CAPEX is more than equipment
Civil work, electrical feeders, tanks, piping metallurgy, and integration with existing ETP lines routinely add 20–40% on top of skid quotes. Ask vendors for a boundary diagram of what is included before comparing numbers.
OPEX is where projects live or die
Power, chemicals, consumables, sludge handling, and scheduled shutdowns dominate lifecycle cost. A lower CAPEX option with heavy steam or cleaning demand can outspend a higher CAPEX alternative within two to four years.
Water balance and solids fate
Recycling projects should close both the water ledger and the salt/solids ledger. If solids handling is vague, OPEX estimates are fiction—trucking, landfill, or reuse each carry different unit economics.
Financing and phasing
Phasing—pretreatment first, concentration second, final polish last—can align spend with permit milestones and reduce stranded assets if flows grow more slowly than forecast.
Takeaway
Build a ten-year cash-flow model with sensitivity on power tariff, chemical index, and uptime. Decision quality improves immediately.
Ask Asiatic Engineers for a TCO-style comparison: +91 98240 54002.