The Implementation of GeoBiotics’

GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

at
Quebrada Blanca

Guillermo Kelly
Project Manager

GeoBiotics, LLC
December 2009

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Contents

• Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACH™ Demonstration Heap

– Results to Date
– Comparative Results
– Proposed Commercial Heap (H11) - September 2010

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Improved performance through GEOLEACH™ application by;

– Increased total copper recovery
– Increased leach kinetics
• Earlier cash flow
• Additional area availability
– Reduced acid consumption
– Reduced raffinate heating
– Reduced water consumption

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

• Design
– 40,000 tpa crushed ore
• 1.35% Cu
• 2.8 % S(T)
– Chalcocite and Chalcopyrite
– 200 day leach demonstration
– $1.0 million capital investment
– 66 m x 46 m heap
– Stacked 6th February 2009
– Irrigation 18th May 2009
– Inoculation 18th July 2009

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap
PLS [Cu, Fe(T)]
35.00 1.40

30.00 1.20

1.00
25.00
0.80

Fe(T) (g/L)
20.00
Cu (g/L)

0.60
15.00
0.40
10.00
0.20

5.00 0.00

0.00 -0.20
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Days
Cu+2 FeT

PLS & ILS [Cu]

35.00

30.00

25.00

20.00
Cu (g/L)

15.00

10.00

5.00

0.00
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Days
ILS PLS

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap
PLS [Ph, Redox]

580 3.50
560 3.00
540 2.50
520
Redox (Mv)

2.00
500

pH
1.50
480
1.00
460
440 0.50

420 0.00
400 -0.50
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Days

Eh pH

PLS & ILS [Temperature]

30.0

25.0

20.0
Temperature (C)

15.0

10.0

5.0

0.0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Days
ILS PLS

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap
750.0
700.0
Eh (mv)

650.0
600.0
550.0
500.0
Feb/15/2 Mar/15/ Apr/12/2 May/10/ Jun/07/2 Jul/05/2 Aug/02/ Aug/30/ Sep/27/2 Oct/25/2 Nov/22/
009 2009 009 2009 009 009 2009 2009 009 009 2009

Eh_2 Eh_6

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

35.0
30.0
Temperature (°C)

25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
-5.0
Feb/15 Mar/15 Apr/12 May/1 Jun/07/ Jul/05/ Aug/02 Aug/30 Sep/27 Oct/25 Nov/22
/2009 /2009 /2009 0/2009 2009 2009 /2009 /2009 /2009 /2009 /2009

TC_2 TC_6 TRef 14 Day Ave

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Acid Consumption Acid Consumption

300.0 4.00

3.00
250.0
2.00
200.0

Kg/ton H2SO4
ton H2SO4

1.00
150.0
0.00
100.0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
-1.00
50.0
-2.00
0.0 -3.00
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Days -4.00
Days
ACID CONSUMPTION Bleed
Heap Cu H2SO4
ACID CONSUMPTION

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Heap PLS GB v/s Heap PLS QB Heap PLS GB v/s Heap PLS QB
Temperature Redox
25 740

24 730
Temperature (°C)

720
23
710

mV
22
700
21 690

20 680

19 670
3/11/09 8/11/09 13/11/09 18/11/09 23/11/09 28/11/09 3/12/09 8/12/09 13/12/09 3/11/09 8/11/09 13/11/09 18/11/09 23/11/09 28/11/09 3/12/09 8/12/09 13/12/09
Days Days

Temp GB Temp QB RED GB RED QB

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

Copper Extractions Copper Extractions

90.0 90
80.0 80
70.0 70

% Cu (Bleed, Hold-up)
% Cu (Bleed, Hold-up)

60.0 60
50.0 50
40.0 40
30.0 30

20.0 20

10.0 10

0.0 0

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Day Flux (m3/t)

ACCUM. EXTRACTION Model Cu Extraction Time Equivalent QB Recovery Heap H11 Peak Flux Model Flux Flux Extraction QB Recovery

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology

Quebrada Blanca GEOLEACHTM Demonstration Heap

• Improved performance through GEOLEACH™ application by;

– Increased total copper recovery
– Increased leach kinetics
• Earlier cash flow
• Additional area availability
– Reduced acid consumption
– Reduced raffinate heating
– Reduced water consumption

Enhancing Value Through Biotechnology