Advanced Copper Beneficiation Methods: Thriving Amid Trade Volatility

Copper Extraction Methods

Copper extraction is determined by ore type (sulfide, oxide, or mixed) and ore chemical and mineralogy. Flotation (sulfide ores)—this is used in about 80% of ores and leaching (oxide ores). There are different procedures for each method, designed to minimize costs and glue environmental impact while maximizing copper recovery at the same time.

Flotation: The Primary Method for Sulfide Copper Ores

Flotation is the process of separating copper minerals from gangue based on differences in their surface properties. Xinhai Mining adopts advanced flotation technologies for different ore types:

Flotation of a Single Copper Sulfide

Process: Grinding → Roughing → Scavenging → Concentrating.

Application: The suitable for coarse, uniform distribution copper mineral ore, such as chalcopyrite, bornite ore.

Benefit: Simple flow, low cost and high efficiency.

Polymetallic Copper Sulfide Flotation

Process: Multi-stage separation for back copper with lead, zinc, or pyrite.

Steps Unit: Separation of mixed concentrate, unified flotation of floatable.

Challenge: Need to control reagents accurately, or minerals won't separate completely.

Copper Oxide Direct Flotation

Methods:

• Fatty Acid Froth: Fatty acids are used as collectors for non-carbonate gangue ores.

• Amine Collector Flotation: Best for malachite and azurite with cationic agents.

• Chelating Agent-Neutral Oil Flotation: Increases selectivity for refractory oxides.

Limitation: Quite sensitive to slime content and demands strong gangue inhibition.

Flotation of Copper Oxide and Sulfide

Process: Sulfidization with sodium sulfide, then flotation with xanthate.

Innovation: Xinhai hydrothermal sulfide flotation to improve the vulcanization efficiency by relying on the heat and pressure.

Leaching: The Best Choice for Oxide and Low-Grade Copper Ores

Leaching is the use of chemical solutions to dissolve copper, typically involving four methods:

Heap Leaching

Process: Crushed ore is piled up on impermeable pads and irrigated with acid to create pregnant leach solution (PLS).

Application: Low grade surface ores or waste dump.

Pool Leaching

Process: High-concentration sulfuric acid extracts mineral from coarse ore in tanks.

Advantage: Directly produces solutions for electroplating.

In-Situ Leaching

Process: Spiking leaching agents into untapped or deserted ore bodies.

Use Case: Cheap for residual or uneconomic deposits.

Agitation Leaching

Process: Acid, mixed with finely ground ore, is fed into stirred tanks.

Advantage: High leaching rate for high and low-grade ores.

Xinhai’s Cutting-Edge Solutions for Copper Extraction

Xinhai Mining combines expertise and advanced equipment to deliver turnkey copper processing solutions:

Innovative Equipment

Crushing: Jaw crushers, hydraulic cone crushers, hammer crushers, etc., used to break ore into specified size.

Grinding: Energy-efficient modular ball mills that are configurable.

Flotation: SF/KYF/XCF flotation cells for thorough separation of minerals.

Filtration: Chamber filter presses to air pressure discharge.

Tailored Process Design

EPCM+O Services: Seamless integration of EPCM and O for flawless project execution.

Modular Plants: Modules from a prefabricated steel structure accelerate the build process and significantly lower costs.

Global Standards: Added assurance through JORC (Australia) and NI43-101 (Canada).

Case Studies

Pakistan 1500TPD Project: One-stage grinding and flotation achieved 92% copper recovery.

Myanmar 800TPD Project: Closed-circuit crushing and dry tailing stacking minimized environmental footprint.

Choosing the Right Extraction Method

Choose a method based on ore type, grade, and project scale:

Sulfide Ores: Choose flotation for higher concentrate grade.

Oxide Ores: Leaching allows low-cost recovery.

Mixed Ores: Combination flows (i.e., flotation + leaching) provide increased operation flexibility.

e.g Bond grinding work index, flotation kinetics, are carried out by Xinhai mineral processing tests ensuring selection of optimum method.

Conclusion

Choosing copper extractio methods: an overview Copper extraction methods have evolved a lot. Partner with Xinhai Mining for innovative equipment, customized solutions, and international experience—ensuring production of sustainable copper with efficiency.