BQE Water begins South Dakota Selen-IX plant operation

Mr. David Kratochvil reports BQE WATER COMMENCES ROUTINE OPERATION OF NEW SELEN-IX PLANT IN RECORD TIME AT THE WHARF MINE A new full-scale Selen-IX plant located at the Coeur wharf mine in South Dakota, United States, delivered by BQE Water Inc., had passed the performance test and began routine operation. This latest Selen-IX plant set a record time for implementation of 20 months between the design engineering kickoff to the discharge of on-spec water into the environment. The plant is designed to treat between 150 and 400 gallons of influent water per minute, removing selenium to a discharge limit of fewer than five parts per billion. The performance test was very thorough and involved plant operation at the minimum, nominal and maximum flow rates and selenium concentrations artificially spiked to double the current and historical levels. The plant has entered routine operations under long-term support from BQE Water to ensure that the plant continues to perform and comply with regulatory requirements. Selen-IX was selected for this project over biological selenium reduction systems due to several factors, including: ability to avoid reliance on dilution by meeting the in-stream limit directly at the end of pipe, performance unaffected by cold water temperatures, ability to operate in intermittent mode, ability to handle large and rapid fluctuations in feed flow, and minimization of residue management costs. David Kratochvil, president and chief executive officer of BQE Water, commented: "I am very proud of our technical team for delivering yet another Selen-IX plant safely and in record time. The project showcases BQE Water's agility and the capability of the patented Selen-IX technology, which enabled the mine site to start discharging clean water into environment in 20 months from the start of engineering. This would not have been possible without close collaboration and major support received from Coeur's team, and we are grateful for all their efforts." Jasmine McCauley, environmental manager of Coeur Mining, commented: "The selenium removal project is an important part of Coeur's commitment to environmental protection. We truly appreciate BQE Water's expertise and capabilities to meet our environmental commitments quickly, and we look forward to continuing to work with BQE as our technical partner." About BQE Water Inc. BQE Water is a service provider specializing in water treatment and management for metal mining, smelting and refining. It is helping to transform the way the industry thinks about water in the context of natural resource projects by offering services and expertise, which enable more sustainable water management practices and improved overall project performance at reduced risks. BQE Water invests in innovation, and has developed unique intellectual property through the commercialization of several new technologies at mine sites around the world for organizations, including Glencore, Jiangxi Copper, Freeport-McMoRan and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. BQE Water is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol BQE. We seek Safe Harbor.