Tag Archives: copper

Vale Base Metals targets pyrrhotite with latest recovery innovation challenge

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Sustainable mining, , , ,

Vale Base Metals has launched the Pyrrhotite Resource Recovery Innovation Challenge to, it says, facilitate and enhance recovery of valuable metals and minerals contained in pyrrhotite.

The challenge reflects a commitment to driving innovative environmental solutions with a goal to identify and accelerate development of novel approaches to process low-grade pyrrhotite tailings, the solid remnants resulting from the mineral processing of sulphide ore.

Adam McMillan, Director of Research and Innovation for Vale Base Metals, said: “We’re committed to safely delivering critical minerals essential for the world’s energy transition and continued sustainable economic development. Open innovation is a key enabler that allows us to rapidly identify and trial innovative solutions that can help us unlock value from waste and we look forward to reviewing the innovative solutions this challenge inspires.”

Through this challenge, Vale Base Metals says it is inviting researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs to propose innovative technological solutions that can help to unlock value through circular mining while ensuring environmental responsibility.

Proposals will be evaluated until August 2024, with innovation laureates announced in September. Selected solutions will be awarded a prize of C$25,000 ($18,420) from Vale Base Metals.

For more information about the challenge and how to participate, click here

Freeport-McMoRan Chino feels the ‘value add’ from MineSense ShovelSense installation

Base metals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining events, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , ,

During a Technical Session at the SME MineXchange Conference and Expo, in Phoenix, Arizona, today, a speaker from Freeport-McMoRan highlighted the value case for using MineSense’s X-ray Fluorescence-based ShovelSense® system at its Chino copper mine in New Mexico, USA.

In a presentation titled, ‘ShovelSense Bulk Ore Sorting Use Cases and Value at Freeport-McMoRan Chino Mine, New Mexico, USA,’ Maurice Sunkpal, Senior Ore Control, Freeport-McMoRan, showcased how the company’s use of ShovelSense had resulted in multiple benefits.

The company has been employing ShovelSense alongside other solutions such as Orica’s OREPro™ 3D as part of a five-year, ore control focused strategy at Chino. Chino is a highly heterogeneous copper porphyry skarn deposit where ore control is especially challenging due to the natural variability of the deposit, sparse blasthole sampling and blast movement, causing inevitable ore loss and dilution.

Chino has retrofitted its main production Komatsu P&H4100 electric rope shovel with ShovelSense to predict grades at the mine face for the purpose of bulk ore sorting, diverting mis-classified trucks to their correct destination.

Sunkpal was able to showcase the difference in the waste and ore definitions from a standard block model and that of one based on XRF data from ShovelSense (see below). This data – and the resultant diversions – in the mining of high contrast ore-waste contacts resulted in more than 10% truck diversions, yielding significant economic benefits by reducing dilution and ore loss, he said.

Block model differences: the original on the left and the ShovelSense-aided block model on the right

He also said the integraion of ShovelSense was enhancing the self-audit capabilities of ore control tools at the mine via real-time tracking of the ore control process. He added that this process had identified opportunities for further process optimisation.

Further, Chino has seen a reduction in variance from mine to mill with ShovelSense, while allowing the company to carry out selective mining with increased accuracy and confidence.

Raglan Mine extends operations for another two decades with Anuri

Base metals, Mine operation news, Mineral project development, , , , , , , ,

Raglan Mine, part of Glencore, has officially inaugurated the Anuri Mine, from its Sivumut mining project, which has been under development for over 10 years.

This event marks an important milestone in the pursuit of its mining operations in Nunavik and highlights its ongoing commitment to the local communities that welcome its operations, it said.

Anuri is one of the largest mining investments in Quebec, Canada, in the last decade. It is anticipated that it will lengthen Raglan Mine’s life of operations for at least 20 years.

Pierre Barette, Vice President of Raglan Mine, said: “We expect that our mining activities, initially forecast to last 25 years, will be significantly extended thanks to the Anuri mine. This is a huge success for our 1,400 employees, our Inuit partners and our business partners.”

More than 60 Raglan Mine employees helped find a name for the new mine. The final choice, Anuri, was selected by the members of the Raglan Committee and means ‘wind’ in Inuktitut. It reflects the change, vigour and evolution that this new phase represents for Raglan Mine and its Inuit partners, Raglan said.

Jean-François Verret, Director – Projects, Geology and Exploration, noted: “This project was a challenge on every level, particularly given the pandemic, the Arctic climate and numerous logistical challenges. Nevertheless, we completed the Sivumut project ahead of schedule, under budget and with everyone’s safety at the heart of every step. We achieved this through outstanding collaboration within our team and with our partners.”

The Sivumut project is the outcome of a collaborative and continuous improvement approach, enriched by the participatory process undertaken with Inuit communities as part of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, in compliance with Quebec’s Environment Quality Act and Section 23 of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.

As a result of these consultations, the Raglan Agreement with the Inuit of Salluit, Kangiqsujuaq and all of Nunavik was improved, particularly regarding land use, employment, training and the participation of Inuit businesses.

Signed in 1995 and enhanced in 2017, the Raglan Agreement continues to guide the day-to-day operations, ensuring that commitments made to the Inuit communities of Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq, as well as to Makivvik Corporation, are respected.

Raglan Mine, involved in nickel mining since 1997, considers the Anuri mine a key step towards the pursuit of its activities in partnership with Inuit communities. Glencore thus continues its efforts to minimise its environmental footprint and maximize local benefits.

Raglan Mine is part of Glencore, one of the world’s largest diversified natural resource companies. It operates on the northern edge of Quebec, in Nunavik. Its property extends to almost 70 km from east to west, and consists of a series of high-grade deposits, mainly nickel and copper.

Enaex and NYK to explore low-carbon ammonia fuel options in copper concentrate shipping

Base metals, Environmental, Explosives and blasting, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , ,

Enaex says it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the international shipping group NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers Ltd (NBP), del Grupo NYK to assess the feasibility of providing low-carbon ammonia as a fuel for ships set to carry copper concentrate.

Over the next decade, NBP plans to build between 10 and 15 Handymax bulk carriers, which will use low-carbon ammonia as their main fuel. The first of these ships is expected to arrive in Chile in 2027, to be used to transport copper concentrate produced by Codelco from Mejillones, in the Antofagasta Region, to countries in the Asian market.

Juan Andrés Errázuriz, CEO of Enaex, said: “Our company’s first value is to care for life and, as part of that commitment, we are concerned about mitigating the impacts on climate change. Therefore, we are constantly working to reduce CO2 emissions and, to date, we have reduced more than 90% of emissions in our production process. Going further along this path, we are now focused on collaborating in the reduction of emissions in the transportation of raw materials.”

According to the MoU, Enaex will have to provide the low carbon ammonia for these vessels, as well as make available for loading the facilities of its terminal in Mejillones, which until now are only used for unloading ammonia.

Errázuriz said: “Our company already has experience in the transport and production of low-carbon ammonia. At our Cachimayo plant in Peru, we are producing green ammonia and we have also imported blue ammonia from the United States.”

According to the new carbon neutrality goals established by the International Maritime Organization, the shipping industry is projected to be one of the largest consumers of low-carbon ammonia in the future.

The understanding agreement was signed Errázuriz, Hitoshi Nagasawa, President of NYK, and Masashi Suda, President of NBP, at Enaex’s offices in Santiago.

Metso reflects on ‘benchmark’ contract win in Chile copper space

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Metso has been awarded a major order worth some €55 million ($59 million) to deliver key concentrator equipment for a copper mining project in Chile.

The Metso delivery scope consists of high-capacity Nordberg® MP1250 secondary cone crushers, MF Series™ vibrating screens and energy-efficient Vertimill® VTM1500 regrinding mills.

For the flotation and separation circuit, Metso will supply multiple TankCell® and ColumnCell™ flotation cells featuring several of the largest available 630 cu.m TankCell units, as well as HCT™ High Compression tailing thickeners. In addition, Metso’s scope includes four MHC hydrocyclone clusters, of which two will be among the largest in the world.

Most of the products in the delivery scope are part of Metso’s Planet Positive offering.

Fernando Samanez, Vice President, Minerals Sales for South America at Metso, said: “Working together with the customer and the engineering company on an open collaborative model has been an extraordinary experience. The model enhanced the efficiency of the engineering process and contributed to the alignment of all parties on the targets set by the end customer. This will be a benchmark to be followed in similar projects all over the world.”

Anglo American and Finnish Minerals Group look to progress Finland’s battery strategy

Base metals, Energy minerals, Environmental, Mineral project development, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Anglo American and Finnish Minerals Group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work together to explore opportunities to, they say, further support Finland’s battery strategy.

Finnish Minerals Group is a holding and development company that manages the Finnish Government’s mining industry shareholdings and supports the development of the Finnish battery value chain. Among other assets, it holds the Terrafame nickel heap leach mine.

Alison Atkinson, Projects & Development Director at Anglo American, said: “Finland is a highly attractive investment destination and has a strong heritage in both mining and innovation. We look forward to working with Finnish Minerals Group, whose mission is to responsibly maximise the value of Finnish minerals, to explore the wealth of opportunities that our agreement could offer.

“This agreement further strengthens our commitment to Finland as well as to our Sakatti project, a true polymetallic orebody very much aligned to Finland’s and the EU’s critical minerals priorities. Sakatti is designed as the next generation of FutureSmart Mining™, building on what we have learned in terms of minimal surface footprint and using technology and innovation to deliver ever better environmental and social outcomes, whilst producing essential raw materials needed to transition to a greener, low carbon energy future.”

Atkinson said last year during a sustainability performance update that Sakatti was set to be “a remotely operated, low carbon-underground mine with an electric mining fleet using technology and mining methods that will create zero waste and enable high degrees of water recycling, contributing to a sustainable supply of critical minerals”. The company also sees the potential to use sorting technologies for coarse particle rejection and material recovery opportunities at the project.

Jani Kiuru, Senior Vice President, Raw Materials at Finnish Minerals Group, said: “Exploring joint opportunities with Anglo American is a natural choice for us as they already know the Finnish operational environment. In addition, the company has a long history in mining and is a forerunner in sustainability. We believe this collaboration reinforces both parties by combining local and global knowhow in sustainability and technological development, thus maximising the value of Finnish minerals responsibly. We see there is a mutual understanding on the vast possibilities and importance of Finnish minerals for the green transition.”

As a Finnish state-owned company with a mandate to foster the Finnish mining and battery industry, Finnish Minerals Group is a natural potential partner for Anglo American in Finland, Anglo American says. The company’s main assets are: Terrafame, a subsidiary that produces nickel and cobalt sulphates; project Sokli, a phosphate and rare earths deposit; and a 20% interest in Keliber, a battery-grade lithium project aiming to start production in 2025. Additionally, Finnish Minerals Group is advancing several greenfield investments further downstream in the battery value chain.

BASF and hydroGEOPHYSICS to pair solutions to optimise copper leach extraction

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral processing, , , , , ,

Global chemical company BASF and hydroGEOPHYSICS Inc (HGI) have announced an exclusive partnership aimed at combining expertise in mineral processing, hydrometallurgy and deep well injection.

The collaboration aims to optimise copper extraction in the mining industry by using HGI’s geophysical techniques to identify areas within the heap that currently offer poor recovery and will involve the design and implementation of a deep well injection program, incorporating BASF’s LixTRA leach aid to facilitate a significant uplift in copper extraction.

HGI employs state-of-the-art geophysical technologies to characterise the structural components of heap leach pads, enabling the design, operation and monitoring of targeted lixiviant injection wells, the companies explain. By adding BASF’s LixTRA leach aid, greater ore-lixiviant contact is made, which ultimately leads to higher copper dissolution and increased metal recovery. Initial results from a customer’s site have demonstrated a 20% increase in copper recovery during the trial period, prompting further testing on a larger scale to quantify the benefits, they added.

Caren Hoffman, Vice President Mining Solutions at BASF, said: “Technological advancements are essential if the industry is to meet the projected copper demand going forward. Using HGI’s expertise to identify areas of poor heap leach performance and then targeting these areas through deep well technology and BASF’s LixTRA reagent is a great example of how partnerships can drive sustainable process improvements in the mining industry.”

Brian Cubbage, Executive Vice President, Operations at HGI, added: “Enhancing copper recovery is a sustainable and safe manner is the main focus for most of the mines HGI works with. Leveraging HGI’s expertise in locating and enhancing copper recovery in underperforming areas in heap leach pads, with applying BASF’s LixTRA reagent through our injection programs, has provided a significant boost in the efficiency of copper recovery.”

Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corp backs new wind farm and battery project for BHP Olympic Dam

Base metals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

The Australian Government says it is making the BHP Olympic Dam mine, in South Australia, cleaner and creating jobs by supporting a wind farm and battery project.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is investing A$99 million ($64 million) to boost Neoen’s Goyder wind farm – which will provide electricity to BHP’s copper mine in the northern part of the state. This cleaner and cheaper renewable power will be backed up by Neoen’s Blyth Battery, which is located nearby.

Once completed, the wind farm will generate 203 MW of electricity, and the battery will store 477 MWh, enough to help meet half of Olympic Dam mine’s electricity needs with clean power.

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, said the project is important for the South Australian clean energy and resources sectors.

“It’s great to see clean energy powering mining – bringing together key national industrial strengths in renewables and resources, while creating jobs,” he said. “The Albanese Government is excited to support a project that involves three vital things for Australia’s future – wind power, batteries, and strategic materials.”

Blyth Battery is the fifth big battery project financed by the CEFC, bringing their total investment in this technology to over A$390 million.

CEFC CEO, Ian Learmonth, said: “The challenge of reducing emissions across the economy starts with the energy sector. The offtake agreement with BHP demonstrates how reducing energy emissions accelerates decarbonisation across the economy. This innovative solution to provide firmed green energy at Olympic Dam enables a significant energy user to progress its net zero goals while producing a critical mineral like copper more sustainably.”

Neoen CEO, Louis de Sambucy, said: “We are delighted to announce the joint financing of the second tranche of Goyder South Stage 1 alongside Blyth Battery and we sincerely thank the lender group for their trust and commitment. We are looking forward to powering BHP’s Olympic Dam mine with baseload renewable energy.”

Aeris Resources looks to solve Stockman recovery challenges with Albion process

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , ,

Aeris Resources has provided an update on the feasibility study underway on its 100% owned Stockman project in Victoria, Australia, guiding for a development path that includes ultrafine grinding and the Albion Process from Glencore Technology.

Andre Labuschagne, Aeris’ Executive Chairman, said: “We are very excited with the potential of the Stockman project. Since acquiring Stockman as part of the Round Oak acquisition in July 2022, our technical teams have materially advanced the project.”

With a recent update to the mineral resource estimate for the Currawong deposit, the company now intends to mine only Currawong for the first 12 years of operations, at a rate of up to 850,000 t/y of ore, he added.

“Mining Currawong simplifies the operation compared to the previous plan of mining Currawong and Wilga concurrently, whilst also reducing up-front capital,” he said.

The processing strategy will involve two stages: the mine site processing plant will have a simplified flowsheet producing a high-grade copper concentrate and a bulk concentrate containing copper, zinc, gold and silver. The copper concentrate will be transported to market while the bulk concentrate will be trucked to a regional offsite processing facility. The offsite processing facility will use ultrafine grinding and the Albion Process to produce separate copper, zinc and precious metals saleable products.

Labuschagne said: “The addition of the Albion Process has potential to provide a step change in metal recoveries and materially improve project economics. An initial desktop study has been completed with the technology vendor, utilising the recent feasibility study and metallurgical test work results. A number of potential locations for the off-site processing facility have already been identified.

“The Albion Process technology is in operation at multiple locations globally, processing copper, zinc and precious metals. This is well established, oxidative leaching technology proven to treat a wide range of concentrates with high metal recoveries.”

The Albion Process uses a combination of ultrafine grinding and oxidative leaching at atmospheric pressure to work. It also tolerates a more variable feed and lower grade than other processes, according to Glencore Technology, meaning it can make some projects feasible and profitable where alternative technologies could not. The sulphides in the feed are oxidised and valuable metals liberated, with the economic metals recovered by conventional downstream processing. Test work requires only small sample masses with no pilot plant, Glencore Technology says.

The process has produced high recoveries in refractory gold and in base metal concentrates at the six Albion Process plants in operation across the globe, according to the company.

Labuschagne says opportunities to further improve other aspects of the operations, its ESG footprint and project economics have also been identified, which are progressing.

He added: “The feasibility study will now focus on verification of the metallurgical, flowsheet and economic assumptions associated with incorporating the Albion Process into the project. We are targeting to finalise the feasibility study in the second (June) half of 2024.”

The Stockman project was acquired by Round Oak Minerals Pty Ltd (ROM) from Independence Group NL (IGO) in December 2017. Aeris subsequently acquired the ROM businesses, including the Stockman project, in July 2022.

In 2019, ROM completed a Selection Phase Study (SPS), consolidating and advancing earlier studies undertaken by previous owners of the project, IGO and Jabiru Metals Limited. The ROM SPS comprised the development of two underground mines (Wilga and Currawong), mining approximately 1 Mt/y, and an on-site flotation processing plant producing copper and zinc concentrates with precious metal by-products. Results from the SPS provided the basis for ROM to commence a Definition Phase Study.

Kamoa-Kakula-Ivanhoe

Kamoa-Kakula copper complex in DRC to install MECS sulphuric acid plant

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

The Kamoa-Kakula copper complex, a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines, Zijin Mining Group and the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has partnered with Elessent Clean Technologies to install a new 2,500 t/d smelter off-gas MECS® sulphuric acid plant.

In conjunction with global EPC partner, China Nerin Engineering Co. Ltd, the new acid plant will be part of a new 500,000 t/y direct-to-blister flash copper smelter that is under construction at Kamoa-Kakula, as part of its Phase 3 expansion. Upon completion of the Phase 3 expansion, Kamoa-Kakula is projected to be the fourth largest copper operation globally.

The MECS sulphuric acid process incorporates state-of-the-art technologies, such as the MECS pre-conversion technology and the MECS DynaWave® gas cleaning technology. DynaWave scrubbers, the gold standard in gas cleaning applications, according to Elessent, clean and condition the upstream off gas of the smelting furnace at the sulphuric acid plant. The MECS pre-conversion technology is a novel approach for processing off-gas streams with elevated sulphur dioxide concentrations while consuming significantly less power, according to the company.

The MECS sulphuric acid technology has been in use for nearly a century in the phosphate fertiliser, non-ferrous metals (leaching & smelting), oil refining and general chemical industries. MECS technologies feature breakthrough solutions, many of which have revolutionised the performance, quality and cost-effectiveness of customer operations, according to Elessent. They include MECS heat recovery systems (HRS™), MECS SolvR® regenerative SO2 scrubbing and MECS MAX3™ sulphuric acid production technology. Integrated into these MECS technologies are specialty products such as catalysts, Brink® mist eliminators, DynaWave scrubbers, ZeCor® corrosion resistant alloy products and acid coolers, all of which are specifically designed for the most demanding operating environments. The MECS technology has more than 1,000 sulphuric acid plant licenses and projects.

David Mitchell, Kamoa-Kakula’s Senior Project Manager for the smelter project, said: “At Kamoa-Kakula we aim to set a new industry standard by being the greenest major copper mine in the world. It helps that DRC not only has an incredible mineral endowment, but also has an abundance of clean hydroelectricity to power its mining industry. However, we also need the right technology to extract the copper in a sustainable way. By using the MECS acid plant design and its incorporated technologies, our new plant helps achieve our path to net zero.”

Eli Ben-Shoshan, CEO, Elessent Clean Technologies, said: “Kamoa-Kakula is one of the world’s fastest-growing major copper operations. Partnering with NERIN on the mine’s greenfield smelter complex is very exciting. It is a great honour to work with the owners of what is anticipated to be one of the greenest major copper operations on the planet.”

The Kamoa-Kakula copper complex has been in commercial operations since July 2021. The operation is currently undergoing its Phase 3 expansion, which will increase copper production to over 600,000 t/y copper from the September quarter of 2024.