XPS and Rosemont geometallurgical development

The Process Mineralogy team at XPS has been working closely with Hudbay Minerals since August of 2014 in support of its Rosemont project in Tucson, Arizona. This project is a large Cu-skarn/porphyry deposit with variable mineralogy and mineralisation. After the initial phases of data review were completed, a multiphase geometallurgical test work program was established to create a robust database of mineralogical, geochemical and metallurgical data to advance the processing and flowsheet design criteria.

The initial phase of variability testing was carried out in late 2014 to early 2015. The first phase of work has provided a foundation for the geometallurgical interpretation and has helped to define a path forward for the project team.

The test work database has integrated a combination of representative sampling, geochemistry, detailed quantitative mineralogy (QEMSCAN), XRD-CEC, ore hardness data (BWi, SPI, JK drop weight) and lab-scale flotation testing. The interpretation of the combined dataset has resulted in defined geospatial links between the deposit geology and key metallurgical factors which and are now being further tested and modelled. These links and geomet proxies have helped to better define the geometallurgical populations within the ore zone and have improved the understanding of processing variability overall as it relates to throughput and recovery modelling.

The geometallurgical populations are the foundation for subsequent phases of flowsheet development testing and mineralogical test work which is currently underway at XPS and expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2015.

Hudbay says “Rosemont project is located near a number of large porphyry type producing copper mines and is expected to be one of the largest copper mines in the USA, accounting for approximately 10% of total US copper production. It is expected to be an open-pit mine in Pima Country, approximately 50 km  southeast of Tucson, Arizona. As well as copper production there should be secondary metal output of molybdenum and silver.