Abstract

This research aimed at recovering metals retained in the tailings from the flotation of copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co) ores conducted at the New Concentrator in Kipushi (NCK). Metals retention in the tailings (0.73% Cu and 0.37% Co) increased due to the removal of the gravity separation section from the processing circuit together with changes arising in the feed mineralogical characteristics namely the increase in sulfide minerals. The concentrator’s feed was traditionally composed of oxidized minerals of Cu and Co from the Luiswishi deposit (DR Congo). Experiments conducted at the laboratory scale enabled identifying two exploitable routes for recovering metals retained in the tailings: firstly, the sulfuric acid leaching of tailings under reducing conditions in view of preparing a leach liquor (2.43 g/L Cu and 1.10 g/L Co) that can be utilized for cementing Cu, using iron chips and precipitating Co; secondly, the flotation of valuable minerals using xanthates in view of obtaining a rougher concentrate grading 1.43% Cu and 0.75% Co recovered at 56% and 59%, respectively, and later on, the obtaining of a cleaner concentrate assaying 3.97% Cu and 2.4% Co at the recoveries of 35% and 43%, respectively. The final concentrate enables the hydrometallurgical extraction of Cu and Co.

Graphical Abstract

中文翻译：

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回收浮选尾矿中残留的铜和钴的潜在可利用后处理路线

摘要

这项研究旨在从在Kipushi的新选矿厂（NCK）进行的铜（Cu）和钴（Co）矿石浮选中回收尾矿中残留的金属。尾矿中的金属保留量（0.73％的铜和0.37％的钴）是由于从加工回路中去除了重力分离段以及进料矿物学特性的变化（即硫化物矿物的增加）而增加的。传统上，选矿厂的进料由Luiswishi矿床（刚果民主共和国）的Cu和Co的氧化矿物组成。在实验室规模进行的实验能够确定两种可用于回收尾矿中残留金属的可利用途径：首先，考虑到制备浸出液（2.43 g / L Cu和1.的浸出液），在还原条件下对尾矿进行硫酸浸出。10 g / L Co），可利用铁屑和Co沉淀法固结Cu；其次，考虑到获得粗品精矿，分别以56％和59％的比例回收了1.43％的铜和0.75％的钴，使用黄药浮选了有价值的矿物，随后，获得了测定3.97％的铜和2.4的清洁精矿Co回收率分别为35％和43％。最终精矿能够进行湿法冶金中的Cu和Co萃取。

图形概要