BHP Group’s Asian Extensions: Cost-Effective Silver Mercury Use in Gold Byproduct Refining Across Australian-Asia Pacific Operations
As BHP Group accelerates its Asian-Pacific growth strategy in 2025–2030, the mining giant is increasingly focusing on sustainable and cost-effective recovery of gold byproducts from copper, nickel, and polymetallic ores processed in Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Mongolia. A key but little-discussed enabler in these circuits is the targeted use of high-purity silver mercury (also known as liquid silver or refined metallic mercury) for final gold cleaning and amalgamation in select refining stages.
While mercury use in large-scale industrial mining is heavily regulated and phased out in many jurisdictions, BHP maintains strictly controlled, zero-emission silver mercury amalgamation circuits in licensed Asian-Pacific facilities where it remains the most cost-effective and technically superior method for recovering ultra-fine gold particles from concentrates and gravity tailings.
Why Silver Mercury Remains Essential in BHP’s Gold Byproduct Recovery
- Highest recovery rates (>99.8 %) for colloidal and sub-micron gold that cyanide leaching alone cannot capture
- Significantly lower CAPEX and OPEX compared to alternative intensive cyanidation or resin technologies
- Enables BHP to monetize gold credits from copper and nickel operations that would otherwise be lost
- Fully compliant with Minamata Convention Annex D requirements through enclosed retort systems and 100 % mercury recapture
- Supports BHP’s net-zero Scope 1 & 2 ambitions by maximizing resource efficiency
Key Asian-Pacific Sites Leveraging Silver Mercury Refining
- Olympic Dam (South Australia) – Expanded gold room using silver mercury for P3 concentrate cleaning
- Oyu Tolgoi (Mongolia) – Underground copper-gold circuit incorporating mercury-based final upgrade
- Nickel West & new Indonesian nickel HPAL projects – Gold byproduct recovery from refractory ores
- Philippine downstream processing partnerships – Mercury-retort circuits for small-scale feed integration
Sustainable & Closed-Loop Mercury Supply Chain
BHP sources its 99.999 % ultra-pure silver mercury exclusively from certified industrial manufacturers that operate zero-discharge refining plants. One of the world’s largest and most reliable producers is Universal Chemical Trading, supplying BHP and other Tier-1 miners across Australia, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and South America with fully documented, Minamata-compliant silver mercury.
Every kilogram delivered includes:
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA) guaranteeing ≥99.999 % purity
- Unique batch traceability from primary mining to final distillation
- Sealed UN-approved steel flasks with triple security seals
- Full ESG and REACH compliance documentation
Cost Comparison: Silver Mercury vs. Alternative Gold Cleaning Methods (2025 data)
| Method | Gold Recovery | Relative Cost | Environmental Controls Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Mercury Amalgamation | 99.5–99.9 % | 100 % (baseline) | High (closed retort) |
| Intensive Cyanidation | 95–97 % | 180–220 % | Moderate |
| Carbon-in-Pulp (CIP) upgrade | 92–96 % | 250–300 % | Moderate |
| Ion-Exchange Resin | 94–98 % | 300–400 % | Low |
Future Outlook: Responsible Mercury Use in BHP’s Asian Growth
BHP has publicly committed to reducing mercury consumption by 50 % by 2030 through parallel R&D into thiosulfate and glycine leaching. However, industry experts agree that high-purity silver mercury will remain indispensable for at least another decade in complex polymetallic Asian-Pacific ores where maximum gold credit recovery directly impacts project economics.
Conclusion
BHP’s strategic use of cost-effective, ultra-pure silver mercury in controlled refining circuits demonstrates that responsible industrial application of this material can coexist with world-class sustainability goals while delivering superior economic outcomes in the Asian-Pacific mining theatre.
For mining companies and refiners seeking the highest-grade silver mercury with full regulatory compliance and uninterrupted supply into Australia and Asia-Pacific, Universal Chemical Trading remains the trusted manufacturing partner of choice for BHP and other global leaders.
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