Processing of Complex Materials in the Copper Industry: Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
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https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-020-04255-9 Ó 2020 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
HIGH TEMPERATURE PROCESSING OF COMPLEX ORES
Processing of Complex Materials in the Copper Industry: Challenges and Opportunities Ahead GERARDO ALVEAR FLORES and JOE PEASE3
,1,4 CARLOS RISOPATRON,2
1.—Independent Consultant, Hamburg, Germany. 2.—International Copper Study Group, ICSG, Lisbon, Portugal. 3.—Mineralis Consultants, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. 4.—e-mail: [email protected]
With the gradual decrease in the grade of copper ores being processed, copper concentrates have become more complex with higher impurity and gangue content. This trend has had a detrimental effect on smelters as they have to increase throughput to maintain copper metal production, while increasing operating costs due to processing the increased amounts of secondary products (slag, acid) and stabilizing waste streams. This paper discusses impacts from the increased complexity of resources from mine to smelters, highlighting the need for an integrated processing approach to achieve sustainable and competitive multi-metal recovery.
INTRODUCTION Processing of complex materials in non-ferrous smelting has traditionally been approached as a niche opportunity to capture the economic value contained in the mining resources. Depending on the nature and complexity of the resources, miners have sometimes adopted processing options at the mine site, such as ultra-fine grinding, alternative flotation circuits, or hydrometallurgical processes, to reduce the concentration of elements that would reduce the value of their product. Meanwhile, their customers, the smelters, addressed complexity either by developing new processes or by modifying operating conditions to enhance the removal of deleterious elements. In some cases, synergies and cooperation between base metal processing facilities have improved recovery and waste management. However, in most cases, the copper industry has used dilution as the main response, either by blending of complex materials in central facilities or by diluting small quantities in large feed streams to smelters. Copper is recognized a cornerstone element to support the move towards a more sustainable society with eco-efficient living standards, e-mobility, efficient house designs, environmentally– friendly public spaces, transportation designs, and medical applications to reduce disease transmission.
At the time of writing, the global economy faces an unprecedented shock from the impact of coronavirus which has reduced copper demand and prices. This will change as global stimulus and infrastructure programs lift the economy, and this will be an opportunity to stress the positive aspects of copper, not only in the traditional applications of infrastructure but also in less widespread applications in hospitals and public spaces to reduce the risk of disease transmission. It is therefore essential that the copper industry prepares itself by getting a clear understanding of future supply volume and resource quality. If we fac
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