News

October 22, 2008

Alexander Mining Is Making A Successful Transition From Mining To Mineral Processing Technology

By Charles Wyatt

Lateral thinking is probably at the root of Alexander Mining’s decision to switch its focus from exploration in Argentina to its intention of becoming a mineral processing technology specialist. With the benefit of hindsight it all fell into place very nicely, as Alexander still has around £5 million of the £20 million it raised when listing on Aim in 2005 and the company’s advanced Leon copper project has undergone an internal feasibility study which still shows robust economics. So that puts a value behind Leon, whatever view is taken of the tax policy of the Argentinian government, which to date is what’s been holding things up. But in any case, all that’s becoming ever less important to Matt Sutcliffe and his team at Alexander, other than the simple fact that the metallurgical work carried out at Leon was the basis for Alexander’s new AMMLeach® Process.

Technical innovation in mineral processing that cuts production costs is going to be a key to the future of the world’s mining industry. Alexander now has not one, but two hydrometallurgical technologies where patents have been filed. They’ve been placed in a subsidiary called Metaleach Ltd which is going to commercialise them. This is not a pipe dream. A number of companies, small and very large, are carrying out testwork and they are having to pay for the privilege. Thus cash flow is already...