Geologists have determined there are 180 million ounces of silver contained in gold reserves at Barrick’s Veladero mine in Argentina, but it has proven difficult to recover.

	The refining process separates the precious metals like gold and silver from alloying metals.

A significant portion of silver at Veladero exists as silica-encapsulated silver sulphide. Traditional mining, mineral processing, and extractive metallurgy have succeeded in recovering only 6.7% of the silver. Barrick seeks technologies or methods that will significantly and economically increase silver recovery from this type of ore.

Detailed information about the mineralization of the ore at Veladero is found in The Scientific Challenge.

Barrick’s Unlock the Value program invites silver recovery concepts and proposals to improve silver recovery from all levels and disciplines of the worldwide scientific, engineering and inventor community.

We encourage non-traditional approaches. Experience in the mining industry is not a prerequisite. The program provides a testing ground for new methods and new ways of thinking about silver and gold recovery.

Barrick will reward successful participants for innovations shared and developed with us. The rewards are significant.

For proposals judged to have merit, Barrick will provide:

• Funding of research and development
• Consulting fees during the development and testing phases
• Resources and expertise
• Assistance in the development and testing of your ideas

Moreover, for a silver recovery technology that is successfully implemented at the Veladero mine, Barrick will pay a performance bonus of US$10 million! Register to view full program details in the Submission Agreement and Development Services Agreement.