Gogo,I can provide a little history for you.In 1999 DOM...

Gogo,

I can provide a little history for you.
In 1999 DOM controlled the Hellyer tailings dam but dismissed the idea of developing a new technology to unlock the contained metals........perceived as being a money black hole........and so it has proved to be.
Enter INL after a company float in 2000
Countless millions have been spent and the only money spinner to come out of this is a (proposed) 100 ton pa metals separation plant activity.......I can't see that transforming the INL Balance Sheet.

APG has something more substantial in mind....it proposes
13000 tpa acid regen and 15000 tpa mill scale operation for Newcastle
APG is irrepressible and conceptualizes future plants at steelmills wherever the scalability is two times the above.

So I don't see APG and INL as being a "fit"
As for EAFD........I visited the plant and discussed this with our chemist......Both APG and INL have been banging this drum for a bit......He was of the opinion that 12 months more research was needed to sort all problems....possibly INL was at about the same position........in the meantime money was tight and acid regen was the path forward.
All milestone events for APG have been achieved (a little late perhaps)so I don't see why EAFD outcomes should fail.

The resident sage of HC (Tastarga)has popped into the INL thread at about 6 monthly intervals and warned the newby's the hopelessness of the whole situation....nobody listens.

Over a similar timeframe APG has proved at Demonstration Plant level a new technology for Synthetic Rutile. It is uncertain as to when a Major Player will run with the technology. APG has diluted itself with capital raisings and laid off risk by getting Majors to spend on research, eg NZ Steel, BHP,Ticor,Goro...etc.
The story has been convincing enough to get significant players to spend on research.
The truly amazing thing is that people keep stepping up to the plate and keep APG afloat......if this was America the venture capital guys would be all over it.
APG's response to the Financial Crisis is to seek to establish an acid regeneration plant at Newcastle. Most of the infrastructure has already been paid for by BHP and all that is needed is expansion of capacity......The rate of return should be fantastic and I await the figures.

The clincher for the deal is "BUNDLING'

Think Foxtel,think Optus, where you can't just buy the bit you want .......you have to buy the "package"
Ten years ago APG tried to put an acid regen plant into Bluescope Wollongong......ICI the acid supplier simply undercut them........but now APG can say we will take away your millscale (dumping cost is significant because it is oil contaminated )provided we get the acid as well.
It's a win win because APG can return both streams to the Steel Mill.

I hope that answers your query.