In-situ grading of low-quality and high-quality ore during stoping

The studies into low-quality and high-quality ore grading are aimed to evaluate feasibility and economic expediency of in-mine X-ray radiometric separation of uranium ore into grades suitable for processing and natural uranium concentration using different technologies. The research resulted in obtaining of:

• concentrate for hydrometallurgical processing;

• tailings for preparation of cemented rockfill.

The research also allowed obtaining the dependence between the yields of the concentrate and tailings and the broken ore size. The object of in-mine X-ray radiometric separation was low-grade and high-grade ore produced during stoping with cemented backfill. It is found that, depending on the ore content of lode rocks:

• uranium ore recovery in concentrate varies from 20 to 65%;

• uranium recovery in concentrate ranges between 90 and 98%;

• yield of tailings is 44–79%.

The analysis of the balance of grades shows that in-mine separation sends 50% of ore and gangue to hydrometallurgical processing and 50%—to backfill preparation.

Ovseychuk V. A., Мedvedev V. V. In-situ grading of low-quality and highquality ore during stoping. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2021;(3-2):99-109. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2021_32_0_99.

Ovseychuk V. A.¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), professor of Underground Mining department;
Medvedev V. V.¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), head of Underground Mining department;
¹ Transbaikal State University, Chita, Russia.

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