Russia’s Udokan Copper LLC says it has started the installation of equipment at the construction site of the project thickening and decantation area where the bulk concentrate, which has undergone atmospheric leaching, will undergo the thickening procedure in special tanks.
Thickening is a process of separating solid and liquid fractions based on the natural settling of solid particles under the influence of gravity and reagents. In the process of thickening, the solid fraction settles and goes through the decantation stage, and the liquid fraction, in the form of rich solutions, is sent for further processing to the hydrometallurgical plant. After the countercurrent decantation, the solid sediment is sent to sulphide flotation. The final sulphide concentrate is thickened and filtered. The result is a commercial sulphide copper concentrate with a copper content of about 45%.
Alexey Yaschuk, Deputy General Director – Operation Officer of Udokan Copper LLC, noted: “Processing of Udokan ore with its complex composition will be carried out at the plant using the unique process flowsheet that combines concentration and hydrometallurgical processing.” Udokan will become the first enterprise in Russia to use hydrometallurgy/electrowinning technologies for copper ore processing. In February, Udokan Copper started the installation of vertical metal columns at the future electrowinning area. The EW building is a key production facility for the metallurgical process, providing the final product, cathode with a copper content of 99.9%.
The company also recently started the installation of belt conveyors with a total length of over 2.8 km, from the coarse crushing building to the process plant. The facility under construction is the most important part of the crushing and conveyor complex, where ore will be crushed and then transported for further grinding, flotation and hydrometallurgical processing. The complex includes the coarse crushing building with a turning platform, three-sectioned overpass, the transfer unit, two belt-drive stations and ore conveyor galleries.
The conveyor motors are equipped with variable speed drivers, with the help of which the belt speed is adjusted. The conveyor equipment was manufactured by the Russian company NPO Akonit JSC. German Mironov, General Director of Udokan Copper, noted: “Combined transport will be used at the Udokan deposit in a difficult climate and relief conditions: automobile and conveyor.” According to him, the capacity of the crushing and conveyor complex will be more than 2,000 t/h.
It is planned to complete the construction of the entire crushing and conveyor complex and carry out the so-called ‘cold’ start, that is, the testing of the conveyor, by the end of 2021.
Udokan Copper LLC (formerly Baikal Mining Company) was established to implement the project for the development of the Udokan copper deposit. The company is a part of the USM diversified group of companies (founded by AB Usmanov). Udokan is the largest undeveloped copper deposit in Russia and the third largest in the world. The resources of the deposit in accordance with the JORC classification are 26.7 Mt of copper, with the copper grade in the ore (in accordance with the JORC classification) being 1.0%. The deposit is located in the Kalarsky district of the Trans-Baikal Territory, 30 km from Novaya Chara station of the Baikal-Amur Mainline.
