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Canadian critical mineral processing company pH7 Technologies is expanding its operational facility in Vancouver to expand the recovery of platinum group metals (PGMs) and strengthen regional supply chains.
The company said it is receiving consulting services and up to C$4 million (US$2.8 million) in funding from the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) to help develop its mineral processing technologies.
The project will accelerate the development and scale-up of pH7’s organic electrochemical processes for the recovery of platinum, palladium and rhodium from secondary materials.
“Investing in pH7 technologies through the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program will help Canada capitalize on growing global demand for critical minerals, add value and jobs here at home, and strengthen our global leadership in responsible mineral development,” said Mélanie Joly, Canada’s Minister of Industry and Minister of Economic Development, in a statement.
Founded in 2021, the company has developed an electrochemical organic platform that enables mineral extraction without the use of toxic reagents and without the generation of wastewater associated with tailings – two of the industry’s most pressing challenges.
“Our goal from the beginning was to treat waste and wastewater in mineral processing,” said Mohammad Dost Mohammadi, CEO of pH7 Technologies, in an interview with MINING.COM.
“It’s a closed-loop process, where the chemistry is reused over and over again.”
PH7 has already reached commercial scale on the recycling side of its business. Its Vancouver facility processes spent catalytic converters, recovering PGMs such as platinum, palladium and rhodium. The factory currently produces between 30,000 and 40,000 ounces of platinum equivalent metal annually.
The company operates a flexible business model, offering toll processing to customers while also purchasing materials and selling recovered metals through well-known partners, including Mitsubishi.
With the recycling process established, PH7 is now focusing on expanding its technology for mining applications.
Unlock difficult ores
The company’s operation specifically targets sulphide ores, including chalcopyrite, which are difficult and very expensive to process. Using electrochemically generated oxidizers, PH7 says it can enable the filtration of these ores without cyanide or other hazardous chemicals.
This technology can also extract both copper and gold, providing miners with a way to improve recoveries from lower-grade, more complex deposits.
As global crude quality declines, this capability is becoming increasingly important.
“The good ore is gone,” Dost Mohammadi said. “What’s left is harder to extract, and that’s where our technology shines.”
PH7 is currently working with mining companies across South America, Africa and Australia, testing ore samples at its laboratory in Vancouver to demonstrate recovery improvements.
The path to publication
The company aims to deploy on-site mining operations during the next year, after ongoing experimental work with partners.
Meanwhile, PH7 plans to expand its recycling footprint, with new facilities under consideration in the US, Europe and South Asia.
PH7 enters a growing field of companies seeking to improve sulfide filtration, including companies such as Jetti Resources and Nuton-backed Rio Tinto. Its main difference lies in its electrochemical approach, rather than traditional biological or chemical methods.
The company has already received industry recognition, and last year was named a top innovator in UpLink- World Economic Forum Sustainable Mining and Canada’s Clean50 Award, as well as a “Company to Watch” from Export Development Canada.
Double chance
By combining clean processing with improved recovery rates, PH7 positions its technology as an environmental and financial solution for miners.
As the industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint while meeting growing demand for critical minerals, technologies that can unlock more value from existing resources – without increasing waste – are likely to play an increasingly important role.
By expanding its processing operations, pH7 aims to increase local capacity to recover and process critical minerals while reducing the environmental impacts associated with traditional mineral production.
“We help miners extract more from their deposits, increase recoveries and improve cash flow,” Dost Mohammadi said. “Our goal is to have our mark on the mining site in the next year or two.”
