Activation leaching of difficult primary ore at Malmyzh deposit

The current approaches to processing low-grade porphyry–copper ore, including copper mostly composed of chalcopyrite, are reviewed. Copper recovery from such ore by heap leaching is the most optimum method of processing. Effect of different oxidizers on heap leaching performance and on chemistry of copper minerals is discussed. The influence of highactive oxygen-bearing oxidizers on transformation of substance and structure of sulfide ore is theoretically validated. The simulated processes of heap leaching of Malmyzh difficult primary ore are studied using small laboratory columns. Malmyzh ore contains copper and gold, and the deposit features low copper and gold contents at large ore reserves. The synthesis of oxygenbearing oxidizers and complexing agents involved electro-photoactivation of process solutions. Pre-oxidation used activated sulfuric–nitrite solutions. Then, cycling sprinkling of samples by activated chlorinated and sulfuric solutions was carried out in percolators. For 154 outlet flows, gold recovery reached 67%; copper and silver recoveries were 71% and 89.6%, respectively. The tested circuit of cyclic activated leaching in percolation regime enabled high recovery of the main valuable components at admissible production and economy data.

Rasskazova A. V., Sekisov A. G., Burdonov A. E., Activation leaching of difficult primary ore at Malmyzh deposit. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2023;(1):130-141. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2023_1_0_130.

The studies were carried out using facilities of the Center for Shared Use of Scientific Equipment at the Center for Processing and Storage of Scientific Data of the Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Agreement No. 075-15-2021-663.

A.V. Rasskazova¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Leading Researcher, e-mail: annbot87@mail.ru, ORCID ID:0000-0002-6998-8120,
A.G. Sekisov¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Deputy Director, e-mail: sekisovag@mail.ru, ORCID ID:0000-0001-5780-6150,
A.E. Burdonov, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: burdonov@istu.edu, Irkutsk National Research Technical University, 664074, Irkutsk, Russia, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5298-445X,
¹ Institute of Mining, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 680000, Khabarovsk, Russia.

A.V. Rasskazova, e-mail: annbot87@mail.ru.

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