Metathetic Copper Concentrate Enrichment Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low-grade copper concentrates with elevated nickel levels are undesirable for smelting, as nickel can cause anode passivation and is often not paid for by copper smelters, while nickel sulphide concentrates require high nickel grades for smelting, necessitating the separation and enrichment of copper and nickel minerals.
Innovation Solution
A process involving comminution, flotation, and metathetic leaching to separate copper and nickel minerals, followed by hydrometallurgical extraction to produce enriched copper concentrates with reduced nickel content, utilizing the PLATSOL™ process for precious metal recovery and copper enrichment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional flotation is used to produce copper concentrate, then copper content is increased, but nickel content also increases to undesirable levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts nickel from the copper concentrate by treating the concentrate with a nickel sulphate solution, which causes nickel to be selectively removed into the solution phase while copper remains in the solid concentrate phase
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a nickel sulphate solution as an intermediary medium to facilitate the separation of nickel from copper. The solution acts as a carrier that selectively takes up nickel while leaving copper behind, enabling effective separation
2Object-affected harmful factors
If nickel is removed from copper concentrate, then nickel contamination is reduced, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the concentrate by treating it with a specific nickel sulphate solution under controlled conditions, enabling selective nickel removal through chemical affinity rather than requiring complex physical separation equipment
3Quantity of substance
If copper concentrate grade is increased, then smelting value is improved, but nickel levels may become excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts excess nickel from high-grade copper concentrates using nickel sulphate solution, allowing the concentrate to achieve both high copper grade and controlled nickel levels suitable for smelting requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a controlled treatment process where the nickel sulphate solution selectively interacts with nickel in the concentrate, providing a self-regulating mechanism that removes nickel to appropriate levels while preserving copper content
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process effectively enriches copper concentrates to desirable levels, reducing nickel contamination and maximizing copper content, making them more saleable for smelting while recovering precious metals, thus enhancing economic efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the copper concentrate with a copper sulphate solution under metathetic leaching conditions to extract nickel from the copper concentrate and deposit copper metal on the copper concentrate
Implementation Method 2
A first concentrate comprising copper-enriched-and-nickel-containing solids and a second concentrate comprising nickel-enriched-and-copper-containing solids are produced by a floatation process
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, the invention provides processes for producing an enriched copper concentrate from a copper-and-nickel-containing ore. Processes of the invention may include an initial step of comminuting the ore, to provide a ground ore comprising copper minerals and nickel minerals. The ground ore may be subjected to a floatation process, to separate the ground ore into distinct fractions, such as first and second concentrates. A first concentrate may for example be made up of copper-enriched-and-nickel-containing solids, while a second concentrate is made up of nickel-enriched-and-copper-containing solids. The floatation process may for example fractionate the ore so that the concentration of copper minerals is higher in the first concentrate than in the ore, and the concentration of the nickel minerals is higher in the second concentrate than the ore.