Another example relating to treatment of intrusion water from a copper mine is shown below. Our offices are in australia, finland, brazil, peru, chile, mexico, turkey and russia. Methods have evolved and vary with country depending on the ore source, local environmental regulations, and other factors. By developing mathematical energy conversion models of all major components found in typical water reticulation systems of deeplevel gold mines, these systems can be simulated under different operating conditions, configurations and schedules in. All mining needs water for mining and processing and copper mining is no exception. Any recycle water being taken into the process es should be introduced at appropriate points e. Key outcomes when benchmarked against industry standards the mine has reduced its water withdrawal by approximately 28 000,000 m3year 3a reduction in open water evaporation of approximately 79 000 m yr water use per tonne of ore produced is less than half the global average for. Toxic metals such as iron, aluminium, uranium, manganese, nickel, zinc, cadmium, lead and copper also occur. Estimated water requirements for the conventional flotation. Arizona is mostly desert and, therefore, short of water. Its a good question, because in order to understand the environmental impacts to the boundary waters canoe area wilderness and voyageurs national park, we must first understand all of the ways sulfideore copper mining can cause harm to the surrounding lakes, streams, wetlands and forests. As mine water accumulates when the water level overflows the depth of an open pit surface mine or an underground mine, the water must be pumped or drained out of the mine to ensure safety and stability.
Water management in anglo platinum process operations. For copper sulfide ore, a stage in the process of pyrometallurgy, in which the copper froth from the froth floatation stage is poured into large tanks called thickeners, where the copper solids settle and are filtered to remove excess water. They are located directly at the mines to achieve low transport costs. The guidelines form part of a planned series of management guidelines intended for use by decisionmakers. Ehptekniikka ltd, boliden kylylahti ltd formerly kylylahti copper ltd, yara. Sustainable purification of mine water using ion exchange. Copper mining process information new mexico basics. If, however, the applied pressure is raised to a higher value, then additional heat is required to vaporize the liquid. The leaching experiments were performed using sulphuric acid solutions, whereby the kinetics of copper. Depending on the water availability and quality, it may be reused for. It can be found near gold, silver, zinc, lead, and other types of metal deposits.
Guidelines for mine water management teknologian tutkimuskeskus. This paper deals with the investigation of column leaching of lowgrade ores from the copper mine cerovo, serbia the approximate cu content in the ore ranges from 0. Water is required in hydrometallurgical processes for example, to recover gold and copper from a solution of chemicals. Estimated water requirements for the conventional flotation of copper ores. South african workforce, increased participation of relevant stakeholders in skills development, the provision of learning programmes and quality of learning, and improved employment. The pure metal has a facecentred cubic crystal structure, and. The actual cost of copper produced by leaching methods is, however, not of so much importance as the fact that ore may be handled in this manner which is not amenable to reduction by any other process. Chapter 18 refrigeration plant and mine air conditioning systems malcolm j. When it is recycled it can pass through some over and over again. When mixed in with other ores, copper is not usually found in great abundance. Overview of copper production benefication process figure 2. Mine water treatment solutions for discharge and reuse.
Mine water treatment strategies at resolution copper mining. Heavy medium separation is the process of separating copper ores by a specific medium ferrosilicon density. The holes are filled with an explosive compound of fuel oil and ammonium nitrate which blasts thousands of tons of ore in a single detonation. It was added to the queensland heritage register on 11 december 2006. Reticulation of mine service water in two australian coal. Energy consumption, emissions, wastes and byproducts from the production of 1 tonne of copper from secondary materialsa, germany 1992. Antidegradation best technology in process in treatment for bcc mercury part 8 rules water quality based effluent limits low level metals designated use protection due to groundwater venting, the state agen cy applied surface water discharge requirements to the venting location groundwater seeps. The bozshakol copper project, owned and operated by kaz minerals formerly kazakhmys, is the largest single copper mine development in kazakhstan, and one of the largest undeveloped copper deposits in the world.
Resolution copper mine prefeasibility study refrigeration and ventilation strategy bbe report 7211 for resolution copper mine reference chris pascoe prepared by bbe consulting morvent mining report bbe 7211, rev b date october 2012 revision notes date description source a sept 2011 first pfs report version. Water reticulation system figure 1 components of a water reticulation system pressurised system pumps are commonly used to lift water from a bore or water stream creek, river to a water storage at a higher elevation, or to pressurise the water system to deliver it through a pipeline around the feedlot. Sungun mine which is the largest opencast copper mine of iran is located in this region and is. Water requirements of the copper industry by obvillb d. This is often controlled through the addition of a solution of limestone andor lime to the mine water prior to reticulation and extraction from the. Additionally, todays mining equipment makes it possible to reduce waste and decrease chemical exposure during all phases of the copper mining process. Contractors, architects, designers and engineers alike are now able to benefit from the wide spectrum of information that has been gathered from numerous sources into a single document. May 08, 2015 have you ever wondered just how sulfideore copper mines pollute their surrounding environments. Copper processing is a complicated process that begins with mining of the ore less than 1% copper and ends with sheets of 99. The morenci mine was the second largest openpit copper mine in north america in 2009, and one of the largest in the world. Introduction the kamoto copper company feasibility study has been commissioned by kinross forrest limited kfl the owner of a 75% interest. Considering consequent uses of this water including drinking, irrigation, industrial, etc. It was added to the queensland heritage register on.
Its a good question, because in order to understand the environmental impacts to the boundary waters canoe area wilderness and voyageurs national park, we must first understand all of the ways sulfideore copper mining can cause harm to the surrounding lakes, streams, wetlands and. Water infrastructure and the mining industry columbia center on. The objective of badct for insitu leach operations requires the operator to maintain hydrologic control over leaching solutions throughout the process. This example shows the reduction of contaminants from dam water entering the mines water treatment plant. Arizona has the best copper deposits in the united states, and produces more of the red metal than most countries except chile and peru. Mined from open pits, copper ore must be crushed as part of the process that occurs between extraction and production. Mussey abstract the copper industry in 1955 used about 330 million gallons of water per day in the mining and manufacturing of primary copper.
Copper extraction refers to the methods used to obtain copper from its ores. Fact sheets phelps dodge morenci has converted all copper production to mineforleach how hydrometallurgy and the sxew process made copper the green metal. Hunters handbook of technical irrigation information is a reference guide for all professionals whose livelihood takes them into the realm of irrigation. The decrease in water usage by mines is better illustrated by exploring the data from specific mines. In situ leaching may target an ore body or portion of it that is located above the water table, below the water table or both.
In its pure form or as an alloy, copper cu is one of the most important metals in society. Kamoto copper company feasibility study executive summary executive summary page 5 of 39 1. The water is then pushed through the heater where the water is heated depending if the heater is turned on. A surge or balance pond to manage seasonal and storm surges, and a reticulation system to redistribute water over dry tailings beaches when spare evaporative capacity is available in hotter months, to minimise the quantity of water stored in the surge and evaporation ponds. Peruvian cities and villages with improved water irrigation infrastructure hired. Compared to gold and other precious metals, copper is. It is also known as lynd copper mine and new einasleigh copper mine. Water consumption at copper mines in arizona azgs document.
Large drilling rigs bore a carefully designed pattern of holes approximately 12 inches in diameter and 60 feet deep into the rock. Design criteria for mine water distribution systems which will influence the overall efficiency of operation are given. Two case histories regarding mine service water distribution and reticulation from the new south wales coalfield are also. He has a bsc honours degree in water utilization and is currently in the process of acquiring his etdp nqf level 5 certification. Have you ever wondered just how sulfideore copper mines pollute their surrounding environments. With the exception of leachingsolvent extractionelectrowinning, the basic methods. Water control in underground mines grouting or drainage. Innovations in copper mineral processing technology.
An introduction to metso process technology and innovation our central office is in brisbane, australia with engineers also based in different regions of the world so we can better service our customers. Copper mining and processing sector highlights copper mining and processing is one of the traditional economic sectors of the chilean economy. From its original home buried underground in a mine to its use in a finished product such as wire or pipe, copper passes through a number of stages. Introduction the kamoto copper company feasibility study has been commissioned by kinross forrest limited kfl the owner of a 75% interest in the kamoto joint venture. Until the development of the modern copper mining process, it was. The water was first treated by mfro and the concentrate was subsequently treated by a disc tubetm ro system with the following. By 1986 a noticeable decline in copper production resulted in the closure of many mining units and led to the implementation of a fiveyear plan to revive the company8.
This report provides a perspective on the amount of water used by a conventional copper flotation plant, including the makeup water required to compensate for water losses. Smelting these materials would require too much energy and very large furnace capacities. Copper production technology the last boomin technological innovation for the copper industry occurred in the first two decades of this century, whenopen pit mining, flo tation concentration,and the reverberatory smelter were adapted to porphyry copper ores. Hydrometallurgical processing of copper production. A leading australian engineering firm was engaged to provide detailed design and procurement services for the copper sulphide processing plant and associated facilities. Despite the favourable international copper prices and the increase in domestic production over 20092014, negative factors such as high costs and reduced productivity limited the real cagr. Ayres et al the life cycle of copper, its coproducts and byproducts vi table 5. The life cycle of copper, its coproducts and byproducts. Overview of a typical beneficiation process at a concentrator sulfidic copper ores are too dilute for direct smelting. The epa requires that levels of copper in drinking water be less than 1. The heated water is then chemically treated by the automatic chlorinator before it returns back into the pool system, which are known as the return lines in the pool. Water requirements of the copper industry usgs publications.
Once a stable water quality has been achieved, reagent regimes can be set up to optimise the process with the water quality available. If pipe color codes are not used, it can be difficult to know what is within a given pipe, which can present many dangers. If someone opens a pipe that is not marked with the proper colors, he or she may expect clean water but get a toxic chemical. This flowchart made of machinery icons explains or expresses in simple but clear terms the step of the copper mining and copper extraction process starting from either openpit or underground mining and using a different relevant treatment method for oxide or sulphide copper mineral ore. The importance of forward planning of mine reticulation systems is outlined together with the classifications of mine service water distribution systems.
Geology of copper properties, mining, and formation of copper. Copper processing, the extraction of copper from its ores and the preparation of copper metal or chemical compounds for use in various products. Appendix f1 tailings storage facility design report. Einasleigh copper mine and smelter is a heritagelisted mine at daintree road, einasleigh, shire of etheridge, queensland, australia.
Pdf influence of copper mine on surface water quality. Industrial water management in a copper and gold mine. Energy savings for a deepmine water reticulation system in deep level mining, water reticulation systems are one of the major consumers of electricity. The process of mining copper begins with drilling and blasting.
Any recycle water being taken into the processes should be introduced at appropriate points e. Influence of copper mine on surface water quality springerlink. Corrosive attack by amd can have a costly impact on mining equipment and infrastructure. Mcpherson 18 3 can no longer remain in the liquid phase but burst free to form a vapour or gas section 2.