SSR Mining Inc on December 24, 2021 announced the commencement of commissioning and ramp–up activities at Çöpler’s sulphide plant flotation circuit following the receipt of all required permits and approvals. A key component of the 2020 Çöpler District Master Plan (CDMP20), the Çöpler flotation circuit was completed on time and on budget in the third quarter of 2021. The flotation circuit utilises latent capacity in the sulphide plant, and its commissioning is anticipated to increase the gold and sulphide sulphur grades processed through the autoclaves, reduce reagent use, and increase total sulphide plant throughput and gold production.
In more detail, the incorporation of a flotation circuit into the existing sulphide plant is to upgrade sulphide sulphur to fully utilise grinding and POX autoclave capacity. This addition to the sulphide plant is incorporated between grinding and acidulation, by taking a bleed/slip stream from the grinding thickener feed, floating sulphides, and returning the sulphide concentrate to the grinding thickener to be combined with direct feed. Gold not recovered to flotation concentrate reports with flotation tails to the gold leaching and recovery circuit and combined with material process through the POX autoclave circuit to recover gold. The flotation circuit also rejects carbonates to flotation tails, bypassing acidulation and POX, providing additional benefits in the acid balance through POX.
The plant consists of two 75 t/h trains of six Metso Outotec RCS™ 50 cells each with a 50 m3 capacity. Combining its extensive flotation circuit analysis capabilities with patented DV™ (Deep Vane) mechanism, RCS flotation cells have the potential to significantly cut operating costs and boost processing efficiency in any application for roughing, scavenging and cleaning duties. The DV mechanism impeller consists of a unique arrangement of vertical vanes with shaped lower edges and air dispersion shelf. The mechanism design produces powerful radial slurry pumping to the cell wall and gives strong return flows to the underside of the impeller to minimise sanding.
The Çöpler mine (80% SSR Mining owned) is part of the Çöpler District located in east-central Turkey in the Erzincan Province, approximately 1,100 km southeast from Istanbul and 550 km east from Ankara. The Çöpler Mine has been operating since 2010 and is currently processing ore through two producing plants – the oxide and sulphide plants. The oxide ore is processed via heap leach and the sulphide ore is processed using pressure oxidation.
