BQE Water Completes Commissioning of Selen-IX™ Water Treatment Plant at US Mine

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 31, 2024 /CNW/ - BQE Water Inc. (TSXV: BQE), a leader in the treatment and management of mine impacted waters, has completed the commissioning phase and transitioned to the operating phase of the agreement for a water treatment plant at a base metal mine in Southwestern USA.  Utilizing its award winning Selen-IX™ process technology, BQE Water treats mine impacted waters, removing selenium to below 2 ppb (Parts Per Billion), as well as dissolved metals, in compliance with applicable effluent quality regulations. 

Under the agreement, BQE Water is responsible for clean water production for environmental discharge. Compensation for operations services consists of a base monthly fee and a supplemental fee for additional water treated over and above the base. The base monthly fee is payable regardless of the volume of water reporting to treatment but is subject to the plant being available for treatment. Both fees are paid subject to the plant effluent meeting the target effluent water quality. 

Since the completion of commissioning, the plant has been operating 24/7 with an overall plant availability more than 95%. It is expected to run year-round and treat up to 4,500 gallons of water per minute, making it the largest Selen-IX™ plant currently in operation. The plant first removes a host of dissolved metals, followed by selenium removal. The key aspects of the plant design that led to the selection of Selen-IX™ technology for selenium removal included the stringent selenium effluent limit, the requirement for a rapid ramp-up in selenium removal capacity depending on flow and selenium concentrations, and the need to produce a stable non-hazardous residue.

David Kratochvil, President & CEO of BQE Water, commented "I would like to congratulate our team on achieving this significant milestone in a project where BQE Water acted as a single point of accountability for clean water production from the initial treatability assessment through piloting, permitting, design and commissioning to operations. The project showcases not only our technical expertise but also our ability to de-risk projects while working closely with our clients and other stakeholders."                                                                                                                           

About BQE Water

BQE Water is a service provider specializing in water treatment and management for metals mining, smelting and refining. We are helping to transform the way the industry thinks about water in the context of natural resource projects by offering services and expertise which enables more sustainable water management practices and improved overall project performance at reduced risks. BQE Water invests in innovation and has developed unique intellectual property through the commercialization of several new technologies at mine sites around the world for organizations including Glencore, Jiangxi Copper, Freeport-McMoRan and the US EPA. BQE Water is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol BQE. Visit www.bqewater.com for more information.

 The Toronto Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of this release.

 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain information contained herein may not be based on historical fact and therefore constitutes "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. This includes without limitation statements containing the words "plan", "expect", "project", "estimate", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "may", "will" and other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the Company's dependence on key personnel and contracts, uncertainty with respect to the profitability of the Company's technologies, competition, technology risk, the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property and proprietary information, fluctuations in commodity prices, currency risk, environmental regulation and the Company's ability to manage growth and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators at www.sedarplus.ca (including without limitation the factors described in the section entitled "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2022). Given these risks and uncertainties, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All forward-looking information contained herein is based on management's current expectations and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update such forward-looking information to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.

SOURCE BQE Water Inc.

BQE Water Inc.: Suite 200 - 30 East 6th Avenue, Vancouver, BC Canada V5T 1J4; Peter Gleeson, Executive Chairman, [email protected]; David Kratochvil, President & CEO, [email protected]; Heman Wong, CFO, [email protected]; 604-685-1243 or 1-800-537-3073