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High-Tech Metals in the Zinc-Rich Massive Ores of the Neves Corvo Deposit

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High-Tech Metals in the Zinc-Rich Massive Ores of the Neves Corvo Deposit Versão online: http://www.lneg.pt/iedt/unidades/16/paginas/26/30/185 Comunicações Geológicas (2014) 101, Especial II, 825-828 IX CNG/2º CoGePLiP, Porto 2014 ISSN: 0873-948X; e-ISSN: 1647-581X High-Tech Metals in the zinc-rich massive ores of the Neves Corvo Deposit Metais de alta tecnologia nos minérios maciços zincíferos do depósito de Neves Corvo A. Pinto1*, J. M. R. S. Relvas1, J. R. S. Carvalho1, Y. Liu2, N. Pacheco3, F. Pinto3, R. Fonseca3 Artigo Curto Short Article © 2014 LNEG – Laboratório Nacional de Geologia e Energia IP Abstract: The increasing consumption of indium and selenium has que estes elementos acrescentam valor aos concentrados de zinco, significantly stimulated their extraction output, adding economic sendo por isso pagos pela generalidade das metalurgias do zinco. interest to critical metal sources that a few years ago were either Neste estudo, são apresentados os mais recentes dados disponíveis unknown, or unconsidered. In addition to Cu (Sn and Ag as by- relativos à distribuição metálica e mineralogia do índio e selénio nos products), recent surface drill programs looking for further minérios maciços de zinco e de chumbo-zinco do depósito de Neves development of the Neves Corvo mine have defined, by the end of Corvo. Este depósito pode vir a representar no futuro um alvo 2013, 113 Mt of zinc resources @ 5.3% Zn, which turned the deposit promissor para metais de alta tecnologia tais como o índio e o into one of the world’s largest undeveloped zinc resources. selénio. Promising by-products can possibly include some high-tech metals Palavras-chave: Índio, Selénio, Depósitos VHMS, Neves Corvo, such as In and Se. In Neves Corvo there is a general positive Faixa Piritosa Ibérica. correlation between In and Cu at the deposit scale, which contrasts with most other In-bearing VHMS deposits, where In typically follows Zn. At Neves Corvo, indium grades vary within the range 20 1CREMINER/LARSyS, University of Lisbon, Faculty of Sciences, Geology to 1100 ppm (1.1 kg/ton), whereas selenium grade commonly ranges Department, Edifício C6, Piso 4, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal. between 20 and 40 ppm, although in some lead-rich domains 2University of Toronto, Department of Earth Sciences, 22 Russell Street, selenium grades can reach up to 8000 ppm Se (avg. 500 ppm). Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3B1, Canada. Despite the general copper-indium coupling in the deposit, there is an 3SOMINCOR, Sociedade Mineira de Neves–Corvo, S.A., Apartado 12, 7780- obvious interest in evaluating the potential of the zinc-rich ores in 909 Castro Verde, Portugal. terms of high-tech metals contents as these elements are widely *Corresponding author / Autor correspondente: [email protected] acknowledged as adding value to the zinc concentrates, thus being payed by most zinc smelters. In this study, we present the most recent available data on the metal distribution and mineralogy of indium and selenium in the massive zinc and lead-zinc ores of the 1. Introduction Neves Corvo deposit. This deposit may represent in the future a promising target for high-tech metals, such as indium and selenium. Over the last decades, the global demand for indium Keywords: Indium, Selenium, VHMS deposits, Neves Corvo, continuously increased, especially due to the critical need Iberian Pyrite Belt. of this metal for the production of flat panel displays (over Resumo: O crescente aumento do consumo de índio e selénio tem 70% of the world In output). Predicting whether indium estimulado significativamente a sua taxa de extração, conferindo will be in a deficit or in an oversupply situation is rather interesse económico a fontes de metais críticos que, há poucos anos difficult. The exact production and consumption figures atrás, eram desconhecidas ou não consideradas. Em adição ao Cu (Sn for indium are uncertain, and the future trends are e Ag como subprodutos), um recente programa de sondagens visando influenced by many factors such as the world economy in o futuro desenvolvimento da mina de Neves Corvo, permitiu definir, general, or more specific industry trends (i.e. the mining, em finais de 2013, 113 Mt de recursos de zinco @ 5,3% Zn, tornando o depósito um dos maiores recursos zincíferos ainda por explorar, a electronics or energy sectors). Notwithstanding, the nível mundial. Alguns subprodutos prometedores podem incluir steadily increasing consumption that we observe today has metais como o In e o Se. Em Neves Corvo, existe uma correlação significantly stimulated the extraction output, adding positiva geral entre o In e o Cu à escala do depósito, que contrasta economic interest to indium sources that a few years ago com a maioria dos restantes depósitos VHMS ricos em índio, onde were not even known or considered. Up to now, indium este metal segue tipicamente o Zn. Em Neves Corvo, os teores em índio variam entre 20 e 1100 ppm (1,1 kg/ton), enquanto os teores has been mainly a by-product of base metal production and em selénio variam normalmente entre 20 e 40 ppm, ainda que alguns as such, clear production data is not readily available. For domínios ricos em chumbo possam atingir valores de 8000 ppm Se primarily economic reasons, indium was originally only (500 ppm, em média). Apesar da correlação positiva entre o cobre e o extracted from zinc and lead concentrates containing at índio ao nível do depósito, existe um interesse óbvio na avaliação do least 500 ppm In. Due to improvements in the extraction potencial dos minérios zincíferos em termos de metais de alta technology, combined with the economics of higher prices, tecnologia, uma vez que existe um reconhecimento generalizado de 826 A. Pinto et al. / Comunicações Geológicas (2014) 101, Especial II, 825-828 indium is now recovered also as a by-product of a wider Branco. Since 1988, the Neves Corvo mine has been a range of base metals including tin, copper, and other significant copper producer, representing the present-day polymetallic ores, which concentrates may contain largest base metal-mining operation in Western Europe. indium grades as little as 100 ppm. Some of the mines The deposit stands out among the volcanic-hosted currently producing indium are VHMS deposits (e.g., massive sulphide (VHMS) deposits of the world. In Kidd Creek, Ontario, Canada, avg. 270 ppm In in the addition to Cu (plus Sn and Ag as by-products), recent concentrate; Polaris, Northwest Territories, Canada, avg. surface drill programs looking for further development of 100 ppm In in the concentrate (Rodier, 1990; Schwarz- the mine have defined, by the end of 2013, 113 Mt of Schampera & Herzig, 2002). Indium minerals such as zinc resources @ 5,3% Zn, turning the deposit into one of roquesite (Cu In S2) are quite rare and, thus, most indium the world’s largest undeveloped zinc resources. Other is allocated in minerals where this metal does occur as a promising by-products can possibly include some high- trace component. Indium tends to concentrate in base tech metals such as In and Se. metal sulphide/sulfosalt minerals, especially those having The distribution and mineral allocation of indium and tetragonal coordination (e.g. sphalerite, stannite, selenium in the Neves Corvo ores have been object of stannoidite and other stannite group minerals, evaluation throughout the last years (Pinto, A., tetrahedrite-tenantite, pyrrhotite, bornite, chalcopyrite Somincor’s unpublished internal reports). Some and others). The formation of indium-bearing sulphides is preliminary and partial results have already been favoured by a number of mechanisms, such as: i) primary published (e.g., Benzaazoua et al., 2003; Pinto et al., co-precipitation from hydrothermal fluids; ii) 1994; 1995 and 2013; Carvalho et al., 2013) and a remobilization and recrystallization due to hydrothermal general overview, embracing all orebodies, and all types zone refining or metamorphic overprinting; iii) of ores are being prepared (Pinto et al., in prep.). enrichment by replacement of primary low temperatures At Neves Corvo, indium grades vary within the range sulphides; iv) diffusion processes and coupled 20 to 1100 ppm (1.1 kg/ton), whereas selenium grade substitution at high T. The main substitution mechanisms commonly ranges between 20 and 40 ppm, although in for indium include: Zn replacement by Cu+In, in some lead-rich domains selenium grades can reach up to sphalerite; Fe3+ replacement by Cu+In, in chalcopyrite; 8000 ppm Se (avg. 500 ppm). Unlike other In-bearing and Cu+Sn replacement by (Fe,Zn)+In, in the stannite VHMS deposits, where indium follows the zinc-rich ores, group minerals. in Neves Corvo there is a general positive correlation Selenium is one of the chalcogen elements having between In and Cu at the deposit scale (Pinto et al., 2013; semiconductor properties. It is chemically similar to Carvalho et al., 2013). Indium couples with Cu grades in sulphur for which it substitutes in many minerals and the Cu-rich ores (especially in the bornite ores and in synthetic compounds. Once again, there are no primary some stringer ores), whereas Se associates either with the “selenium ores”. Primary selenium is produced mainly as copper or the lead-zinc-rich massive ores (Pinto et al., a by-product of base-metal mining and processing. More 2013; Carvalho et al., 2013). than 90% of the selenium supply is presently derived Here we present the most recent data available on the from copper ores, and most of the remaining 10% comes metal distribution and mineralogy of indium and out from lead ores. Selenium is used in many selenium in the massive zinc and lead-zinc ores of the applications, some of the major ones being: decolourizer Neves Corvo deposit. for glass, metallurgical additive to some varieties of ferrous and nonferrous alloys, constituent in cadmium 3.
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