ALTA 2006
Perth, Australia
May 15-20, 2006

The ALTA 2006 Conference was very well attended with about 270 delegates from 20 countries.

This year, Uranium Technical Sessions and a Uranium Ore Processing Short Course were added to the regular Nickel-Cobalt, and Copper Technical Sessions. The Nickel-Cobalt Sessions contained a number of presentations on the engineering, construction, commissioning and construction of the Sumitomo's successful Rio Tuba laterite pressure acid leaching operation in the Philippines, and also featured presentations and a panel discussion on the heap leaching of laterites and sulphides.

The copper sessions included presentations about the commissioning of Oxidant's new Sepon ferric leaching operation for sulphide ore in Laos and Strait Resources' new Whim Creek heap leaching operation in Western Australia, and featured a panel discussion on the potential role of chloride leaching. The uranium sessions included a number of papers and a panel discussion on the relative merits of SX and IX, and a highlight was a presentation on the refining of yellow cake by ConverDyn fro the USA.

ALTA's Alan Taylor presented a one-day short course overviewing uranium ore processing including mineralogy, upgrading, alternative leaching processes, key operations such as solid-liquid separation, SX, IX and product recovery, as well as key aspects of project development.

Costs for the proceedings and short course, together with information about ALTA 2007, are posted on www.altamet.com.au.

Alan Taylor ALTA Metallurgical Services alantaylor@altamet.com.au