Ausmelt Ltd reports that it has secured its first order for its AM2 mineral flotation reagent which is designed to aid the recovery of copper and gold from sulphide orebodies that contain a proportion of oxidised ore. The company received the order for 61 of the reagent which will be used by an Australian copper mine in flotation tests in the coming weeks.

Ausmelt says that it has developed its AM2 reagent over the past twelve months. The chemical is hydroxamate-based, and in addition to copper and gold the company believes that the reagent has the potential to recover other metals, including lead, zinc, tin and nickel, and could also be used in the retreatment of oxidised tailings.