Characterisation of different ore types and determination of optmum operation conditions for treating Kansanshi ores through the leaching circuit.
Date
2015-09-07
Authors
Chilando, Chanda A
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Abstract
Different ore types react differently when leached under the same leaching conditions. The extent to which minerals go into solution is a function of several parameters. In this project, emphasis was on determining the mineralogical characteristics of different ores, the optimum residence time, the quantity of acid needed to leach the different ore types and the dissolution of some impurities in the leach solutions. The leaching parameters that were studied were: (a) % solids of the slurry (28%), (b) particle size distribution (80% passing 150[im), (c) pH about 1.60, and, (d) mass of ore leached (1.5kg) and were kept constant for different types of ore. The mineralogy of the ores was investigated and the ore were found to be of predominately composed of malachite, pseudomalachite and Chrysocolla.The optimum residence time for HGB, LGB and HGG was found to be 2hrs. The highest acid consumption was observed in LGB and was 93kg H2SO4 per tonne of ore. The acid consumption can be reduced by increasing the concentration of the solids in the feed to the leaching circuit. Increasing the concentration of solids from 55% to 65% solids in the feed the consumption would reduce acid consumption by 4.2kg HaSCV tonne ore. From 55% to 75% and 85% solids the consumption would reduce by 7.3 and 9.4 kg / tonne of ore respectively.
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Ore-dressing plants-Zambia , Metallurgical plant-ZAmbia