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Appendices 5-13 - Nautilus Cares - Nautilus Minerals

Appendices 5-13 - Nautilus Cares - Nautilus Minerals

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These elutriate tests were designed to test a range of conditions to which the<br />

extracted metallurgical material may be exposed. On review of the data from Phases<br />

1 and 2 Coffey Natural Systems advised Charles Darwin University that Phase 3<br />

would not be required at this stage.<br />

This report provides the results of Phases 1 and 2.<br />

1.1 The objectives of this study:<br />

• To test the effect of time and temperature on the degree to which contaminants are<br />

released to the water column from the ore dewatering process<br />

• To determine the chemical composition of the contaminants released.<br />

• To make recommendations regarding treatment of the ‘process’ water.<br />

It was agreed in discussions with Coffey Natural Systems Pty Ltd that the original<br />

third objective: To determine the toxicity of the mined material and impact on benthic<br />

organisms, would not be included in this current study.<br />

Phase 1 was to investigate the effect that the holding time onboard the vessel may<br />

have on the material, particularly with regards to contaminant release<br />

Phase 2 was an investigation of the effect of temperature. The material will be mined<br />

at approximately 1,600 m where the temperature is approximately 2-3° C. It may take<br />

3 to 6 minutes for the material to travel up the riser pipe where the temperature will be<br />

approximately 4°C (i.e., roughly a 1°C increase) before it reaches the surface. At the<br />

surface the material will be dewatered, during which time (duration varied and<br />

unknown), the temperature will rise. Finally the material is discharged back down the<br />

pipe (again 3 to 6 minutes), with the potential for cooling to occur during descent.<br />

2. Methodology<br />

<strong>Nautilus</strong> provided a ‘representative’ sample of ore (sample No. A10988), already<br />

crushed to 3.35 mm particle size, in vacuum sealed bags, which will exclude oxygen<br />

4

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