Tag Archives: sulphuric acid

Almalyk MMC

Metso and Almalyk MMC sign technology agreement for new copper smelter

Base metals, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

Metso and JSC Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical company (Almalyk MMC) have signed a frame agreement on significant process technology deliveries for Almalyk MMC’s new copper smelter investment in Uzbekistan.

The companies have collaborated on the development of minerals processing and metallurgical operations since 2011, Metso says.

Equipment package contracts under the framework agreement will be booked once they have been signed and become effective. Metso says it estimates that the majority of those contracts will be signed this year. The frame agreement is a continuation of Metso’s and Almalyk MMC’s contract signed at the end of 2022 for the design and basic engineering work for the copper smelter.

The planned production capacity of the new copper smelter, which will be integrated with the company’s existing operations in Almalyk, is 300,000 t/y of copper cathodes and 1.8 Mt/y of sulphuric acid.

“We are very pleased to be selected as the strategic partner for Almalyk MMC’s smelter project,” Piia Karhu, President of Metso’s Metals business area, said. “Metso will provide Almalyk MMC with the most advanced sustainable Planet Positive technology for their copper refining processes.”

Almalyk MMC is the main copper producer in Uzbekistan. The company produces refined copper, gold, silver, zinc, molybdenum, lead concentrate and other products.

Kamoa-Kakula-Ivanhoe

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

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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.

BHP and JX Metals partner on GHG emission reduction plan for copper supply chain

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JX Metals Corporation (JX Metals) and BHP have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to pursue the development of a “Green Enabling Partnership” aimed at supporting both parties’ ambitions of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the copper supply chain and making the copper supply chain more sustainable.

Through the Green Enabling Partnership, JX Metals and BHP aim to support the continued development of a responsible copper supply chain through enhancing traceability and material origin verification across industry, from producers to downstream consumers such as copper product manufacturers, as well as the semiconductor, information technology and automobile industries.

In addition, the Green Enabling Partnership proposes to advocate for circular economy and GHG emissions reduction through copper concentrates and sulphuric acid supply between both parties, promote knowledge sharing in areas of estimating and reducing carbon footprint of electrolytic copper, and engaging in research and development to support improved material processing and energy efficient smelting operations.

JX Metals and BHP have a long-standing relationship dating back to 1985 with the commissioning of Escondida, BHP’s largest copper mine. This relationship has been strengthened in recent years through various collaboration opportunities – for example, BHP has supplied copper concentrates extracted from its mines in Chile to JX Metals’ smelters in Japan, and in turn, utilised sulphuric acid produced in JX Metals’ smelting processes for solvent extraction in its mines.

“JX Metals’ partnerships in the downstream copper supply chain are expanding in scope,” JX Metals Director and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Kazuhiro Hori, said. “Our efforts to produce more sustainable copper are centered on green hybrid smelting at the Saganoseki Smelter and Refinery, and partnerships with upstream sectors are essential to reduce our Scope 3 GHG emissions reported by JX Metals in copper concentrate production and transportation. We will respond to our stakeholders’ needs by enhancing our ESG efforts in upstream sectors through this partnership with BHP, a vital responsibility for JX Metals.”

In 2022, Pan Pacific Copper (a member of JX Metal’s group), partnered with BHP and Norsepower, a global manufacturer of wind propulsion equipment for shipping, in an effort to reduce carbon emissions from the marine transportation of copper concentrates and sulphuric acid.

BHP’s Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, said: “At BHP, we pride ourselves on identifying and implementing innovative sustainability. We recognise that solutions are not developed in silos, and partnership and collaboration with our customers and partners across the value chain often bring about the best and most sustainable outcomes in pursuit of these goals. We look forward to working with JX Metals on the Green Enabling Partnership that aims to support further GHG emissions reduction in the supply chain for copper, one of the most critical minerals in the journey towards global net zero ambitions.”

President of BHP Americas, Rag Udd, said: “In a world in which the demand for copper is on the rise, improving the sustainability of producing processes is a non-negotiable. The copper of our mines produced in Chile are fundamental for decarbonising the value chain and for providing the resources the world needs to enable the energy transition. BHP has made significant progress in increasing the sustainability and ESG standards of its copper production, and we always aim to deliver high-quality and responsibly produced copper. I’m sure that this partnership will benefit our customers and will allow us to go even further in our effort to decarbonise through innovative production processes.”

Metso Outotec to deliver two sulphuric acid plants to Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Company

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Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Company (AMMC) has awarded Metso Outotec an order worth €70 million ($74 million) for the delivery of two sulphuric acid plants to be built for its zinc roasting facility in Almalyk, Uzbekistan.

Metso Outotec’s scope of delivery includes the design and delivery of Planet Positive equipment for two gas cleaning and sulphuric acid plants, which will process all off-gases from the zinc roasters into industrial-grade sulphuric acid, Metso Outotec says. In addition, Metso Outotec will deliver utility facilities, such as a common cooling tower system and a common air compressor system.

The two plants to be delivered by Metso Outotec will be identical and replace AMMC’s existing facilities for gas cleaning and sulphuric acid production, it said. The plants will improve operational efficiency and reliability and significantly reduce the facilities’ environmental impact, the company added, with the plants expected to be operational by the end of the second half of 2025.

Hannes Storch, Vice President, Metal and Chemical Processing at Metso Outotec, said: “We are extremely pleased that Almalyk has again selected us as the partner for providing gas cleaning and sulphuric acid technology. Metso Outotec’s advanced Planet Positive gas cleaning and sulphuric acid plant solution will improve the environmental performance of AMMC’s metallurgical operations.”

Metso Outotec launches Editube Wet Electrostatic Precipitator digital optimiser

IoT, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , ,

Metso Outotec is launching a digital optimiser for its wet gas cleaning solution, the Editube™ Wet Electrostatic Precipitator (WESP), as part of its plan to further improve the quality of sulphuric acid production for its clients.

WESPs are a necessity prior to sulphuric acid plants processing metallurgical off-gas to ensure a high-quality acid, according to Metso Outotec. The Editube WESP, meanwhile, has a very high removal efficiency potential where dust levels in the outlet are commonly measured at below 0.5 mg/Nm3.

The new WESP Optimizer improves the operation of the WESP section by better adjusting it to changes in the overall process, the company explains.

Leif Skilling, Director, Gas Cleaning at Metso Outotec, said: “We are excited to launch the new WESP Optimizer. It has important built-in functions to protect the units with plastic tube bundles during low acid load operation. In addition, the Optimizer increases removal efficiency during high acid load operation, as well as provides energy savings whenever there is spare capacity. The Optimizer also monitors the behavior of each WESP, enabling faster damage detection, and provides the operators with otherwise unavailable information such as calculated removal efficiency.”

Metso Outotec says it has more than 35 years of experience with WESPs and has sold more than 125 units. This extensive experience of the Metso Outotec experts is now incorporated into the new WESP Optimizer.

Benefits of the Metso Outotec WESP Optimizer include:

  • Reduced risk of damage to plastic tubes during low acid load conditions, start-up, and commissioning;
  • Energy savings whenever there is spare capacity;
  • Higher removal efficiency and lower flashover frequency during high acid load conditions;
  • Provides operators with otherwise unavailable information;
  • Monitors the WESPs for abnormal behaviour, enabling faster detection of damages and facilitating troubleshooting; and
  • Enables faster and more accurate online support from Metso Outotec experts.

Travertine looks to revolutionise metal extraction tech, sulphuric acid production

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A new technology start-up that came out of research from the University of California, Berkeley is looking to commercialise a novel, cost-effective process to capture and permanently sequester ambient carbon dioxide while producing sulphuric acid.

The process should, the company says, enable carbon-negative critical element extraction and fertiliser production.

Travertine Technologies, Inc. today announced a $3 million seed financing jointly led by Grantham Environmental Trust and Clean Energy Ventures to enable the company to scale up its team in Colorado, and to accelerate its pathway to pilot-scale technology implementation in 2023.

Carbon dioxide removal has widely been acknowledged as a key piece in the climate change puzzle, with the IPCC believing it must be scaled concurrently with decarbonisation to achieve the goals from the Paris Climate Accord.

Travertine’s electrochemical process mineralises CO2 from the air and co-produces sulphuric acid used for extracting raw materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt. It accelerates the Earth’s natural carbon cycle to precipitate carbonate minerals from carbon dioxide in the air – producing sulphuric acid, green hydrogen for renewable energy and oxygen as a by-product – and permanently storing carbon in the solid phase, according to Travertine.

Travertine Founder and CEO, a former University of California, Berkeley Professor, Laura Lammers, told IM: “For every tonne of sulphuric acid produced, half a tonne of CO2 is saved and sequestered.”

Some 300 Mt of sulphuric acid is used annually in extractive industries including mining and fertiliser production, with demand set to grow with the surging need for critical elements.

Lammers, one of the leading scientists in carbonate mineralisation, says Travertine is engaging with companies looking to expand or bring online new production of energy minerals such as lithium that would typically go down the normal sulphuric acid plant route, telling them Travertine can provide another option.

“In addition to that, there are many tonnes of sulphate waste out there that come with recycling options using the technology,” she said. If the technology proves successful in these applications, it could prevent the accumulation of millions of tonnes of waste annually that contaminate water and are deemed as liabilities for mining companies.

And there are also options to bolt-on the technology for retrofits/upgrades in existing sulphuric acid processes, she added.

To this point, the company is working with mining companies to trial this technology, with Lammers hoping to say more about these partnerships next year.

She concluded: “There are a number of companies looking at the carbon-to-value landscape, but we are focused on redressing the needs of the industry and the environmental balance.”

Metso Outotec to supply equipment for Boliden’s Green Zinc Odda project

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Metso Outotec says it has been awarded a contract for the delivery of key technology to the Boliden Odda zinc smelter expansion in western Norway.

Approximately 90% of the €150 million ($170 million) contract has been booked in the company’s Metals Q4/2021 orders received and the rest in Minerals Q4/2021 orders received.

With the expansion, Boliden Odda is planning to increase its annual production capacity of zinc metal from 200,000 t to 350,000 t. Several by-products will also be produced.

The project is called “Green Zinc Odda”, and its energy consumption is based on fossil-free energy.

Metso Outotec’s scope of delivery includes roasting and off-gas cleaning solutions and a sulphuric acid plant, with the OEM also supplying hydrometallurgical equipment and technology for calcine leaching, solid liquid separation, solution purification, as well as process and plant engineering and site services. The deliveries are set to take place in 2022-2024.

Jari Ålgars, President, Metals business area at Metso Outotec, said: “The Green Zinc Odda project paves the way for more sustainable zinc production and is yet another important milestone in the many years of collaboration between Boliden and Metso Outotec.”

DuPont Clean Tech to provide low emission sulphuric acid plant input at Rhyolite Ridge

Energy minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , ,

ioneer Ltd has awarded DuPont Clean Technologies a contract for the licence, engineering and supply of proprietary equipment for the planned sulphuric acid plant at the company’s Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project in Nevada, USA.

Specialty technology provider DuPont will work with engineering partner SNC-Lavalin on the plant design, providing best-in-class MECS® sulphuric acid production technology for a plant with a 3,500 t/d capacity, and controls that limit emissions to among the lowest in the world for this type of facility, ioneer says.

The DuPont contract is conditional on a final investment decision on the project by the ioneer Board of Directors, which is expected shortly.

In June, Rhyolite Ridge became the first project with planned sulphuric acid production to receive a Class II Air Quality permit in Nevada.

Employing advanced technologies, the plant will meet stringent NV Class II air quality standards and water pollution control, according to ioneer. DuPont will also supply its latest generation MECS Super GEAR™ catalyst and other critical proprietary equipment, with the plant set to convert sulphur into commercial-grade sulphuric acid, used to leach lithium and boron from the crushed rock.

The heat released in the process will be recovered to produce steam for electricity. The plant will generate an initial 35 MW of electricity, which is sufficient to power the entire Rhyolite Ridge operation and means ioneer will not draw electricity from the grid, the company says.

“Rhyolite Ridge will be an energy-independent operation, using primarily co-generated, zero-carbon power,” it added.

The heat generated will also be used for evaporation and crystallisation processes required to produce lithium carbonate and boric acid.

Once operational, Rhyolite Ridge is expected to produce 20,600 t/y of lithium carbonate, converting in year four to 22,000 t/y of battery-grade lithium hydroxide, and 174,400 t/y of boric acid. Pending final federal US Department of the Interior approval of the Plan of Operation, the project is expected to begin production in the second half of 2024.

Commenting on the contract, ioneer Managing Director, Bernard Rowe, said: “Development of the Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project is a critical strategic step to enable US production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. ioneer’s core commitment is to produce essential materials in an environmentally and socially responsible and sustainable manner through lowered emissions, reduced water usage and a minimal surface footprint. We are delighted to welcome MECS-DuPont to our team. It is a world-leader in clean technology and emissions control and will work alongside ioneer to deliver this tier-1 project in the US.”

Global business leader of DuPont Clean Technologies, Eli Ben-Shoshan, said: “We have worked in close partnership with ioneer and SNC-Lavalin to be able to guarantee the precise performance and emissions control ioneer needs for its Rhyolite Ridge project to meet stringent environmental standards and production objectives. We are excited to be part of a project that helps ioneer cleanly produce lithium essential to advancement of electric energy markets and to be able to support it with our many decades of expertise in sulphuric acid plant technology.”