Abstract

NGULUBE, C.; CHONGO, C.  and  PAQUOT, F.X.. Review, evolution, and optimization of the treatment of Kansanshi mixed copper ore. J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. [online]. 2016, vol.116, n.6, pp.561-567. ISSN 2411-9717.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2411-9717/2016/v116n6a11.

Over the last six years, the Kansanshi copper-gold mine has continued to process significant quantities of complex transitional mixed ores. Initially, the ore treated came predominantly from accumulated stockpiles. Subsequently, the feed source shifted primarily to freshly mined ore that generally showed less tarnish with better flotation kinetics, but with the downside of lower concentrate grades. A number of changes were made to improve the efficiency of the rougher circuit and quality of concentrate produced. These changes were as a result of initial mineralogical studies and laboratory flotation test work that were discussed at length in a previous paper¹. Salient among the recommendations adopted as a result of previous work were increased circuit capacity and a modified configuration to increase the residence time and the number of sulphidization stages. These modifications were completed and commissioned in 2011. This, however, resulted in significantly low rougher concentrate grades and a below-specification final concentrate product. This was due primarily to higher mass pulls from the extended rougher bank with multiple concentrate discharge streams, and which necessitated an enlarged cleaning capability. The extra cleaning capacity came on stream in 2014. Of note was the development of a recovery model, based on the strong correlation between the total copper and acid-soluble copper ratio, as a tool for monitoring plant performance.

Keywords : copper; flotation; optimization; mixed ore; sulphidization; modelling.

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