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CVMR
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KAMRAN M. KHOZAN, CVMR® CHAIRMAN AND CEO
CVMR Corporation (CVMR®) is a privately held, multinational metal refining technology provider that was established back in 1986 and is based out of Toronto, Canada. Over the last 34 years the company has progressed into a world leader in metal powder production used in rechargeable batteries, automotive manufacturing, 3D printing, super alloys, electronics, medical instruments and many more high-tech applications. CVMR®’s innovative refining processes are based on what is known as vapour metallurgy, with the company’s name and trademark an acronym derived from Chemical Vapour Metal Refining.
Vapour metallurgy
CVMR®’s patented vapour metallurgy processes refine a range of metals by chemically vaporising them close to atmospheric pressure and at relatively low temperatures. These processes do not melt the metals as is done in the usual smelting processes.
This technology can be utilised to refine no less than 36 metals including nickel, iron, lithium, cobalt, magnesium, manganese, platinum group elements, rare earths, vanadium, copper, tantalum, gold and also in bold applications such as the manufacturing of graphite and graphene from CO2.
The company is perhaps most accomplished in refining nickel laterite from sulfide and laterite ores and can do so at a lower operational cost than other prevailing refining methods used to produce high value products in a variety of industrial products.
Three other major corporations use the chemical vapour refining method: Norilsk in Russia, Vale/Inco in Wales and BASF in Germany. “CVMR®’s technologies are about 30 years ahead of the methods used by Norilsk or Vale,” says Kamran M. Khozan, chairman and CEO of CVMR®.
Clean, green metals refining
In today’s world, there is an increasing need for metals to be processed efficiently and in an environmentally clean manner, and this need reinforces the value of CVMR®’s processes and technologies.
The company’s plants create no air, water or soil pollution and are hermetically sealed, with all the gases (reagents) used in the vaporising processes recycled. CVMR®’s technologies are not only neutral to the environment, but also considered one of the safest refining processes by the United States’ EPA and Germany’s TUV.
For these reasons amongst several others, CVMR® has gained a leading position in metal refining and is recognised as a company
“The industries that use metals in their manufacturing process will not be operating the same in the next 10 years. Those manufacturers who do not pay attention to this revolution will not be here in 10 years’ time” Kamran M. Khozan, CVMR® Chairman and CEO
offering unique and valuable solutions to the mining and metal refining industry.
CVMR® builds its refining and manufacturing plants on a modular basis, enabling a substantial degree of flexibility which allows a plant to be built and to grow in size gradually.
Tier 1 clients
Throughout the last four decades, CVMR® has secured lucrative contracts for globally significant scientific and commercial projects, working closely with leading academics, government institutions and major multinational corporations to deliver cutting-edge metal refining results.
In May 2018, CVMR® and Interoceanmetal Joint Organization (IOM) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation that stipulated the use of CVMR®’s proprietary
technologies for the refining of polymetallic nodules (PNs) from the Pacific Ocean floor.
IOM was the first international organisation to be awarded an exploration contract by the International Seabed Authority in a 75,000 km² section of the Northeast Pacific Ocean. CVMR®’s technology allows for the mining and refining of the PNs onboard a ship, reducing the production cost of these minerals which would otherwise need to be transported to land.
CVMR® has previously been asked to manufacture US dollar money plates by the US Department of Treasury and US Mint, under the strict supervision of Treasury officials. It also counts several other governmental departments as clients, including the Canadian Department of Defense and the US Departments of Defense and Energy. The organisation also works closely with several international governments, including Russia, South Africa and China, offering research and development services as well as consultation on designs for various metal refining plants.
On the commercial mining side of the business, CVMR® has part ownership inSama Resources’Samapleu NickelCopper project inCôte d’Ivoire and has licenced its nickel refining technology to Sama for $5 million. The two have worked closely to adapt CVMR®’s refining processes to the ore at Samapleu and CVMR also helped DRA Global Engineering to complete Sama’s PEA.
The future of metals manufacturing
“We are a generation that has observed revolutions in telecommunication, information dissemination technologies, robotics and printing of various threedimensional metal objects,” says Khozan.
“The industries that use metals in their manufacturing process will not be operating the same in the next 10 years. They will be much more efficient, environmentally neutral and allow customers to have their own unique ideas incorporated into the objects they buy.
“Graphite and graphene will take centre stage in the manufacture of the equipment we use. This is truly a radical shift in our understanding of structures, which have up to now remained static and rigid. Those manufacturers who do not pay attention to this revolution will not be here in 10 years’ time.”
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