:: Teck Cominco Granted Canadian Patent for the CESL Hydrometallurgical Nickel Production Process

Teck Cominco Limited is pleased to announce that its affiliate, Cominco Engineering Services Ltd (CESL) has been granted a Canadian patent for its hydrometallurgical nickel production process. The new, low-cost process extracts nickel metal directly from sulphide ore.

The new process involves autoclave leaching in a mixed chloride / sulphate environment that extracts the dissolved nickel by solvent extraction and electrowinning and eliminates the sulphur dioxide gas generation typical of nickel smelters. The process is an environmentally sound, low capital cost alternative to nickel smelting with broad applicability in the industry. It was developed at CESL’s Vancouver based pilot plant facilities between 1996 and 2002.

Teck Cominco is a diversified mining company, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada with assets totalling approximately $6 billion. Shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TEK.A and TEK.B. On December 6, 2004 the symbols will change to TEK.MV.A and TEK.SV.B. The company is a world leader in the production of zinc and metallurgical coal and is also a major producer of copper and gold.