Kappes, Cassiday & Associates

What Kappes, Cassiday & Associates does

Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (KCA) is a privately held metallurgical engineering firm founded in 1972 and headquartered in Reno, Nevada, specializing in process development, heap leaching, and cyanide processing for the international gold and silver mining industry. The company operates with approximately 80-81 staff, including 35 metallurgical laboratory specialists and 25 process engineers, from a 3,800 square meter headquarters that also houses a 20,000 square foot fabrication facility. KCA delivers an integrated service portfolio spanning metallurgical process testing, scoping and bankable feasibility studies, basic and detailed engineering design, and full Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) services, with documented EPCM contract values ranging from US$53M to US$140M for major projects.

The company's underlying technology combines proprietary equipment with specialized metallurgical expertise developed over more than five decades. Core technical assets include the patented KCA LifterBottle (US Patent No. 9,187,211 B2) for bottle roll leach testing, the KCA Carbon Converter for recovering gold and silver from carbon fines, a pilot-scale ThyssenKrupp Polycom HPGR unit (one of few in North America), and a suite of modular and site-built recovery plants (ADR and Merrill-Crowe configurations), electrolytic cells, smelting furnaces, mercury retorts, and rotary splitters. KCA's laboratory tests over 100 different ore types annually and has supported more than 1,000 gold recovery projects across 70+ process plants in 30+ countries, with unique process expertise spanning the SART process, the world's only primary chloride leaching plant for silver (Itos), and flowsheets for battery-grade manganese sulfate production.

KCA generates revenue through professional services (metallurgical testing, feasibility, engineering, and EPCM contracts), equipment and plant fabrication sales, and procurement/logistics services delivered through its subsidiary Kappes Cassiday del Norte (KCN) in Mexico and affiliate KCA Australia (KCAA). The firm serves both enterprise majors—including Agnico Eagle, Barrick Gold, Kinross, IAMGOLD, Pan American Silver, and SSR Mining—and a growing roster of junior-to-mid-tier explorers. Distribution is direct and sales-led via professional networks, technical conference presentations, and published papers; KCA does not maintain a consumer-facing marketing presence. The company has no public listing, no identified institutional investors, and no parent company.

Name

Kappes, Cassiday & Associates

Legal name

Kappes, Cassiday & Associates

Website

https://kcareno.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kappes, Cassiday & Associates is a privately held metallurgical engineering firm founded in 1972 that provides heap leach and cyanide processing services—laboratory testing, feasibility studies, EPCM project delivery, and proprietary recovery equipment—to gold and silver mining companies globally from its Reno, Nevada headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining Metallurgy Engineering Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Mining (2131), Mining Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333131), Support Activities for Mining (21311)

SIC

Gold And Silver Ores (1040), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Mining Machinery & Equip (No Oil & Gas Field Mach & Equip) (3532)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Processing Plant Design & EPCM (Flowsheet Development, Piloting & Scale-up) (IMAKALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Project & Construction Management (EPCM, Owner’s Engineer, Scheduling/Controls) (IMAKAOAG), Plant Operations, Control & Optimization (Metallurgical Accounting, APC, Digital Twins) (IMAKALAJ)

Keywords

• Heap leach design
• Cyanide metallurgical testing
• Mining engineering services
• EPCM mining projects
• Gold recovery plants

Headquarters

HQ city

Reno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Metallurgical Process Services: KCA generates revenue through providing process metallurgical services including laboratory testing, metallurgical flow-sheet development, bankable feasibility studies, detailed engineering design, construction management, and operations support to mining companies globally. Services span from initial ore testing through gold production.
2. EPCM Contract Services: Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) contracts for mine development projects, including infrastructure, processing plants, and heap leach facilities. Major projects have ranged from US$53M to US$140M in contract value.
3. Equipment and Plant Fabrication Sales: KCA fabricates and sells modular recovery plants (ADR, Merrill-Crowe), carbon converters, smelting furnaces, mercury retorts, electrolytic cells, rotary splitters, and modular laboratories to mining operations worldwide.
4. Procurement Services: Purchasing and logistics services for mining operations worldwide, managed through the Procurement Services Division and subsidiary KCN (Kappes Cassiday del Norte) for Mexico operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kappes, Cassiday & Associates provides process metallurgical services to the international mining industry, including metallurgical laboratory testing, heap leach and cyanide process development, bankable feasibility studies, engineering design, and EPCM (Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management) for gold and silver recovery plants. KCA also designs, fabricates, and sells modular and site-built recovery plants (ADR and Merrill-Crowe), pilot plants, modular laboratories, and a line of proprietary equipment including the KCA Carbon Converter, KCA LifterBottle (US Patent 9,187,211 B2), Rotary Splitter, smelting furnaces, mercury retorts, and electrolytic cells. Operations are supported through procurement services via subsidiary Kappes Cassiday del Norte (Mexico) and KCA Australia, with services delivered across more than 30 countries.

Product overview

Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (KCA) is a metallurgical engineering and process design firm founded in 1972, specializing in heap leaching and cyanide processing for the global mining industry. The company offers an integrated portfolio of services and proprietary equipment: core metallurgical testing services (including laboratory testing and HPGR pilot testing), engineering services (from scoping studies to bankable feasibility), and EPCM project management. KCA's product line includes modular and site-built recovery plants (ADR and Merrill-Crowe plants), specialized equipment (Carbon Converter, Lifterbottle, Rotary Splitter, smelting furnaces, mercury retorts, electrolytic cells), pilot plants, and modular/site-built laboratories. The company operates from headquarters in Reno, Nevada with affiliates in Mexico (KCN) and Australia (KCAA), and has built over 70 process plants in 30+ countries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Florin Analytical Services: Part of the KCA group, operates as an independent commercial analytical lab providing high quality, reliable assays.
• KCA Carbon Converter
• KCA LIFTERBOTTLE

Products and services

• Metallurgical Process Testing Comprehensive metallurgical testing services including cyanide metallurgy, heap leach amenability testing, bottle roll tests, column tests, and HPGR testing for gold and silver ores; delivered to mining companies needing process flow-sheet development.
• Laboratory Testing Metallurgical laboratory testing facility specializing in cyanide processing, heap leaching, copper and base metal leaching, solvent extraction, gravity concentration, and electrowinning; tests over 100 different ore types annually for mining clients.
• HPGR Laboratory Testing High Pressure Grinding Roll (HPGR) pilot testing using the ThyssenKrupp Polycom PILOTWAL unit capable of producing 6-8 tonnes per hour, used for heap leach and milling circuit flow-sheet development for mining clients.
• Engineering Services Engineering design services from initial scoping studies through bankable feasibility studies, including basic and detailed engineering, plant design, and expansion projects for gold and silver mining operations.
• Project Management / EPCM Services Full Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (EPCM) services from scoping studies through bankable feasibility studies to construction and commissioning for mining projects; historically delivered on contracts from US$53M to US$140M.
• Modular Recovery Plants Portable or modular carbon adsorption (ADR) and Merrill-Crowe plants for gold and silver recovery, including KCA 20, 30, 50, and 150 ADR plants and modular Merrill-Crowe plants ranging from 20-500 m3/hr, for deployment in mining operations.
• Site-Built Recovery Plants Large-scale on-site process plants for gold and silver operations treating up to 4,000 tonnes per day, including CIC circuits, Merrill-Crowe plants, carbon adsorption columns, electrowinning cells, and complete heap leach facilities.
• Pilot Plants Pilot-scale heap leach and flotation facilities for testing operations before full-scale production, including container-mounted and fully equipped modular pilot plants for mining clients.
• KCA Carbon Converter Modular, self-contained unit for converting carbon fines into fine-dry ash with up to 99% gold and silver recovery; features a three-stage exhaust scrubbing system for mercury capture and a capacity of 300 kg of carbon per day; for sale to mining operations worldwide.
• KCA LifterBottle 3.5-liter wide-mouth HDPE bottle roll testing vessel with integrated lifters providing better mixing during bottle roll leach studies than smooth-walled bottles; sold to laboratories and mining operations globally and protected by US Patent No. 9,187,211 B2.
• KCA Rotary Splitter Model 9281 Large-capacity rotary splitter Model 9281 for accurate representative sampling of coarse and fine crushed material; handles up to 2,000 kg feed capacity with variable speed feed belt and 8-slot rotating drum plate; for laboratory and operations use.
• Smelting Furnaces & Scrubbers Three sizes of tilting crucible furnaces (Models 225T, 430T, 800T) for gold concentrate smelting with capacities from 23 kg to 84 kg per charge, with optional off-gas scrubbing systems and an optional hydraulic pouring mechanism on the largest model.
• Mercury Retorts (Model R17E) Automated Model R17E mercury retorts processing up to 40 cu ft of wet or dry solids per batch with fully automated temperature and time controls for safe mercury distillation; for sale to mining operations.
• Electrolytic Cells (KCA Model EC-420-SS) KCA Model EC-420-SS stainless steel electrolytic cell with 88 gpm flow capacity and 170 cubic feet nominal volumetric capacity, featuring extended flow path anodes; for metals recovery in mining operations.
• Modular and Site-Built Laboratories Prefabricated modular laboratories built in shipping containers for remote mining sites, plus permanent on-site laboratories with full equipment installation, commissioning, and personnel training, delivered to mining operations worldwide.
• Procurement Services Global purchasing, sourcing, and shipping logistics services for mining operations worldwide, managed through KCA's Procurement Services Division and subsidiary KCN (Kappes Cassiday del Norte) for Mexico operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• KCA has built over 70 process plants in over 30 countries worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aztec Minerals Corp.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 2 July 2026Aztec engaged KCA to conduct initial bottle-roll NaCN leach testing on oxide gold-silver samples from the Tombstone Project in Arizona, following earlier shake tests. Testing supports the metallurgical program and upcoming maiden Mineral Resource Estimate.
• Blossom GoldcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 19 May 2026Blossom Gold completed drilling metallurgical core holes and began delivering samples to KCA for metallurgical testing on its Rosebud Project in Pershing County, Nevada. Testing aims to support development of the project as a potential open-pit mining operation with on-site heap-leach processing.
• Revival Gold Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 14 May 2026Revival Gold reported metallurgical testing underway at KCA in Nevada for its Mercur Gold Project in Utah. The 16,000-meter drilling program supports a Preliminary Feasibility Study targeting Q1 2027 release.
• West Point Gold Corp.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 22 April 2026West Point Gold conducted Phase 2 metallurgical testing at the Tyro Main Zone of its Gold Chain Project in Arizona, conducted by KCA. Gold recoveries ranged from 87% to 92% for milled material, supporting multiple processing paths.
• Silver Tiger Metals Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 18 March 2026Silver Tiger awarded an EPCM contract to KCA and Kappes Cassiday del Norte (KCN) for its El Tigre Stockwork Zone silver and gold heap leach project in Sonora, Mexico. KCA and KCN are providing engineering, procurement, and construction management services for the project targeting first pour in December 2027.
• Western ExplorationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 17 March 2026Western Exploration engaged KCA and Stantec as primary consultants for development planning and engineering work on the Doby George gold project and Gravel Creek in Nevada. KCA is supporting permitting and resource expansion efforts.
• Q-Gold Resources Ltd.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 21 November 2025Q-Gold signed an agreement with KCA to initiate a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) of its Quartz Mountain Gold Project in Oregon, USA. The project contains an estimated 1,543,000 oz gold and 2,049,000 oz silver.
• Xali GoldcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2025Xali Gold agreed to transfer its rights to the El Oro Tailings Project in Mexico to KCA. The transfer includes a processing plan for gold and silver recovery, with KCA responsible for project management and legal costs.
• Florin Analytical ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorin Analytical Services is part of the KCA group and operates as an independent commercial analytical lab providing high quality, reliable assays. It complements KCA's metallurgical testing services.
• DAMA Madencilik (Ankara)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCA's Turkish affiliate DAMA Madencilik, based in Ankara, collaborated with KCA on projects in Turkey including Bolkardag and Ivrindi, providing detailed engineering, fabrication, installation, and startup services.
• Decommissioning Services LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCA's associated company Decommissioning Services LLC provided engineering, procurement, construction management, and operations management for the Choquelimpie heap leach project in Chile at 4,600m altitude.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hatch Ltd. Global engineering and project delivery firm with a major mining and metals practice delivering feasibility studies, EPCM, and process design for base and precious metals projects. Comparable to KCA's EPCM and metallurgical study work but at a much broader scale across multiple commodities.
• Stantec: International engineering, environmental, and project management firm with a mining practice covering feasibility, permitting, and EPCM services. Already co-engaged with KCA on clients such as Western Exploration, demonstrating direct overlap in mining engineering service offerings.
• Wood (Wood Group): Global engineering and consulting firm with a mining and metals practice providing feasibility studies, design, and EPCM services. Overlaps with KCA in metallurgical process design and project execution for mining operators.
• SNC-Lavalin / AtkinsRéalis: Major EPCM contractor with significant mining and metals capability delivering project services from feasibility through construction. Competes with KCA for larger-scale mining engineering and EPCM mandates, though with broader portfolio and far deeper balance sheet.
• SGS SA: Global testing, inspection, and certification company with substantial mineral processing and metallurgical testing services. Adjacent competitor to KCA's Reno laboratory and provides broader assay/geochemical offerings via Florin Analytical Services' market segment.
• ALS Limited: International testing services network with a strong mineral testing, assaying, and metallurgical laboratory division. Overlaps with KCA's lab testing business model across geochemistry and process test work for explorers and producers.
• FLSmidth: Global supplier of equipment, service, and engineering for the mining and cement industries, including comminution, HPGR, and mineral processing plants. Competes with KCA on the equipment and process plant side, particularly for major heap leach and milling circuits.
• Metso Corporation: World-leading provider of equipment and services for mining, aggregates, and metal refining, including crushing, grinding, and processing plant design. Relevant to KCA's HPGR pilot work and modular/site-built recovery plants at the equipment level.
• Fluor Corporation: One of the largest global EPCM firms with a Mining & Metals Solutions business delivering feasibility, engineering, and construction for mining projects. Competes with KCA at the upper end of project scale and integrated delivery scope.

Direct peers

• M3 Engineering & Technology Corp. Specialty EPCM and engineering firm focused on mining and minerals processing projects, often working on gold/silver heap leach and milling projects of similar scope to KCA. Closest direct head-to-head competitor in bankable feasibility and EPCM delivery for junior-to-mid-tier miners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kappescassida09
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kappes-cassiday-associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kappes, Cassiday & Associates