Trends and Treatment of Impurities in Copper Mining(PDF:8.0MB)
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TRENDS AND TREATMENT OF IMPURITIES IN COPPER MINING Iván Valenzuela, General Manager, EcoMetales Limited October 16, 17, 2018 – Japan INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON IMPURITIES IN COPPER RAW MATERIAL Topics 1 2 3 GLOBAL FINAL ECOMETALES TRENDS REMARKS EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Arsenic An unresolved problem Structural Closed circuit:The Stricter problem: Most process of environmental norms new copper scorodite, or similar, for transporting and deposits have stable residue is processing complex a high arsenic not applied concentrates are content. extensively. expected EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Arsenic content concentrate output is growing fast: 0.13% in 2000 ...>0.20% in 2016...0.30% in 2020, according to ICSG Arsenic Chile is the world’s leading producer of content copper in concentrates with 24% of total Solvingin copper the arsenic problem is a prio- concentrates rit inarsenic Chile and problem is a priority14% 10% 5% 4% Perú Perú China Australia USA Chile should increase its share to 26% by 2030. Perú Chile • El Brocal (Buenaventura): 5 – 8% As • DMH (Codelco): 1 - 3% As • Cobriza (Doe Run): 0.4 – 0.6% As • Chuqui (Codelco): 0.5 – 2% As • Chinalco: 0.5 -1% As • El Teniente (Codelco): 0.15 - 0.20% As • Magistral (Nexa Resources) (*): 1% As • Collahuasi: paying penalties on higher As • Cañariaco (Candente Resources): 1% As (*) Projects; • Other projects: La Granja, Galeno SOURCES: Codelco, Cochilco, Anglo American, EcoMetales, ICSG EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Chilean exports of copper concentrate 20% of Chile’s copper is exported to Japan today, compared to 30% in 2008 Japan is Chile’s second most important destination for copper concentrates after China which represents 41% of the total 3.000 Japan Total The volume of Cu concentrates with high 2.625 As will increase in the international market 2.250 t en t 1.875 Blending practice is an option but not a con er 1.500 suitable solution p op C 1.125 on t k Chemical or biological treatment is 750 needed, either using a hydrometallurgical 375 or pyrometallurgical route 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 SOURCE: Chilean Copper Commission, 2018. EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Stricter regulations for concentrates with arsenic in storage and transport Some copper concentrates can be China set a benchmark harmful to the marine environment maximum of 0.5% As and a risk to crews. in concentrates; other countries have reduced the limits further. International Maritime On the first day of Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG): 2018, China ban scraps packaged copper ores and imports concentrates. MHB: Materials The EU-28 established best Hazardous Only in Bulk available techniques (BAT) in 2016 for waste reduction of copper and other metal industries, International including the reduction of Maritime Solid Bulk quantities of waste sent for disposal Cargoes Code (IMSBC) from copper production SOURCES: ICSG, Cochilco. EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Environmental issues & community concerns: a Chilean case SOURCES: El Mercurio newspaper, OECD, Ministry of Environment - Chile EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Chile’s air quality and emission standards for copper smelters • Environmental regulation in Chile (since 1990) • A new stricter air quality standard for has a shorter history than Japan and US (early 1970s) SO2 is being analyzed for a 2020 startup • Chilean smelters are now working to reach • Chile is working hard to reduce a new SO2 and As emission standard by 2018, emissions but needs to close the gap which will: with international standards such as A B those in Japan, EU or China Reduce Increase SO2 and arsenic emission limits capture to 95% for current by 225% for As operations and to over 98% and by 186% for new smelters. Average for SO2 capture today is about 85% Details on standards in Annex I EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Chilean regulations for waste treatment and disposal of impurities D.S. N° 148/2003: Management of Extended producer Some figures in copper Hazardous Waste: responsability (EPR) smelters (7 operations) (mining waste not included) • Scope: Generation, storage, • +110 kt/y of flue dusts (1-15% As) transport, treatment, reuse & and 4,000 m3/y of acid effluents recycling, disposal (acid plants) • Focus on characterization • 85% of total flue dust with As and toxicity (TCLP test), is treated at EcoMetales plant and but not on Best Available As disposed as scorodite together Techniques with Sb and other impurities • Almost all the As from acid effluent is treated with lime, while one operation uses NaSH In summary, regulatory trends will place greater requirements/obligations on the treatment and disposal of unstable waste containing impurities in Chile Details per operation in Annex II EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Copper smelters and other metallurgical plants in Chile face the following challenges: 83 Bi Improve Reduce costs Introduce more Energy Recovery environmental and to increase automation and recovery of strategic performance productivity technological metals (Bi, Ge, improvements Sb, etc.) and alternative uses for waste like slag or sulfur. EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Topics 1 2 3 GLOBAL FINAL ECOMETALES TRENDS REMARKS EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry About EcoMetales Limited (ECL) D. Radomiro Tomic ECL is a 100% subsidiary of CODELCO, established to Calama implement environmental Antofagasta solutions and metal recovery processes in the mining industry Our facilities are strategically Santiago located 35 kms northeast of Calama. ECL has a total workforce of about 300 and more than 250 environmental permits for the transportation, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste Ecometales ECL currently processes waste from CODELCO and is looking for D. Ministro Hales D. Chuquicamata opportunities to work with other mining companies EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry EcoMetales’s development plan CODELCO CHILE LATIN AMERICA, EUROPE & ASIA PLCC (Autoclave Technology) Growth with new customers. Commercial Know-how As-Sb Stabilization (AAA) Copper 29 Recovery of Cu, Recovery Cu H2O, H2SO4 Smelter Refinery effluents flue dusts EPAS To meet the Ej. Division El Codelco needs with Teniente project, MINING WASTE & new processes. Tailings, by-products VALUE RECOVERY Other Materials EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Projects & business CURRENT PLANT WASTE VALORIZATION PLCC PLANT DET PLANT Flue dust leaching & As disposal Pressure Leaching of Complex Improvement of arsenical waste as Scorodite Concentrates generation, transport and disposal at El Teniente Division, Codelco Productivity Improvement Leached residue: Recovery of Ag, Feasibility engineering completed Environmental permit approved in 2018/2017: + 47% Production Cu and Ge. A new hydro process in in 2017 2018 and – 22% cost evaluation Environmental permit approved in Definition of El Teniente Division 2018 Declassification Scorodite 2018: It Tailings: Recovery of minor 2017 for project continuity in 2018 will allow its disposal under less elements. Tailings Independent Review Approval and demanding conditions characterization and lab testing. decision to go forward in 2018 Scorodite 2.0: Volume reduction Leached residue: Begin detailed engineering by and encapsulation (2019) First Milestone Cu recovery (2019) 2019 AAA process commercilization: Second Milestone recovery of other Start-up in Northern District by B.O.T. contract – Technical license elements (2020). December 2020 2019/ (2019) Tailings: Technical-economic Replacement of calcium arsenite process evaluation (2019). 2020 by scorodite Geo-polymer study for existing calcium arsenite deposits End of the transfer area EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry Arsenic stabilization process (Chilean Patent Grant 50423) ECOMETALES LANDMARKS: We had a problem... Continuous learning during the plant operation 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% Reduction rare of unit cost of rare Reduction 10% 0% 2010-2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Year 2006 2010-2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Precipitation PAA Project. Start of Improvement Optimization of Improvement Optimization Improvement of scorodite Pilot Plant Trials. operation of of boiler use ferric solution of oxidation of precipitation of automatic at laboratory PAA Construction. PAA. and limestone preparation stage. stage. control. scale. PAA Start-up. preparation stage. stage. EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry EcoMetales plant Flue dust leaching process Renery and acid Pregnant leach solution plant efuents (PLS) to arsenic Dilution water stabilization stage Flue dust Sulphuric acid Slurry Slurry 1st leaching stage 2nd leaching stage THICKENER Chuquicamata, FILTER Ventanas, Flue dusts: 40,329 tonnes Potrerillos Leaching residue to temporary Chuquicamata 3 Acid effluent: 22,889 m storage Since 2007, EcoMetales has processed about 470,000 tonnes of flue dust and 782,000 m3 of acid effluent, recovering about 90,000 tonnes of copper. More than 12,000 tonnes of arsenic have been disposed as scorodite since 2013. EcoMetales: Environmental solutions for the mining industry EcoMetales plant: Arsenic stabilization process Limestone slurry Steam PLS to SLX-EW Magnetite PLS 7.352 tonnes Fine copper Storage tank THICKENER Oxidation