Experience Summary

Dr. Queneau's technical and project management responsibilities focus on extractive metallurgy of nonferrous metals, treatment of metal-containing wastes, resource location and byproduct marketing. His 36 years of experience include the development of custom processes for primary and secondary feedstocks, plant startups and plant operation to increase output, yield, and product quality.

In-plant projects include recycling of tin solder and drosses, briquetting steel-mill fines for electric furnace reduction, processing spent copper etchants (Hong Kong), processing and utilization of nonferrous and waste-processing slags, production of ferroniobium from enriched slag (Brazil), process alternatives for phosphorus electric-furnace slag, conversion of tungsten concentrate (Russia), processing tantalum intermediates, production of molybdenum chemicals, recycling copper flue dust, production of secondary bronze ingot, recycling leady residues (seven plants in U.S., Canada, and Mexico), processing hazardous waste in rotary kilns (seven plants), production of antimony oxide (Bolivia), producing zinc and manganese micronutrient (five plants), recycling of secondary aluminum in short rotary furnaces (four plants), silver production (U.S. and Turkey), production of defluorinated phosphate, recycling calcium fluoride, processing ferromanganese furnace dust, and Ni-Cu-Co recovery from matte.

As an R&D supervisor for AMAX in Golden, CO, Paul Queneau led research on production of ammonium paratungstate (APT), leading to commercialization; he also led the team that innovated AMAX's acid pressure leach for treating nickeliferous laterite. Dr. Queneau was a member of the AMAX process engineering team that started up atmospheric and pressure leaching circuits, residue flotation and hydrogen reduction plant at Port Nickel. As a research engineer at Kennecott, he developed the process, then supervised the startup of a five-ton-per-day plant to upgrade high-rhenium molybdenite inventory.

Established operating criteria and started up plant to produce antimony oxide at a tin operation in Bolivia; a profitable operating facility resulted.

Doubled the lead output from a Canadian secondary lead producer over a two-year period by implementing a computer model to optimize feedstock selection and blending, and coke-flux inputs.

Worked closely with waste management operation in Hong Kong to recover copper from spent etchants and to market byproduct salts produced.

Assisted lead-acid battery recycler with selection of blast furnace formulations to maximize slag environmental acceptability without significantly affecting production efficiency.

Provided in-plant technical support to produce bronze secondary ingot from red-metal scrap, increasing the quality and quantity of alloy output.

Upgraded operating practices of furnaces converting complex tin drosses to solder, resulting in the doubling of furnace output while improving yield by over 20%.

Carried out an in-depth technical and marketing evaluation for producing byproduct MnSO4 and MnO, resulting in a profitable production facility.

Provided onsite startup assistance (three months) for large silver production facility in Turkey.

Worked with recycler producing copper chemicals from byproduct sources to establish alternative feedstocks.

Improved Al° furnace yield while recovering NaCl-KCl-NaF and Al° fines from salt cake at U.S. secondary aluminum smelters. Worked out alternative markets for the metallic aluminum fines.

Provided technical support for facility manufacturing molybdenum chemicals: troubleshooting, unit operation startups and new product development.

Selected and evaluated three routes to recover Mo/Co/Ni chemicals and aluminum-rich byproducts from spent catalyst; detailed market outlets.

Developed wet oxidation - solvent extraction process to recover vanadium and nickel from Venezuelan petroleum coke.

Identified volumes and producers of spent circuit-board etchant, alternatives for processing the outputs, and market outlets for products therefrom.

Provided startup expertise to a refinery producing nickel, cobalt, and copper from matte; work included startup of the leaching and reduction operations.

Worked out handling of phosphorus electric furnace slags. Developed byproduct alternatives for the furnace flue dust.

Developed a process for beryllium hydroxide recovery from phenacite concentrate by leaching, solution purification, and precipitation.

Worked with slagging kiln incineration operations to maximize incinerator throughput, and with ingot-plant and industrial waste furnaces to enhance slag quality and marketability.

Worked with aircraft manufacturer to evaluate VC4 production in U.S., Europe and Japan.

Evaluated alternative technologies to recover gallium and germanium from carboniferous shale.

Worked with EPA contractor to assemble "a guide on recycling low metal-content wastes for use by decision makers at superfund, RCRA, and other waste sites."

Presented on-site short courses on recycling metals from industrial waste. Locations include CSM, an etchant recycling facility, and the EPA's Office of Solid Waste in Washington, as well as at AIME and CIM annual meetings.

Assisted in the startup of a rhenium-chemical production facility from roaster flue gas.

Assisted chemical producer identify opportunities for production of nickel and cobalt chemicals, as well as secondary sources for feedstocks.

Developed a crystallization and dryer circuit for recovery of KF and KCl.

Worked with firm producing chromated copper arsenate to establish secondary sources for its copper, chromium, and arsenic raw materials.

As Technical Assessor reporting to the Tribunal for an international arbitration related to nickel production (2001 - 2002), was responsible for documenting agreements between 28 expert witnesses and providing technical assistance to the Tribunal during the trial.