scholarly journals Copper Recovery from Silicate-Containing Low-Grade Copper Ore Using Flotation Followed by High-Pressure Oxidative Leaching

2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baisui HAN ◽  
Batnasan ALTANSUKH ◽  
Kazutoshi HAGA ◽  
Yasushi TAKASAKI ◽  
Atsushi SHIBAYAMA
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Copper Recovery ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Copper Ore ◽  
Oxidative Leaching

Bioleaching of Low-Grade Copper Sulfide Ore Using a Colum Reactor

2009 ◽  
Vol 71-73 ◽  
pp. 409-412
Author(s):  
Wen Qing Qin ◽  
Yan Sheng Zhang ◽  
Shi Jie Zhen ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
Jian Wen Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Concentration ◽  
Mixed Cultures ◽  
Copper Recovery ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Leaching Rate ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Copper Ore ◽  
Copper Leaching ◽  
Pure Cultures ◽  
Mixed Bacteria

The effects of several variables on the column bioleaching of copper sulphide ore have been investigated. The copper ore contained chalcopyrite as the main sulfide minerals and bornite and chalcocite as the minor minerals. The experiment was carried out using bench-scale column leach reactors designed in Key Lab of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, which were inoculated with the pure mesophile bacteria (Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans) and thermophile bacteria (Sulfobacillus), respectively, and the mixed bacteria which contain both iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The results show that the mixed cultures were more efficient than the pure cultures alone and the maximum copper recovery 53.64% was achieved using the mixed cultures after 85 days. The leaching rate of chalcopyrite tended to increase with the increased dissolved ferric iron concentration. The effect of particle size on the rate of the copper leaching was also investigated, and it was shown that the copper bioleaching rate decreases as the amount of fines increase, which limits the permeability, thus decreases leaching rate. Jarosite and elemental sulphur formed in the column were characterized by the X-ray and EDS.

Efficiently Utilizing a Low Grade and Complex Copper Ore by Flotation

2013 ◽  
Vol 734-737 ◽  
pp. 929-934
Author(s):  
Qi Nie ◽  
Xiao Si Zhou ◽  
Fen Lan Peng ◽  
Xu Shen ◽  
Zhi Zhang Li
Keyword(s):  
Yunnan Province ◽  
Copper Recovery ◽  
Test Scheme ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Copper Ore ◽  
Copper Concentrate ◽  
Main Factors ◽  
Complex Copper

Based on the analysis of the properties of the copper ore from Jinggu area in Yunnan province, a suitable technical route was presented for processing of eligible copper concentrate and the main factors i.e. grinding fineness, Na2S dosage and collector dosage, affecting the quality of roughing concentration was investigated. On this basis, a close-circuit flotation test scheme was preceded, which obtained a high quality copper concentrate with Cu grade of 16.08%, copper recovery of 58.52%. The recovery of copper concentrate is much lower than the Cu recovery of roughing concentrate from the condition experiments. This may be contributed to the fact that fine slime carried by middling worsens the separation of copper minerals and gangues. The Mo was enriched in concentrate, which is significantly considered to recovery in further work.

Bioleaching of Covellite from Low Grade Copper Sulphide Ore and Tails

2013 ◽  
Vol 825 ◽  
pp. 262-265
Author(s):  
Victor J. Zepeda ◽  
Dina Cautivo ◽  
Pedro A. Galleguillos ◽  
José Soto ◽  
Yasna Contador ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Total Iron ◽  
Copper Recovery ◽  
Copper Production ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Copper Sulphide ◽  
Copper Ore ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
Sulphide Ores

The economic importance of copper production in Chile has prompted the study of new strategies for the optimal management of mineral resources, including processing of low grade ore and even processing tails (processed ore). Currently, heap bioleaching is the most convenient technology to treat low grade copper sulphide ores bearing chalcopyrite, chalcocite and covellite. Covellite is a secondary copper sulphide occurring in copper sulphide deposits and it is also formed by acidic dissolution of chalcocite. In leaching processes, the main factors influencing the dissolution of covellite are the electrochemical potential (Eh) and temperature.This work aimed at assessing the effect of different concentrations of total iron (3.0 and 6.0 g/L) and temperatures (30 and 50°C) in the bioleaching of covellite contained in a low grade copper ore and the same ore after a previous process of bioleaching at ambient temperature. Initial composition of low-grade ore was chalcocite (0.58%), chalcopyrite (0.56%), covellite (0.30%) and pyrite (2.73%), while the processed ore contained chalcopyrite (0.47%), covellite (0.28%), chalcocite (0.10%) and pyrite (3.32%). Covellite was mostly dissolved (>90%) in both unprocessed and processed ore, independently of the temperature and total iron concentrations. However a higher total copper recovery was achieved in tests performed at 50°C due to higher dissolution of primary ores, especially in unprocessed ore. The microbial activity was confirmed by Most Probable Number (MPN) analyses of iron and sulfur oxidizing microorganisms. The microbial population was dominated by Acidithiobacillus spp. in tests operated at 30°C, while in tests operated at 50° Sulfobacillus spp. were the most abundant organisms.

Recovery Copper from a Low Grade and Ultra-Fine-Grained Dissemination Mixed Copper Ore by Flotation

2013 ◽  
Vol 734-737 ◽  
pp. 962-966
Author(s):  
Yong Jun Xian ◽  
Shu Ming Wen ◽  
Hai Ying Shen ◽  
Qi Nie
Keyword(s):  
Yunnan Province ◽  
Copper Recovery ◽  
Test Scheme ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
High Recovery ◽  
Copper Ore ◽  
Copper Concentrate ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Ultrafine Grinding ◽  
Low Dosage

The present study aims to characterize the copper ore from east area of Yunnan province. The results indicate that the ores is a representative low grade and and ultra-fine-grained ore. As a result, a suitable flotation flow i.e. “ultrafine grinding- sulphidizing and dispersing - bulk flotation with low dosage collector” was presented for processing of eligible copper concentrate with high recovery and the main factors i.e. grinding fineness, regulators types and dosage and collector dosage affecting the indexes of roughing concentration was investigated. As a result, a close-circuit flotation test scheme was proceeded, which obtained a high quality copper concentrate with Cu grade of 25.12%, copper recovery of 87.63%. This index is successful in the aim of recovery copper for such mixed copper ore.

Insights into Heap Bioleaching at the Agglomerate-Scale

2017 ◽  
Vol 262 ◽  
pp. 185-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Cox ◽  
Christopher G. Bryan
Keyword(s):  
Interstitial Cell ◽  
Cell Concentration ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Dissolved Metals ◽  
Copper Ore ◽  
Cell Numbers ◽  
Liquid Phases ◽  
Heap Bioleaching ◽  
Cell Concentrations ◽  
The Difference

Previous agglomerate-scale heap bioleaching studies have outlined the variations in cell numbers of the liquid and attached phases during colonisation of sterilised ore by a pure culture. In this study, a mixed mesophilic culture was used in agglomerate-scale columns containing non-sterilised low-grade copper ore. Over a six - month period, columns were harvested at various intervals to provide snapshots of the metal distribution and the quantity, location, and ecological variations of mineral-oxidizing microbes within the ore bed. The initial colonisation period in this experiment was dissimilar to previous work, as the indigenous community was retained within the ore-bed throughout acid agglomeration. The overall colonisation phase lasted for approximately 1,000 hours until cell concentrations stabilised. In each column, less than 0.05% of the total cells were found in the leachate, 15-20% in the interstitial phase and the remaining ~80% were attached to the mineral surface. Once cell numbers had stabilised, interstitial cell concentrations were approximately 2,000× greater than those in the leachate. This difference persisted for the duration of the experiment. Copper concentrations in the two liquid phases generally decreased over time, but were on average 50× higher in the interstitial phase. Iron concentrations were more stable, but again were 30× higher in the interstitial phase. This demonstrates that that the difference in cell concentration between the leachate and interstitial phases cannot be explained through diffusion gradients within the system as it is much greater than those observed for the dissolved metals. It also shows that the specific environmental conditions of the interstitial and attached cells are very different to those inferred through analysis of leachates alone.

Copper Recovery by Bioleaching of Chalcopyrite: A Microcalorimetric Approach for the Fast Determination of Bioleaching Activity

2013 ◽  
Vol 825 ◽  
pp. 322-325
Author(s):  
Beate Krok ◽  
Axel Schippers ◽  
Wolfgang Sand
Keyword(s):  
Enrichment Culture ◽  
Sulfide Oxidation ◽  
Exothermic Reaction ◽  
Metal Sulfide ◽  
Copper Recovery ◽  
Heat Output ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Pure Cultures ◽  
Invasive Method

Low grade copper ores containing chalcopyrite are increasingly used for copper recovery via biomining. Since metal sulfide oxidation is an exothememic process, bioleaching activity can be measured due to the heat output by microcalorimetry, which is a non-destructive and non-invasive method. The bioleaching activity of pure cultures ofSulfolobus metallicus,Metallosphaera hakonensisand a moderate thermophilic enrichment culture on high grade chalcopyrite was evaluated. Chalcopyrite leaching by microorganisms showed a higher copper recovery than sterile controls. Chemical chalcopyrite leaching by acid produced heat due to the exothermic reaction, the heat output was increased while metal sulfide oxidation by microorganisms.

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