Unlocking Value From Mining By-products

Q: What core activity does Just Refiners primarily engage in, and how does it enhance the value proposition for mining companies? 
A: Just Refiners was established in 1993 in the United States and expanded into Mexico in early 2018. The company's goal is to provide solutions to the mining industry for the refining  and processing of their mining byproducts, such as slags, carbons and others, which used to be considered waste but are now recognized as valuable materials. Just Refiners' processes are designed to recover precious metals from these by-products. 

The company processes a variety of materials, including doré and bullion, but its primary service is the refining of byproducts such as slags, carbon fines, carbons, precipitates, gold and silver concentrates and other materials, which mining companies produce in their operations.  Just Refiners offers a solution to handle and process these materials in order to recover valuable metals, and provide a source of income for mining companies.

Q: What process does the company follow to refine byproducts and how does it add value to mining operators? 
A: Our processes are conducted in the United States and our main facility in Sparks, Nevada. We work with mining companies worldwide, but mainly with those operating in the US, Mexico and Canada, that produce materials such as carbon slags, precipitates, graphite crucibles, concentrates, and mates. 
In Mexico, as an example, we coordinate the collection of these materials directly from the mines and bring them to our facility in Durango, which receives, weighs, sample, and consolidate the materials prior shipping/exporting  to the United States. We can also collect the materials directly on-site and export directly to JRI in Sparks. In any case, we take care of the entire logistics process, so the customer does not need to manage exportation, customs, or transportation services by themselves.

In our 108,000 sq.ft  facility in Nevada, we process the slags, carbon, and other materials. We prioritize environmental sustainability. For example, in the case of carbons, after completing a sampling process, we dry the material to recover and treat the water contained in it, making us a zero-discharge company. Between 2017 and 2022, we received about 6,500 tons  of carbon and recovered close to 1500 metric tons of water and nearly 300 tons of ore. The fully treatment of water is performed in-house, highlighting our commitment to eco-friendly practices. This approach extends to other materials like slags, which if disposed improperly, contaminate groundwater. We provide a reliable solution for their disposal while recovering valuable gold and silver from these materials. 

Q: How do you make byproduct processing profitable? 
A: Once we collect the materials, they become our property, which ensures we take full responsibility for them. We collect, sample, receive, and handle everything. We pay them according to the content in their materials. After we collect their material, treat it, sample it, and determine the content, we pay them in a month and a half or less.

We have our own laboratories. We take samples, one for us and one for the mining company, and use our laboratory to determine the content. The mining company can also choose to use their own lab to analyze the sample. If both results match, we confirm the total gold and silver content and pay them, which is industry standard.

Q: Which other companies provide these services in Mexico? 
A: Previously, only larger companies like Peñoles would refine byproducts, but it no longer provides these activities for third parties. The market has many traders that take the material to larger refiners, but we are not traders and we are a feasible solution, which allows us to work with the largest mining companies in Mexico. 

Q: What are Just Refiners’ main challenges when offering its services? 
A: Some mining companies misunderstand our business model. They believe they can recover gold and silver in their own processing facilities by smelting the material again and mixing it with their products. After extensive testing, we have found that this is rarely, if ever, the case. It is much more convenient to ship the materials to us because our processes have been developed and are subject to a constant improvement and performed under the highest standards of quality assurance, as well as extremely transparent. Our mission is to deliver the best service and do our best to recover the most out of the materials we do process.

Q: What are Just Refiners’ goals for the short and middle terms in Mexico? 
A: We have all the necessary capabilities and experience to serve the Mexican market, which is why we are expanding to Hermosillo, Sonora in the near term. Many of the materials we receive in Mexico are generated in Northern Mexico, so it makes sense to have a facility closer to the source. 

Mexico was the initial phase of Just Refiners' expansion plan in 2018, and now we are also operating in Canada. Our growth has always been organic, and we plan to continue that path.

Just Refiners is a US-based refining company that specializes in treating and processing by-products from mining operations. Its services include processing of spent carbon (including fines), borax slags, precipitates, gold and silver concentrates, pond sludge, graphite crucibles and others.