The ACORGA OPT Extractant Series. Comparative Studies against Aldoxime:Ketoxime Reagents

Transcription

1 The ACORGA OPT Extractant Series Comparative Studies against Aldoxime:Ketoxime Reagents

2 Topics I. Overview of OPT Extractants II. III. IV. Side-by-side Pilot plant trial at Kansanshi Mining Plc, Solwezi, Zambia Commercial trail on Kansanshi Low Grade circuit. Isotherm-based comparison High Cu concentration PLS

3 ACORGA OPT Extractants Introduced as the MAK range at ALTA in 2006; name has been changed to OPT OPT formulations contain Aldoxime, Ketoxime and an optimised ratio of Cytec s Ester Modifier which, relative to traditional Aldoxime:Ketoxime blends: Improve stripping characteristics & therefore generally improve copper transfer. Significantly improve copper : iron selectivity Exhibit similar physical behavior

4 Kansanshi Pilot Plant Trial 30 day on-site side-by-side pilot trial of ACORGA OPT5510 & LIX 984N* Configuration 2E + 1S First 5 days spent commissioning circuit Training of personnel; stabilization of circuits & liaison with analytical laboratory; preparation of data sheets 21 day Data Collection Period followed Organic continuous operation throughout Low Recovery Conditions Extract O/A ratio of 1.2 Medium Recovery Conditions Extract O/A ratio of 1.5 High Recovery Conditions Extract O/A ratio of 1.8 Final 4 days E1 stages inverted to aqueous continuous Qualitative comparative stability measured Ratios required to invert mixers from aqueous to organic continuous measured *LIX is a registered Trademark of Cognis Corporation

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6 Pilot Plant Parameters Working volume of mixer: m 3 Mixer Retention Time min Impellor Tip Speed m/min Settler Rating m 3 /m 2 /hr Linear Velocity cm/s Organic Bed Depth cm Aqueous Bed Depth cm Settler RT Org min Settler RT Aqu 8-24 min Mixer box temperature range: C

7 Solutions HG PLS Cu (gpl) Fe (gpl) Fe2+ (gpl) Fe3+ (gpl) Mn (ppm) Si (ppm) H2SO4 (gpl) ph TSS (ppm) Max Min Average * Spent Electrolyte Cu (gpl) H2SO4 (gpl) Fe (gpl) Fe3+ (gpl) Mn (ppm) Max Min Average Organic Phases ACORGA OPT 5510 LIX 984N Date ML - Cu Vol% ML Cu Vol% (gpl) (gpl) 6-Sep Sep Sep Sep Sep Oct AVERAGE

8 Kansanshi Pilot Plant Trial Physical Results Phase Disengagement Time Measured twice per 12 hour shift Crud Band Measured once per 12 hour shift Entrainment Visual comparison

9 Phase Disengagement Times ACORGA OPT5510 LIX984N Stage min (s) max (s) min (s) max (s) E E S

10 Crud Comparison - Extract Stages 8.0 Daily Average 7.0 ACORGA OPT E1 Interfacial Crud (cm) ACORGA OPT E2 LIX 984N - E1 LIX 984N - E2 5-Sep 6-Sep 7-Sep 8-Sep 9-Sep 10-Sep 11-Sep 12-Sep 13-Sep 14-Sep 15-Sep 16-Sep 17-Sep 18-Sep 19-Sep 20-Sep 21-Sep 22-Sep 23-Sep 24-Sep

11 Crud Comparison - Strip Stage ACORGA OPT5510 Daily Average Interfacial Crud (cm) LIX 984N 5-Sep 6-Sep 7-Sep 8-Sep 9-Sep 10-Sep 11-Sep 12-Sep 13-Sep 14-Sep 15-Sep 16-Sep 17-Sep 18-Sep 19-Sep 20-Sep 21-Sep 22-Sep 23-Sep 24-Sep

12 Crud Comparison E1 ACORGA OPT E1 E1 LIX 984N - E1 26 September September 2007

13 Crud Comparison E2 ACORGA OPT5510 E2 LIX 984N 26 September September 2007

14 Crud Comparison S1 ACORGA OPT5510 S1 LIX 984N 26 September September 2007

15 E1 - Aqueous Continuous Operation ACORGA OPT5510 E1 LIX 984N E1

16 E1 - Aqueous Continuous Operation After 10 minutes After 3 days

17 Kansanshi Pilot Plant Trial Metallurgical Comparison Copper Transfer Metallurgical O/A vs. Flow O/A Recoveries Copper : Iron Selectivity

18 Calculated Metallurgical O/A 7.0 OPT5510 Extract (-) = excluded points OPT5510 Strip LIX984N Extract LIX984N Strip Metallurgical O:A Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept 10 Sept 11 Sept 12 Sept 13 Sept 14 Sept 15 Sept 15 Sept Assay date 16 Sept 16 Sept 17 Sept 18 Sept 20 Sept 20 Sept 21 Sept 21 Sept 22 Sept 22 Sept 23 Sept 24 Sept 24 Sept 25 Sept

19 Copper Recoveries Pilot Plant 95 Copper Recovery Comparison Copper Recovery vol% ACORGA OPT vol% LIX 984N Difference (%) O/A:1.2 O/A: 1.5 O/A: Difference (%)

20 Copper : Iron Selectivity Average - Fe Loading vs %Cu Loading % Cu Loading ACORGA OPT % Cu Loading LIX984N - % Cu Loading ACORGA OPT Fe Loading LIX984N - Fe Loading Fe Loading on Organic (ppm) Extract O:A

21 Kansanshi LG Commercial Trial I. LG Train selected for the trial because of issue with poor copper/iron selectivity. II. III. Configuration is series-parallel (2E+E+S) Org Flow 1400m3/hr; Series PLS 500m3/hr (O/A 2.80); Parallel PLS 750m3/hr (O/A 1.87) IV. Trial initiated towards the end of October 2008 V. Currently ACORGA OPT5510 comprises 30-32% of the extractant composition (total is 26 vol%). VI. Data range from May 2008 to Feb 7 th 2009

22 Kansanshi LG PLS and Raffinates LOW GRADE PLS Cu (g/l) vs. Raffinate Cu (g/l) PLS Cu (g/l) /12 5/26 6/9 6/23 7/7 7/21 8/4 8/18 9/1 9/15 9/29 10/13 10/27 11/10 11/24 12/8 12/22 1/5 1/19 2/2 2/ Raffinate Copper (g/l) LG PLS gpl Cu weighted LG raffinate 3 per. Mov. Avg. (weighted LG raffinate) 3 per. Mov. Avg. (LG PLS gpl Cu)

23 Kansanshi LG circuit: Chemical Iron Transfer Organic Fe Transfer (ppm) vs. Weighted Raffinate Cu (g/l) Org Fe (ppm) /12 6/2 6/23 7/14 8/4 8/25 9/15 10/6 10/27 11/17 12/8 12/29 1/19 2/9 E1-S1 Org Fe(ppm) weighted LG raffinate 3 per. Mov. Avg. (E1-S1 Org Fe(ppm)) 3 per. Mov. Avg. (weighted LG raffinate) Raff. Cu (g/l)

24 Kansanshi LG circuit: Chemical Iron Transfer Organic Fe Transfer (ppm) vs. E2 Raffinate Acid (g/l) Org Fe (ppm) /12 5/26 6/9 6/23 7/7 7/21 8/4 8/18 9/1 9/15 9/29 10/13 10/27 11/10 11/24 12/8 12/22 1/5 1/19 2/2 2/ Raff. Cu (g/l) E1-S1 Org Fe(ppm) LG raffinate E2 gpl H2SO4 3 per. Mov. Avg. (E1-S1 Org Fe(ppm)) 3 per. Mov. Avg. (LG raffinate E2 gpl H2SO4)

25 Kansanshi LG circuit: Expected Trend PLS 3.96 g/l Cu, ph 1.8, 2.0 g/l Fe(III) 25 vol% Percentage ACORGA OPT E1 Org Fe Loading (ppm) % 100% 0 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% E1 Org Copper loading (%)

26 LG Commercial Trial : Phase Disengagement Time & Mixer Temperature LG E1 seconds oc 0 10/19 10/24 10/29 11/3 11/8 11/13 11/18 11/23 11/28 12/3 12/8 12/13 12/18 12/23 12/28 1/2 1/7 1/12 1/17 1/22 1/27 2/1 2/6 2/11 2/16 2/21 2/26 3/3 34 BREAK TIME (s) TEMP

27 LG Commercial Trial : Phase Disengagement Time & Mixer Temperature LG E2 seconds oc 0 10/1 9 10/2 4 10/2 9 11/3 11/8 11/1 3 11/1 8 11/2 3 11/2 8 12/3 12/8 12/1 3 12/1 8 12/2 3 12/2 8 1/2 1/7 1/12 1/17 1/22 1/27 2/1 2/6 2/11 2/16 2/21 2/26 3/3 34 BREAK TIME (s) TEMP

28 LG Commercial Trial : Phase Disengagement Time & Mixer Temperature LG E seconds oc /23 1/17 34 BREAK TIME (s) TEMP

29 LG Commercial Trial : Phase Disengagement Time & Mixer Temperature LG S1 seconds oc 0 10/19 10/24 10/29 11/3 11/8 11/13 11/18 11/23 11/28 12/3 12/8 12/13 12/18 12/23 12/28 1/2 1/7 1/12 1/17 1/22 1/27 2/1 2/6 2/11 2/16 2/21 2/26 3/3 37 BREAK TIME (s) TEMP

30 LG Trail: Physical Performance The rate of crud generation has been similar to the pre-addition rate as well as the current rate of formation in the other two trains. Reagent consumption has been in-line with pre-addition levels; reagent concentration is maintained at 26vol%.

31 High Cu Conc. Isotherm Comparison Comparison of performance of equal masses of ACORGA OPT5540 and LIX 973N Organic Phase: Reagent Mass of Reagent (g) made up to 1000ml with diluent Max Load (g/l) Uptake (g/l/vol%) Conc. (vol%) ACORGA OPT LIX 973N PLS & Spent Electrolyte Cu (g/l) ph Sulfuric Acid (g/l) Total Fe (g/l) Fe (II) (g/l) Fe (III) (g/l) Primary PLS Secondary PLS Spent Electrolyte

32 High Cu PLS Isotherm Comparison Circuit Configuration 3 Primary Extr.+2 Secondary Extr.+2 Strip 14% of the organic flow split to the secondary extract; recombined with rest of org flow entering the primary extract section Stage Efficiency 95% throughout Recovery Comparison Reagent HG Raff (g/l) LG Raff (g/l) HG Cu Rec. (%) LG Cu Rec. (%) Org. Cu Loading (g/l) Strip Efficiency (%) Net Cu T/fer (g/l/vol%) ACORGA OPT LIX 973N

33 High Cu PLS Isotherm Comparison Comparison of high Cu Extract Isotherms

34 High Cu PLS Isotherm Comparison Comparison of low Cu Extract Isotherms

35 High Cu PLS Isotherm Comparison Comparison of Strip Isotherms

36 High Cu PLS Isotherm Comparison 31.4 vol% ACORGA OPT5540

37 32.5 vol% LIX 973N High Cu PLS Isotherm Comparison

38 High Cu PLS Isotherm Comparison 31.4 vol% ACORGA OPT5540

39 32.5 vol% LIX 973N High Cu PLS Isotherm Comparison

40 Final Comments Under most conditions the ACORGA OPT range of extractants offers direct cost savings when compared with their aldoxime:ketoxime counterpart. ACORGA OPT5510 offers both improved copper transfer and improved copper:iron selectivity relative to aldoxime:ketoxime reagents, both in heap-leach and agitated-leach applications. Cytec will continue to conduct side-by-side pilot trials at sites around the world to demonstrate site-specific benefits.

41 Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Kansanshi Mining Plc staff for their valued assistance and support firstly during the pilot plant trial and now during the LG commercial trial.

42 Questions?