Who We Are and Why It Matters

Get to know the people, purpose, and principles behind our work. Discover our story, the sectors we serve, and the strategy driving our impact—from our origins to our vision for the future.

ABOUT

We are stewards of water in mining and metallurgical processing sector, passionate about applying industry leading knowledge, innovation, and holistic approaches to protecting the environment and implementing solutions collaboratively in partnerships with project stakeholders.

ABOUT BQE WATER

Operational Excellence & Reliability

 

BQE Water acts not only as a technology provider but as a trusted operator—with a model that aligns incentives by being compensated for volume of clean water meeting discharge standards. This reduces client risk and improves environmental performance.

High-Impact, Long-Term Partnerships

With longstanding contracts at high-profile sites like Glencore’s Raglan Mine (21 years) and Jiangxi Copper (19 years), BQE emphasizes building deep, trust-based relationships with clients and regulators.

Commitment to Social Responsibility

 

BQE is committed to Indigenous engagement, often forming joint ventures with Indigenous groups (e.g., in Nunavik and the Yukon) to support environmental protection while providing training, employment, and leadership opportunities.

Purpose-Driven Environmental Innovation

BQE Water is strategically positioned as a technology-driven environmental services company focused on water management in the mining and metallurgical sectors. It delivers tailored, life-cycle solutions that address regulatory compliance, social acceptability, and sustainability challenges in resource development.

Integrated, Life-Cycle Service Model

BQE Water’s strategy covers the entire project life cycle, from permitting and pilot testing to commissioning, operation, and closure. This enables continuity, accountability, and optimization over time, which is especially valuable to both clients and Indigenous/community stakeholders.

Proprietary Technology & IP Portfolio

The company differentiates itself through unique and proven proprietary technologies, including:

  • Selen-IX (selenium removal)
  • BioSulphide®/ChemSulphide® (metal recovery/removal)
  • Sulf-IX (sulfate removal)
  • SART (cyanide recovery and detox)
    This IP-driven approach supports both technical leadership and long-term revenue generation via recurring operations contracts.

ANNUAL TOTALS

Water solutions we have implemented at project sites for our clients have achieved the following:

20 million m3

Wastewater treated for environmental discharge annually.

4,000 tonnes

Of metals of value recovered from waste annually.

1,000 tonnes

Of sodium cyanide recovered and recycled annually.

OUR Mission

At BQE Water, we make mining and metal extraction more sustainable by delivering innovative cost-conscious water treatment solutions that protect the environment, reduce long-term risk, and create lasting partnerships with communities, regulators, and industry. 

We combine proprietary technologies with decades of operational expertise to ensure clean water at every stage of the project life cycle—from permitting to closure.

AWARDS

At BQE Water, our commitment to innovation and sustainability is recognized globally. Explore our awards and accolades that highlight our leadership in water treatment and environmental management. From groundbreaking technologies to operational excellence, these honors reflect the trust and impact we deliver to clients and communities worldwide.

2025
Canada’s Clean50 Clean Technology – Honoree David Kratochvil
2023
BC Export Awards – Exporter of the Year Award – BQE Water
2023
BC Export Awards – Clean Technology Award – BQE Water

Indigenous Relations

stewardship over water

BQE’s business is stewardship over water as a shared precious resource throughout the life cycle of mining projects. This requires long-term views and holistic thinking which are expected by indigenous groups who are considering mining projects in their vicinity and/or on their traditional territories. Through its wide range of services, BQE effectively acts as a single point of accountability for ensuring clean water production from permitting to closure. This provides continuity to the project, which carries significant worth by indigenous groups who value stability and longevity.        

HISTORY AT BQE

For over 20 years, we’ve redefined what’s possible in water treatment through breakthrough technologies and impactful partnerships. Check out our key milestones on the timeline below.

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2003

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2001

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2002

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2004

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2006

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2000

Technical Leadership Management

Our Technical Leadership team drives innovation at BQE Water, blending deep expertise in water treatment with a commitment to sustainable and practical solutions for complex environmental challenges.

David Kratochvil

President & CEO

David rejoined the company in March 2014. He previously...

David Kratochvil

President & CEO

David rejoined the company in March 2014. He previously held the positions President & CTO and President & COO. Since first joining the company in 2001, David has been instrumental in the commercial development of BQE Water’s process technologies and has overseen plant design, engineering and operations. David received his PhD from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering, BioEngineering from McGill University in Montreal and has 20+ years experience in wastewater treatment and chemical processing.

Heman Wong

CFO

Heman oversees financial management, internal controls, financial reporting, investor...

Heman Wong

CFO

Heman oversees financial management, internal controls, financial reporting, investor relations and corporate administration for the company. He has 10 years of experience in both private and public companies in the environmental sector. Heman is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia and received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University.

Songlin Ye

Vice President, Asia

Songlin is responsible for the company’s operations and development...

Songlin Ye

Vice President, Asia

Songlin is responsible for the company’s operations and development projects in China. Songlin holds degrees in Environmental Engineering from universities in Canada and China, and has 20+ years experience in the environmental field.

Oscar Lopez

General Manager, Latin America

Oscar is responsible for BQE Water’s business development and...

Oscar Lopez

General Manager, Latin America

Oscar is responsible for BQE Water’s business development and project management activities in Chile and South America. Oscar is a Chemical Engineer with 20+ years experience in the chemical and metallurgical industry.

Brent Baker

Vice President, Engineering

Brent leads the engineering team and ensures the integrity...

Brent Baker

Vice President, Engineering

Brent leads the engineering team and ensures the integrity of all design work from initial concepts to issued-for construction design documentation. He has been instrumental to the success of projects by making certain that treatment process designs are seamlessly integrated into discipline engineering and equipment procurement, and that our engineering team works closely with the lab and technology development team to translate new innovation into practical and cost-effective designs. With a degree in Metals & Materials Engineering, Brent is a registered Professional Engineer in BC with over 15 years of experience in the water treatment sector.

Daniel Cook

Director, Operations & Commissioning

Daniel leads our global operations team and environmental health...

Daniel Cook

Director, Operations & Commissioning

Daniel leads our global operations team and environmental health & safety across all company functions. In his role, Daniel is responsible for ensuring operations perform safely and according to expectations, and staffed with well trained personnel. Additionally, he oversees pre-commissioning and commissioning activities for smooth hand-overs from engineering and construction to operations. Daniel has 15+ years of experience in water treatment including process control and automation which enables him to provide valuable input into engineering designs from early project stages to Hazard and Operability studies that incorporate practical operations experience.

HC Liang

Director, Water Studies

HC leads our consultancy practice related to water management,...

HC Liang

Director, Water Studies

HC leads our consultancy practice related to water management, treatment, risk assessments, permitting and engagement with local communities and regulatory agencies to arrive at practical solutions that do better for the environment. HC received his PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, his Masters in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and has more than 14 years of experience in environmental consulting with a special focus on water in mining.

Veneil Sundar

Manager, Process Engineering

Veneil is a chemical engineer who spent the early...

Veneil Sundar

Manager, Process Engineering

Veneil is a chemical engineer who spent the early years of his career in mining operations with Teck Resources. Since joining the company in 2014, Veneil has demonstrated great initiative and has grown into the role of project lead for process engineering design and plant automation, becoming proficient in all aspects of process design, programming of plant PLC and HMIs, and field commissioning. A registered Professional Engineer in BC, Veneil also provides support to projects in the environmental assessment and permitting stages.

Fabian Rodriguez

Operations Manager, Latin America

Fabian is a chemical engineer who started his career...

Fabian Rodriguez

Operations Manager, Latin America

Fabian is a chemical engineer who started his career in operations where he was responsible for optimization and improvements in hydrometallurgical and metal refining processes in Chile. Since joining the company 11+ years ago, Fabian has been instrumental in the engineering and commissioning of several SART plants, and lab and pilot demonstrations for selective metal recovery and sulphate removal from mining and metallurgical bleed streams in Chile and Peru. Currently, Fabian oversees all process design, testing programs and water studies for our Latin America projects.

Frank Su

Manager, China Operations

Frank is based in our Hangzhou office and oversees...

Frank Su

Manager, China Operations

Frank is based in our Hangzhou office and oversees all project and plant operation activities in China. He is involved with pilot campaigns, engineering designs for local fabricators and constructors, procurement, commissioning and ongoing operations support. He is proficient in PLC/HMI programming and most recently led the commissioning of two SART plants. Having grown up in Vancouver and with a degree in Chemical & Biological Engineering from the University of British Columbia, Frank bridges the cultural differences to improve communication for China based projects.

WHERE WE WORK

Our work for leading mining companies and regulators takes us to many countries around the world. Over the last two decades, BQE Water has successfully implemented large scale water treatment at over 30 sites and is currently responsible for clean water production at sites owned by four different clients and operates eight different water treatment facilities that range in complexity and implemented technologies.


OFFICE LOCATIONS

Head Office & Laboratory
Suite 200 – 30 East 6th Avenue
Vancouver, BC Canada V5T 1J4
T: +1 604 685 1243
F: +1 604 685 7778

info@bqewater.com

China
Unit B509, Wolong Mansion
No. 736 JiangShu Rd, Binjiang District
Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China 310052

infochina@bqewater.com

Chile

Suecia 211, Oficina 1601, Providencia, Santiago, Chile

+562 2896 9700

infochile@bqewater.com 

Investor Relations
T: +1 800 537 3073

investor@bqewater.com
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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

At the core of our solutions are proprietary chemical engineering processes designed to address the unique challenges of mine water treatment. These innovative technologies, developed in-house and backed by extensive research, allow us to efficiently treat complex waste streams and recover valuable resources. Our intellectual property is central to delivering tailored solutions that improve operational efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and ensure compliance with strict regulations. Explore our cutting-edge processes and learn how they are shaping the future of water management in the mining sector.

Selenium

Cyanide

Sulphate