Hydrometallurgy in Codelco Norte

A. Cruz R., M. Osses K., H. Yez F. Codelco Norte, Hydrometallurgy Managership acruz@codelco.cl

ABSTRACT
Codelco Norte is a large mining and metallurgical complex located in the Second Region in Chile. The operation considers two main lines of mineral processing: the Concentration line and the Hydrometallurgical line. The annual fine copper productions in 2003 were 478 kt and 429 kt of fine copper, respectively. Codelco Norte has nowadays the largest hydrometallurgical copper complex in the world. This article describes the hydrometallurgical processing plants, the main results of its operations in 2003 and the development projects considered in this process line. There are two operation to be emphasized in the leaching of sulfide ore resources: the ROM leach operation denominated SBL Plant, operating since 1994, and the huge secondary sulfide resources in Radomiro Tomic Mine, still not beneficiated.

1.

CODELCO

With a production of 1,563,000 t of copper in 2003, Codelco is a leader producer on a world-wide basis. Its mission emphasizes to develop mining and related business in responsible and agile way, aimed to maximize its economic value and contribution to the Chilean state in the long-term. The Corporation has four Divisions in operation, each one with its respective productive process. Codelco's production and cost by Division in 2003 are shown in Table 1. Table 1. Copper Production and Cost by Individual Codelco Division. Division Codelco Norte Salvador Andina Teniente Total Production kt copper 907 80 236 339 1.536 Net Cost US$/lb 49,7 82,3 62,8 61,5 65,4

2.
2.1

CODELCO NORTE
Integrated Vision

Codelco Norte was created in 2002 to integrate and rationalize the management of resources and facilities that Codelco has in II Region, given the huge existing potential value and the large reserves and mining resources of its property concentrated there. Joining the ex- Divisions Chuquicamata and Radomiro Tomic (RT) is part of the current business strategy to duplicate the economic value of the Corporation. In the above framework an integrated handling of the District was adopted. The best practices of each ex- Division were chosen, thus generating an integrated geo-mining-metallurgical planning, in order to guarantee that each ton of mineral entering to the process is maximizing its contribution to the business. Also a rearragement in the sequence of exploitation of the deposits and the best way to employ the distrital territory has been identified. Figure 1 illustrates the Codelco Norte district, which contains about 16.6 billion tons of ore bearing 0.5% of total copper as average grade within an area of 25x68 km2. The distrital management includes two areas according to mineral type, oxide or sulfide, which are distributed as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 1. Codelco Norte District.

Figure 2. Sulfides Location in Codelco Norte District.

Figure 3. Oxides Location in Codelco Norte District.

2.2

Mineral Process Lines

Codelco Norte presents two process lines: Concentration Line, that includes concentration, smelting and refining steps, with an annual fine copper production in 2003 of 478 kt of copper. Hydrometallurgical Line, including leaching stages, solvent extraction and electrowining. It consideres two areas, North Hydrometallurgy and South Hydrometallurgy with a total annual production in 2003 of 429 kt of copper.

3.

HYDROMETALLURGICAL LINE

The hydrometallurgical line has had an increasing development due to the incorporation of new leachables resources, being these oxides and leachable sulfides, those that are processed in the North and South Hydrometallurgy.

It should be emphasized that production cost in the hydrometallurgical line are lower than those in the concentration line.

3.1

Leachable Resources

The existing leachable resources are summarized in Table 2, some of which are being leached and considered in the Division production plans, whereas the stock of leachable resources, ripios in reprocess and secondary sulfides from RT appear like development projects. Table 2. Existing Leachables Resources in Hydrometallurgical Line of Codelco Norte. Source North Hydro Type Oxide Secondary Sulfide Low Grade Oxide (OBL) Low Grade Leached (LBL)

Radomiro Tomic Mine

Chuquicamata Mine South Mine North Extension South Mine (ENMS) Stock of leachable resources Stock of ripios in reprocess

Low Grade Sulfide (SBL) Oxide Oxide Oxide Oxide

3.2

Processing Plants

429 kt of copper per year is the current capacity of the Codelco Norte hydrometallurgical plants. Three plants are distinguished according to the mineral type processed and its location in the district:

3.2.1 Oxide South Mine Plant

This plant belongs to the South Hydrometallurgy Area and processes the old Chuquicamata ripios dump and also fresh oxide ores coming from South Mine. The last one, with an average grade of 1.87% copper, is processed by vat leaching with recoveries of 70%. This facility can process 7 million annual tons of oxide ore. Figure 4 shows in schematic way the processes, which are as follows: Primary vat leaching (14 days cycle lenght) Secondary dump leaching of old ripios (leach cycle extent of several years) Agitation leaching of smelting dust Treatment of electro-refining discarding solutions Treatment of the ACL-Project solutions (bacterial leach of copper concentrates) Solvent Extraction - Electrowinning.

South Hydro

Main characteristics of the SX-EW plant are: SX-EW Capacity 120 kt Cuf/year Mineral Type South Mine Oxide Chuquicamata Oxide Ripios Others Production year 2003 105,546 t Cuf (vat leach, ripios dump leach and others)

SOUTH MINE

SMELTING DUSTS PLANT

H2SO4 H2O

H2SO4

GREEN HOUSE WELL

Agglomeration

H2O Raffinate Pond

VAT LEACHING
(Cu 20 g/l, 500 m3/h)

CHUQUICAMATA RIPIOS LEACHING

PLS (Cu 6-8 g/l) PLS Pond

(Cu 2-3 g/l, 1600 m3/h) Raffinate (Cu 0.5-1.0 g/l)

Extraction ACL Solutions Loaded Organic Unloaded Organic Loaded Electrolyte (Cu 52-55 g/l)

SOLVENT EXTRACTION

Stripping

ELECTROWINING

Spent Electrolyte (Cu 37-40 g/l) CopperCathode 99.99%

SHIPPING

Figure 4. Unitary Operations Description of Oxide South Mine Plant.

3.2.2 SBL Plant

This Plant is inserted in the productive line of the South Hydrometallurgy Area and processes secondary sulfide ores coming from the Chuquicamata Mine. Its copper grade is below the concentrator cut grade but over 0.20% CuT. The ROM ore sent to process bears 0.36% CuT as average, and is 80% chalcopyrite and 20% chalcocite. Sulfides are leached by bacterial action, obtaining an average recovery of 33% CuT within a 3-year period. The leaching solutions are processed by its own SX-EW plant (see Figure 5).

The main characteristics of the SBL plant are: SX-EW Capacity 22.5 kt Cuf/year Ore Type Chuquicamata mine low grade sulfides Production year 2003 18,757 t Cuf 22,560 t Cuf (expansion).

PLS Flowrate : 1500 m3/h Cu: 2-3 g/l PLS Pond

SBL DUMP

Raffinate Pond Recycled Raffinate to Leaching

Recovered Organic

EXTRACTION 2 STAGES PARALLEL Unloaded Organic

Loaded Organic Orgnico Cargado

Coalescer Purge of Water to E-1

Crud

Flowrate : 1100 m3/h

STRIPPING 1 STAGE Rich Electrolyte

Spent Electrolyte Flowrate : 155 m3/h Sparkler Filter CELL EO Total : 94

Chuqui Electrolyte Filter

Copper Cathode Cu : 99.99 %

Rectifier

Figure 5.

Unitary Operations Description of the SBL Plant.

3.2.3 Radomiro Tomic Plant

This plant constitutes the North Hydrometallurgical Area and processes ores extracted from the Radomiro Tomic Mine. Facilities allow to process 62 million of oxide copper ore per year, with 0.60% CuT average grade. Recovery is about 90% of copper fed to the plant in primary and secondary leaching steps. Also since 2003 a low grade oxide ROM ore is leached in a dump (see Figure 6). Recoveries in the leaching step are as follows: Primary heap leaching (75% to 80% recovery) Dump secondary leaching of primary ripios (45% recovery) ROM leaching of low grade oxides (40% recovery).

Copper solutions from all leach steps are processed in a SX-EW plant. Main characteristics are as follows: SX-EW Capacity 307 kt Cuf/year Ore Type Radomiro Tomic mine oxides Production year 2003 279,053 t Cuf (primary leaching) 24,585 t Cuf (secondary leaching) 3,000 t Cuf (ROM leaching).

Botadero de Dump InertesInert

Mine Mina

Coalescers

TKOrganico Loaded TK Organic Cargado

E
Extraccin Extraction Chancado Primary Crushing Primario

S
Reextraccin Stripping

W
Lavado Washing

Flotationde Columnas Column Flotacin Stock Pile Stock Pile Coarse Gruesos Stock Pile Stock Pile Medium Size Intermedios

SET 6

SET 4

SET 2

Filters Filtros

SET 5
Chancado Secondary Secundario Crushing Chancado Tertiary Terciario Crushing

SET 3

SET 1

Cure on Belt Heap Pilas de Leaching Lixiviacin

TK de electrolito TK Filtrate Filtrado Electrolyte Heat Intercambiadores Exchange de Calor TK Loaded TK de electrolito yte Electrol Rico

OfF RaffinatePond

Desde Lagunas de Refino

Dump Waste Raffinate Pond Desanding Ponds Lagunas de PLS PLS Pond Botadero de Ripios Medium Sln Intermedia Solution OBLLixiviacin Leaching

Lagunas de Refino

OBL

Sln Intermedia

ILS

Figure 6. Unitary Operations Description of Radomiro Tomic Plant.

4. 4.1

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS Oxide Ores

The development projects of existing leachable resources in Codelco Norte district, basically correspond to low grade oxide ores and ripios that can be reprocessed, located in dumps distributed in different places in the district. Projects are divided in two types: new development projects by one hand and optimization projects by the other. These have been evaluated according to the new integrating vision of the administration. Projects in progress and their main characteristics are presented in Tables 3 and 4.

Table 3. Leachable Resources: New Development Projects.

Projects Treatment of Ripios from ENMS blended with Chuqui Ripios Treatment of Ripios from South Mine blended with Chuqui Ripios ROM Processing of RBL Resource M (th) 1 2 3 171,3 167,8 61,4 Moisture % 7,5 10 3 Resource M (ts) 158,4 151 59,6 Grades CuT % 0,22 0,27 0,33 CuS % 0,16 0,16 0,29 Recovery % 55,4 53,4 45,0 Recovered Cuf Total Year ktf ktf/a 193 218 88 28 20 11 Years N 7 11 8

RBL Low Grade Resource

Table 3. Leachable Resources: Optimization Projects.

Projects Treatment of Altered Ore from the South Mine blended with RT Ores LBL from RT Economically processable resource Resource M (th) 1 2 20 170 Moisture % 8 2 Resource M (ts) 18 167 Grades CuT % 1,26 0,19 CuS % 0,87 0,14 Recovery % 65,0 40,0 40,0 Recovered Cuf Total Year ktf ktf/a 151 34 123 8 Years N 9 15

LBL Low Grade Leached

4.2

Leachable Secondary Sulfide Ores

According to the integrated management of the resources, the secondary sulfide existing at Radomiro Tomic should involve the study of hydrometallurgical and concentration routes prior to decide the best business option for the Corporation. Each alternative process was subjected to a preliminary study, based on cost variables, anticipated cash flows and plant capacities, all inserted within the Business and Development Plan 2004. At profile level it was evaluated feasibility to process this ore in the Chuquicamata concentrator or leaching them in RT. In the following diagram each alternative is described (Figure 7), For the concentrator alternative, the ore should be transported 14 km from the RT mine to the Chuquicamata plant.

SULFIDES IN NORTH HYDROMETALLURGY

ALTERNATIVE I PIT EXTRACTION MINERAL CRUSHING LX SX -EW

SULFIDES IN CONCENTRATION PLANT

ALTERNATIVE II PIT EXTRACTION TRANSPORT CONCENTRATOR SMELTING REFINERY

Figure 7. Alternatives to Process the RT Secondary Sulfide Ores. Secondary RT sulfides present two mineralization zones: Strong secondary sulfide (SSF), with presence of chalcocite and/or secondary covellite in greater proportion, and minor presence of chalcopyrite and/or bornite. Weak Secondary sulfide (SSD), with presence of covellite and/or secondary chalcocite coexisting with chalcopyrite and/or bornite. The average recovery of sulfides processed by hydrometallurgical route is considered as first approach between 48 and 63%, relatively low values with respect to the state-of-the-art, because it does not consider a suitable process adapted to sulfide ores, but only the use of the current process for oxide treatment, where clearly the crushing size -1 currently used is not appropriate for these ores, aspect feasible to be improved. The direct cost for this alternative ranges between 45 to 39 US/lb, according to the assumed recovery. These costs are over those stated in the traditional oxide line, due to the lower extraction compared to that obtained in the North Hydrometallurgy operations. In the hydrometallurgical option, the secondary sulfides should enter the existing plant after the year 2012, when the oxides exhaust. This is because the actual 90% recovery makes the first option to continue processing oxides. In the case of the concentrator, preliminary estimates in the mining plans, indicate that these ores could be processed starting at 2006, although the costs of this line are higher than hydrometallurgical line. The concentration option involve two important advantages: it allows a greater recovery of copper (86%) and the cash flows can be anticipated, thus improving the economical return for this alternative. The dominant presence of chalcocite gives to the flotation concentrate different properties from the average Chuquicamata concentrate, like higher copper grade (close to 50%) and probably lower impurity concentration (particularly As). Assuming 86% copper recovery at this stage, about 63 USS/lb cost is estimated for the complete concentration line, including the transportation cost from RT to Chuquicamata. See Table 5. Table 5. Processing RT Secondary Sulfides Optimized Project.

Project Processing of RT Secondary Sulfide Primary - Secondary Leaching SSF SSD Primary - Secondary Leaching Optimized

Resource Humidity Resource M (th) 253 102 151 % 3 3 3 M (ts) 246 99 147 246

Grades CuS CuT % % 0,67 0,84 0,55 0,67 0,07 0,1 0,05 0,07

Rec % 47,5 54,3 42,9 63,0

Cuf Recovered Total Year ktf ktf/a 798 452 347 1033 235 100 56 43 129

Years N 8 8

Relevant characteristics of each alternative are as follows:

Process residence time Recovery % Unit cost US/lb Year of start up Concentrator < 1 hour 86 63 2006 Hydrometallurgy 300 400 days 48 63 45 39 2012

Differential NPV associated to each process alternative with a discount rate of 8.5% and a copper price of 85 USS/lb are shown in Table 6. The reference used is the hydrometallurgical processing beginning at 2012, with 47.5% as total copper recovery. Table 6. Differential NPV Associated to Each Process Alternative.

Line Process Hydrometallurgy year 2012 (R = 48%) Hydrometallurgy year 2012 (R = 63%) Concentration year 2006 (R = 86%)

NPV MUS$ 0 +94 +42

Both alternatives present advantages and disadvantages and together with the economic feasibility study would allow to determine the best process alternative. The choice also would depends on policies and commitments adopted by the administration. Variables such as plant availability, start up opportunity, recoveries, ore resource availability, ore supplying alternative, environmental variables and process time, among others. The study of processing alternatives for the RT secondary sulfide ores goes on, with the target of improving information to generate a better geo-mining-metallurgical planning that allows to establish the best options and process opportunities and business. 5. CONCLUSIONS

The production of 429 kt Cuf during the year 2003 in the Hydrometallurgical line in Codelco Norte, is an important contribution to the Codelco Norte production, particularly considering the low production cost, it stands out the relevance of the development projects mentioned before, because its application would significantly impact the future operational result of the whole Division. Interesting additional leachable resources appear to be worked out, to establish their stage and process alternative, according to the integrated management plan. Reprocessing of existing ripios and the ROM leaching operations are the most attractive alternatives to beneficiate these resources. The challenge to detect the marginal capacities of the existing plants, will allow to adapt the plants to higher demands with low investments and reduced times, thus increasing profit of the business.

It should be noted that considering a low copper recovery (48%), the concentrator option is more attractive than the hydrometallurgical route, besides in the first one an important benefit occurs by advancing the start up in the year 2006 compared to 2012 in the hydrometallurgical route. Still within a conservative frame, the increase of leaching copper recovery from 48 to 63% would report important economic profit increasing the differential NPV to 94 MUS$, exceeding to the concentration route in 52 MUS$. Therefore, although the processing of these ores is planned for the 2012, the pertinent studies to define processing conditions, required investments, better knowledge of the resource (mineralogy, grades) and more precise metallurgical response (copper recovery, acid consumption), must begin as soon as possible due to the high potential business.

6.
1. 2. 3. 4.

REFERENCES
J. Camus, F. Azcar. Integrated Planning in the Mining Business, Copper 2003 - Copper 2003 Volume I Plenary Lectures, Economics and Applications of Copper, Santiago, Chile, 2003, 279-291. Codelco Norte, Metallurgical Balance 2003, Hydrometalurgy Management, 2003. Codelco Norte, Business and Development Plan, PND- 2004. F. Tomic, J. Alvarez. Codelco Press Conference, Results January - December 2003.