be one of the sponsors for the event’s first-ever lithium seminar, which will take place in parallel to the conference on Thursday, April 26. Leading experts from industry and government will gather to discuss issues important to the lithium market, relevant technologies and regulations. In this context, Solvay will present on the value of its innovative and sustainable solutions for lithium extraction.

Promoting innovation in sustainable flotation chemistry
During Expomin, Solvay will share industry-driven innovations in flotation reagents that focus on sustainability and productivity. Highlights include AERO® XR Series promoters used to replace xanthates in a wide range of ore types and AERO® 7260 HFP depressant used as a partial NaSH replacement in the Cu/Mo separation process. These solutions are bringing additional value to the industry by reducing risk factors and hazards that can negatively impact mining operations.

“Solvay partners with mining operations to improve their productivity, grade and recovery, and successfully address their most critical needs,” explained Eammon Guitard, Global Marketing Manager, Mineral Processing. He added, “Solvay provides not only the reagent, but a complete package, which includes application support, technical service and modelling capabilities. This is how we help our customers extract more value. Furthermore, by offering increasingly sustainable solutions, we are helping move the industry forward – economically, environmentally and in improving worker health and safety at mines.”

Pushing the boundaries of solvent extraction

“We continue to push the boundaries of SX by applying our reagents, broad extractant chemistries and modelling capabilities to new target elements,” explained Laurent Cohen, Global Marketing Manager, Metal Extraction Products. “For example, Solvay recently developed CYANEX® 936, a formulation optimized for the Tenova Advanced Technology LiSX™ process. This solvent extraction method enables the production of high-purity lithium salts directly from salar brines with significant cost, time and sustainability benefits over the traditional evaporation process.”

Solvay’s product portfolio of solvent extraction reagents includes the ACORGA®, CYANEX® and DEHPA® families, which provide the mining industry with an effective method for separating copper, cobalt/nickel, molybdenum, rare earths, uranium, zinc and various other metals. The organization is prepared to answer pressing challenges, including the processing of high chloride or high nitrate feeds, value capture of by-product metals and mitigation of high solids content.

Creating value more quickly through digital technology for mines 

Solvay is eager to trial its new digital process analysis service with mining operations. “With this service, Solvay makes its technical expertise directly accessible to customers, enabling them to make more informed decisions, faster,” explained Matt Davis, Global Business Director, Metal Extraction Products. He added, “Via a digital dashboard, Solvay provides recommendations delivered instantly based on real-time analysis of the customer plant’s data. The service enables users to better troubleshoot and optimize the plant, maximizing production and/or reducing operational costs.

To learn more about Solvay’s solvent extraction portfolio and capabilities, visit booth number 3-G54 (Hall 3). 

Solvay is a multi-specialty chemical company, committed to developing chemistry that addresses key societal challenges. Solvay innovates and partners with customers in diverse global end markets. Its products and solutions are used in planes, cars, smart and medical devices, batteries, in mineral and oil extraction, among many other applications promoting sustainability. Its lightweighting materials enhance cleaner mobility, its formulations optimize the use of resources and its performance chemicals improve air and water quality. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels with around 27,000 employees in 58 countries. Net sales were € 10.9 billion in 2016, with 90% from activities where Solvay ranks among the world’s top 3 leaders. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR) and in the United States its shares (SOLVY) are traded through a level-1 ADR program.