AXION – Rare-earth and Noble Metals

Industrial highly selective sorption solutions

February, 2016

OVERVIEW

2

AXION-RNM

The company was founded in 2010, Perm (Russia)

Venture partner – Bioprocess Venture Capital

Strategic partner – Perm Chemical Company that provides laboratory and production premises

PRODUCTS

Complex technological high sorption solutions based on ion-exchange (chelating) resins with main focus on metals production and purification

Portfolio of chelating ion-exchange resins (AXIONIT) for sorption of cesium, scandium, indium and other rare-earth and precious metals

“Turn-key“ recycling solutions (partnership scheme)

AXION-RNM: FULL CYCLE TECHNOLOGICAL INGINEERING

3

Technological chain analysis, identification of bottle-necks and economic optimization potential

Development, adaptation* and testing of the chelating resins

Production cycle engineering, trial testing, confirmation of the economic

parameters of the processes

Resins supplies. Establishment and joint management of the new business**

Integration of the solution into the production chain

* - if required, ** - in case of new business partnership

4

AXIONIT: HIGHLY SELECTIVE ION-EXCHANGE RESINS

TARGET MARKET

Resins global market - $1 bln AXION-RNM develops and manufactures chelating resins Target market segment – 15% in value and 5% in volume Key segments: processing of the industrial waste, refining, mining and metals

processing

ADVANTAGES

Selective sorption of one, two or group of metals Effective sorption from highly-acid solutions with complex salt background High sorption capacity (up to 5-8 mg-eq/g) – 3-4 times higher that

comparable market products Reusable feature. Decreased sorption/desorption cycles. Improved ecology.

* IWT – industrial water treatment, ССP – chemical processing, СC – consumer cartridges

*

VOLUME: 90-95%

REVENUE: 5-10%

VOLUME: 5-10%

REVENUE: 90-95%

REE MARKET MAIN PROBLEM

Y La Ce Pr Nd Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Sc

Conventional production technologies

require processing of 100% ore to

produce most precious 5-10% REEs;

Key problem is low selectivity

technological restrictions of existing

methods (enrichment/

sorption/extraction);

1/3 of REEs produced are sold below

cost.

PARTNERSHIP SCHEMES

6

Additional business on the partners infrastructure or third-party resource base

On par investments up to $3-5 M USD from Bioprocess Ventures

Production of rear-earth and noble metals

Delivery of “turn-key” solution and supplies of the resins from AXION-RNM

50 % PARTNER

50 % AXIONT-RNM

AXIONIT MND 50, 40Т

7

MAIN APPLICATION

•Sorption of medium-heavy group of REEs

APPLICATION ENVIRONMENT (SOLUTION)

• Solutions of orthophosphoric and nitric acids (without preliminary

neutralization)

SELECTIVITY

•medium-heavy group of REEs (Eu - Lu) (Kd > 103) in nitric acid (5-

6M HNO3) and mixture of orthophosphoric and nitric acids

EXCHAGE CAPACITY

• 0,6-0,8 mg-eq/g

DESORPTION

•ammonium carbonate, water

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

•No (LANXESS), no (PUROLITE), DGA Resin

(Eichrom);

ADVANTAGES TO THE EXISTING PRODUCTS

• high selectivity to heavy REEs (Kd > 104)

AXIONIT EСО-10

8

MAIN APPLICATION

• Sorption of total REE

APPLICATION ENVIRONMENT (SOLUTION)

• nitric acid technological solutions with low REE concentration

and high ammonium nitrate concentrations

SELECTIVITY

• REE and actinides in high acidity conditions (Kd > 103)

EXCHAGE CAPACITY

• 2,0-3,0 mg-eq/g

DESORPTION

• chelating agent solution

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

• Lewatit TP 260 (LANXESS), Purolite S950 (PUROLITE)

ADVANTAGES TO THE EXISTING PRODUCTS

• high capacity for REE, efficiency in nitrate solutions

AXIONIT Pd Sorb

9

MAIN APPLICATION

•Sorption of group of palladium

APPLICATION ENVIRONMENT (SOLUTION)

• high acidic technological solutions with high oxidative activity

SELECTIVITY

•high (Kd = 103­ - 104) for complexes of metals of Pd

in the presence of copper, silver and other metals

EXCHAGE CAPACITY

• 6,0 mg-eq/g

DESORPTION

• 3 М aqueous ammonia

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

• no (LANXESS), no(PUROLITE), Reillex 425 (Vertellus Specialities)

ADVANTAGES TO THE EXISTING PRODUCTS

• higher capacity and selectivity to platinum and palladium

AXIONIT NP

10

MAIN APPLICATION

• sorption of indium, scandium

APPLICATION ENVIRONMENT (SOLUTION)

• sulfuric solutions of Waeltz oxides leaching process

SELECTIVITY

• indium and scandium in highly acidic solutions (Kd > 103)

EXCHAGE CAPACITY

• 4,0-6,0 mg-eq/g

DESORPTION

•ammonium carbonate solution, hydrochloric acid

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

• no (LANXESS), Purolite S955 (PUROLITE)

ADVANTAGES TO THE EXISTING PRODUCTS

• twofold higher capacity and selectivity

AXIONIT RCs

11

MAIN APPLICATION

• sorption of cesium and cesium -137

APPLICATION ENVIRONMENT (SOLUTION)

• alkaline liquid waste residues of evaporators Nuclear Power Stations

SELECTIVITY

•distribution coefficient for cesium-137 is 103 in 1 M

solution of sodium nitrate, рН=12

EXCHAGE CAPACITY

• the amount of purified liquid waste residues is 1000 BV

DESORPTION

•0,1 mg-eq/g

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

• Duolite CS-100 (Dow Chemical),

• Amberlite XAD 761 (Amberlite)

ADVANTAGES TO THE EXISTING PRODUCTS

• high selectivity to cesium and durability in alkaline solutions

in the presence of chelating agents

AXIONIT VPA

12

MAIN APPLICATION

• sorption thorium (plutonium) from nitric acid solution

APPLICATION ENVIRONMENT (SOLUTION)

• highly acidic nitric acid solutions

SELECTIVITY

• distribution coefficient for Th, Pu (Kd > 103) in 6-7 M HNO3

EXCHAGE CAPACITY

• 4,3-4,8 mg-eq/g;

DESORPTION

• water

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

• Reillex HPQ (Vertellus Specialities),

No (LANXESS), no (PUROLITE);

ADVANTAGES TO THE EXISTING PRODUCTS

• high selectivity to Th, Pu (Kd > 103)

CONTACTS

13

AXION – Rare-earth and Noble Metals

TEL: +7(342) 211-00-90

FAX: +7 (342) 253-07-69

E-mail: axion.rnm@gmail.com

WWW: www.axion-rnm.com

Address: 614034, Russia, Perm, Voronezhskaya str., 56

The dependence of the exchange capacity resins the concentration of HNO3

*

14

The dependence of the static exchange capacity (SEC) of AXIONIT MND 40T by HNO3 concentration for ions : 1 – Eu3+; 2 – Th4+; 3 – UO2

2+; 4 – Fe3+

0,0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

CHNO3, моль/дм3

СЕ, ммоль/г

1

2

3

4

•According to the results of tests in the laboratory chromatography radioactive elements

IPCE RAS under the leadership of Prof. Milytin V. V.

C(HNO3), M

SEC, mmol/g

The output curves of sorption of europium on AXIONIT MND 50 and MND 40 T *

15

The output curves of sorption of europium nitrate solution on AXIONIT MND 50

(curves 1-3) and AXIONIT MND 40T (curves 4-6) in cyclic mode.

The curves 1,4 - 1st cycle; 2,5 - 2nd cycle; 3,6 - 3rd cycle

0,0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

0,7

0,8

0,9

1,0

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300

V, k.o.

С/Со

12

3

45

6

•According to the results of tests in the laboratory chromatography radioactive elements

IPCE RAS under the leadership of Prof. Milytin V. V.

The output curves of desorption of europium from AXIONIT MND 50 and MND 40 T *

16

The output curves of sorption of europium with AXIONIT MND 50 (curves 1 and 2)

and AXIONIT MND 40T (curve 3).

Composition of the eluent: 0,01 M HNO3 (curves 1 and 3); 10 g/l DTPA, pH 7.0 (curve 2)

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

V, к.о.

С, г/дм3

1

2

3

V, BV

c, g/l

•According to the results of tests in the laboratory chromatography radioactive elements

IPCE RAS under the leadership of Prof. Milytin V. V.

The output curves of sorption 152Eu

17

1

10

100

1000

10000

0 500 1000 1500

V, к.о.

Коч

1

2

The output curves of sorption 152Eu from model solution on sorbents:

1 - BAU-1M-50%; 2 - AXIONIT MND 40T The composition of the test solution (g / l): HNO3 – 346; Fe3+ – 0,2; Ni2+ – 0,1; Cr3+ – 0,1; Al3+ – 2,0; Eu3+ – 0,0005; Th4+ – 0,0015, 152Eu ~105 Bq/l

K purification

V, BV

•According to the results of tests in the laboratory chromatography radioactive elements

IPCE RAS under the leadership of Prof. Milytin V. V.

Using AXIONIT Pd Sorb for purification of the electrolyte silver from Pd in refining of silver

18

Palladium desorption curve of 3 M aqueous solution of NH3 (0,5 BV/h)

Output palladium sorption curve under dynamic conditions (specific load = BV/h)*

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

0 20 40 60 80

с(P

d),

mg

/l

V, BV

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

0 2 4 6

с(P

d),

mg

/l

V, BV

* Initial electrolyte composition (silver nitrate): Ag+ - 287 g/l; Pd2+ - 0,36 g/l

Comparative data on indium recovery from leach solutions treatment Waeltz oxides

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Manufacturer Purolite Cybber Dow AXION

Name of the investigated

sorbent

Purolite S957

Purolite S930

SF-5 Cybber

CRX KFP-12

Amberlite IRC748

AXIONIT NP

Capacity (In), g/kg 12 9 8 8 25 8 38

Output curve of indium sorption in dynamic conditions (specific load 3 BV/h)*

Indium desorption curve of HCl solution (specific load 1 BV/h)

0

0,05

0,1

0,15

0,2

0,25

0,3

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

К.О.

с(I

n),

г/л AXION НФ19

V, BV V, BV

* Concentrations of elements in the initial solution, g/l: In - 0,2552; Zn – 33; Fe - 15,822; Cd - 0,618; Cu - 3,8; Sb - 0,086; As - 0,841; Al - 1,047; Si - 0,8.

C(I

n),

g/l

C(I

n),

g/l

The dependence of the static exchange capacity (SEC) to Th4+ under concentration of HNO3 AXIONIT VPA*

20 * According to the results of tests in the IPCE

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0,00 1,00 2,00 3,00 4,00 5,00 6,00 7,00

C HNO3, M

Em, мг/г

C(HNO3), M

SEC

(Th

4+ )

, mg

/g

Characteristics of AXIONIT VPA

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Name of parameter

Standard OST 95.291.79

AXIONIT VPA

Grading: mass fraction,%, not less grain size in an air-dry state, mm

85

0,315-1,25

98

0,315-1,2

Moisture content, % 30-70 58 Specific volume of swollen ion exchanger in distilled water, cm3/g, not more

3,5 3,1

Total exchange capacity to chloride anion, mg-Eq/g, not less

4,3 5,6

Strongly basic groups capacity (ЕСОГ), mg-Eq/g, not less

3,7 4,8

Specific surface m2/g, not less 10 17 Mechanical strength,%, not less 85 90 Decrease in mass,%, not more 12 comp.

Sorption characteristics AXIONIT VPA to recovery of Th complies to standard OST 95.291.79 as a replacement of USSR resin VP-1Ap

The dependence of the distribution coefficient (Kd) 137Cs for AXIONIT RCs from pH of the liquid phase*

1,0E+00

1,0E+01

1,0E+02

1,0E+03

1,0E+04

1,0E+05

0,0 1,0 2,0 3,0 4,0 5,0 6,0 7,0 8,0 9,0 10,0 11,0 12,0 13,0 14,0

рН

Kd, см3/г

22 * According to the results of tests in the IPCE

Compare AXIONIT RCs selectivity to cesium *

Name of sorbent Manufacturer Chemical basis

The values of Kd 137Cs,

cm3/g of test solution:

№1 №2

FRS (prototype)

Institute of Chemistry

FEB RAS

Resorcinol-

formaldehyde 2,4×103 4,4×103

FRS (template)

Institute of Chemistry

FEB RAS

Resorcinol-

formaldehyde 882 3,8×103

FRS (Rb)

Institute of Chemistry

FEB RAS

Resorcinol-

formaldehyde 6,0×103 938

AXIONIT RCs JSC «AXION"

Resorcinol-

formaldehyde 1,5×104 1,2×103

Duolite CS-100 DowChemical (USA) Phenol-formaldehyde - 53

Amberlite XAD 761 Amberlite (USA)

Macro-mesh

polystyrene 232 59

FFS- 1.4/0.7

Nizhny Tagil SPA

"Plastic" Phenol-formaldehyde

104 15

Thermoxide-35 JSC NPF "Termoksid"

Ferrocyanide on the

carrier ZrO2 - 4,6×104

1) Solution №1, g/l (mol/l): NaNO3 – 331 (3,9); NaOН – 4,0 (0,1);

2) Solution №2, g/l (mol/l): NaNO3 – 300 (3,5); KNO3 – 42 (0,4); NaOН – 4,0 (0,1).

23 * According to the results of tests in the IPCE

Intellectual property

24

4 patents of Russian Federation:

RU2515455 «METHOD OF PRODUCING ION-EXCHANGE

MATERIAL ADAPTIVELY SELECTIVE TO RARE-EARTH METALS».

Priority date 29.07.2012.

RU2560361 «METHOD FOR PRODUCING COMPLEX-

FORMING SORBENT FOR SELECTIVE RECOVERY OF INDIUM».

Priority date 29.07.2012.

RU2521379 «METHOD OF OBTAINING SORBENT FOR

SELECTIVE EXTRACTION OF CESIUM». Priority date 02.13.2013.

RU2531916 «METHOD OF PRODUCING SORBENT FOR

SELECTIVE EXTRACTION OF SCANDIUM IONS». Priority date

04.26.2013.

WO2014021734 «METHOD FOR PRODUCING A COMPLEX-

FORMING SORBENT FOR SELECTIVE EXTRACTION OF INDIUM»

WO2014175771 «METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SORBENT FOR

SELECTIVE RECOVERY OF SCANDIUM IONS»