BQE Water and Hudbay to Implement the First SART Plant in Canada

Executive Summary

• BQE Water Inc. has signed a contract with Hudbay Minerals to advance the engineering design of the first SART (Sulfidization, Acidification, Re‑precipitation, and Treatment) plant in Canada, to be integrated at Hudbay’s Snow Lake mill.
• The project moves from bench‑scale testing and preliminary engineering into detailed design and will progress toward Issued‑for‑Construction (IFC) status, with site construction and commissioning discussions now underway.
• The collaboration leverages BQE Water’s proprietary SART technology—originally invented by former BQE director Chris Fleming—and represents the first Canadian application of this process.

Key Details

• Contract Scope: Engineering design services for a full‑scale SART plant to be installed at Hudbay Minerals’ Snow Lake, Manitoba milling facility.
• Project Phase: Transition from preliminary engineering and bench‑scale testing to detailed design; targeting Issued‑for‑Construction (IFC) status.
• Testing & Modelling Completed: Approximately six months of bench‑scale tests, METSIM process modelling, and preliminary engineering performed by BQE Water.
• Due Diligence: Hudbay’s technical team conducted a SART process due‑diligence visit to existing plants under BQE supervision.
• Future Steps: Ongoing discussions on site construction timelines, commissioning plans, and long‑term technical support for plant operations.
• Strategic Significance: First implementation of the SART technology in Canada; enhances Hudbay’s water treatment capabilities and showcases BQE Water’s patented solution.
• Leadership Quote: David Kratochvil, President & CEO of BQE Water, highlighted the partnership’s importance and noted personal satisfaction that inventor Chris Fleming’s technology will be applied domestically.

Notable Quotes

“It has been a real pleasure to work with Hudbay's team… I am very happy for Chris Fleming, the inventor of SART… that his Canadian invention will finally find its first Canadian application after a dozen plants built elsewhere.” – David Kratochvil, President & CEO, BQE Water.