from drill core to metal – a multi-disciplined approach to ... · • metsim™ outputs metsim™...

10/7/2014

A GLENCORE Company 1

From Drill Core to Metal –A Multi-Disciplined Approach to Flowsheet Development

Quantitative Mineralogy, Mineral Processing,

Process Mineralogy

On-site Support Services in

Plant Support

Pyrometallurgical and Hydrometallurgical Modeling,

Extractive Metallurgy

Mika Muinonen

Dominic Fragomeni

Virginia Lawson

Jorge Oliveira

Norman Lotter

Process Optimization,Controller &

Control Solutions

Process Control

Mineral Processing,Sampling & Statistics

On-site Support Services in Start-up & Commissioning

Hydrometallurgical Modeling, Testing and Piloting

Materials Selection & Equipment Failure Analysis

& Prevention

Materials Technology

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Presentation Summary

• Flowsheet Development usesTwo Domains:

– Process Mineralogy to sample, characterise and test the drill core

– Extractive Metallurgy to convert the Concentrate to Saleable Metal

• Modern Process Mineralogy Platform

– Geology, GeoMetallurgy, Sampling, Quantitative Mineralogy, Metallurgical Testing/Piloting

– Effectively and Efficiently Develops the Flowsheet to Saleable Concentrate– Effectively and Efficiently Develops the Flowsheet to Saleable Concentrate

• Modern Extractive Metallurgy Platform

– Thermodynamic characterization

– Powerful Modeling and predictive Tools

– Bench and Pilot Scale Plant

• Economics drive decisions

• Case Study: Nickel Rim South, Sudbury

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XPS Process Mineralogy

• Fully equipped Mineral Processing Lab focused on quality

− Flowsheet Development

− Crushing/blending and sample preparation

− Pre-concentration

• Modern Quantitative Mineralogy

• New QEMSCAN FEGMicroprobe …

Sampling & Statistics

Process

Developing and Optimizing Flowsheets for YOUR ore…”

3

− Benchscale flotation testwork(rougher, open circuit cleaner, LCT and High Confidence Testing)

− Mini Pilot Plant (MPP)

− Sample sizing for mineralogical analysis

− Physical separations, magnetic, gravity

− Refractory gold, Au cyanidation

• SEM, Semi-Quantitative XRD Analysis

• Expert interpretation of results

• Process reviews and Due Diligence

• Base metals, precious metals, rare earths and some industrial minerals

Process Mineralogy

• Minerals not Metals…

• Gangue and PaymineralMineralogy

• Strategic Optimization of Existing Operations

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XPS Extractive Metallurgy

Bench scale test

work Modeling

METSIM ®

Pilot

Furnaces/Roasters

Strategic Process Development, Operational Support & Implementation

4

Benchmarking / Analysis Implementation

Charge 196, before converter roll

1124 MSCF, 17500 SCFM, 2113 F

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Hz

Po

we

r S

pe

ctra

l D

en

sity

(p

si^

2/H

z)

Point 1

Point 2

Point 3

Point 4

Charge 196, after converter roll

1124 MSCF, 17500 SCFM, 2113 F

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Hz

Po

we

r S

pe

ctra

l D

en

sity

(p

si^

2/H

z)

Point 1

Point 2

Point 3

Point 4

ComSol

Define Process

Change

Chemsheet

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Equipment and Methods – The Right Tools

Sampling and Geomet Selection Sample Preparation

Quantitative Mineralogy QEMSCAN

Quality Flotation TestingMini Flotation Pilot Plant

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Equipment and Methods – The Right Tools

NETZSCH™ TGA with Mass Spec 300 kW DC Arc Furnace

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Nickel Rim South Case StudyLocation

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Nickel Rim South Case StudyCross-Sectional View

Upper Footwall Mineralization

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Nickel Rim South Case Study

Footwall Cu GeoMet Units

Background

PGMs/PMs

Pentlandite

Millerite

Chalcopyrite

Bornite

Pyrrhotite

Pyrite

Quartz

Feldspar

Chlorite

Mica

Epidote

Actinolite/Tremolite

Pyroxene

Carbonates

Fe Oxides

Other

Main Footwall Upper Pyrrhotite Rich Footwall Fringe Footwall Low Sulphur PGM Footwall

Sublayer Breccia Footwall Breccia

Contact Zone GeoMet Units

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Staged Grind and Flotation (MF2)80% - 300 um

80% - 75 um

80% - 25 um

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Strathcona Mill Rougher FlowsheetRougher Circuit

Lime Lime, PIBX, Dowfroth

PIBX

SulphuricAcid, PIBX

pH 9.2

56% - 75 um

Primary Ro Conc

Secondary Ro Conc

Scavenger Conc

pH 9.2

pH 8.0

Scav Tails

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NRS Grade/Recovery PerformanceFlotation Responses of NRS Geomet Units to Standard Strathcona Flotation

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Cum

. Ni+

Cu

Gra

de %

Footwall Breccia

Sublayer Breccia

Upper Footwall

Main Footwall

Fringe Footwall

00 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Cum. Ni Recovery %

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Cum

. Gra

de %

Ni+

Cu

Cum. Recovery % Ni

Footwall Breccia

Sublayer Breccia

Sublayer Breccia CMC

Improved Flotation Response with CMC Depressant

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Strathcona Mill Pre-Float CircuitCopper Pre-Float Circuit

Ni Ore

Lime Lime, PIBX, Dowfroth

PIBX

SulphuricAcid, PIBX

pH 9.2

pH 9.2

7677787980818283848586

No Pre-Float

Ni Recovery %

Cu Ore

1 Ro Conc

2 Ro Conc

ScavConc

pH 8.0

ScavTails

Cu Pre- Ro Conc

pH 9.2

Cu Pre- Ro Tails

Lime

No Pre-Float With Pre-Float

8889909192939495969798

Cu Recovery %

Lime, PIBX, Dowfroth

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Mini-Pilot Plant Campaigns

2x7-Day Continuous Campaigns Performed with:

• Strathcona Flowsheet

• Strathcona FlowsheetCu Pre- Float

• Staged Grinding for Improved PGE Recovery

All runs on NQ drill coreat 10 kg/hr

Total sample mass consumed = Only 4 t of core sample!

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Other flowsheet features…….

• Cu/Ni Separation

– Production of 2 concentrates, Cu and Ni maximize value and increase capacity of the Ni smelter to process Ni bearing concentrates and custom feeds

– Depression of non—payable Ni and Co in Cu concentrate and understanding of Ni mineral species and relative flotability (Millerite versus Pentlandite)

• Pyrrhotite (Po) Rejection

– Rejection of Ni bearing Po in the Strathcona Mill cleaner circuits

• Achieved with intensive regrinding and pH control

• Cu Pre-Float a requirement, eliminating Cu in the Po rejection

circuit

– Requirement for capacity at the Ni smelter

– Requirement to achieve SO2 emission targets

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Sudbury Smelter

• Sudbury Smelter

– Primary Feeds from Sudbury & Raglan (with a robust custom feed business)

– Final product is Bessemer matte containing Ni, Cu, Co and PM’s for refining in Nikkelverk

• Constraints

– Processing capacity of nickel through the Sudbury smelter [Ni grade, Po & rock rejection]

– Limit of Cu and Fe capacity at Nikkelverk refinery

Nickel Rim Project – Holistic Approach

– Limit of Cu and Fe capacity at Nikkelverk refinery

• Roast Reduction Smelting

– Deeper roast to reduce SO2 emissions

– Increasing the sulphur deficiency of the furnace

matte with deep roast and reduction

– More matte movements through the converters

• Process was optimized to balance Mill metal

recovery vs. downstream process constraints

SCV SMC FV FV

slag

concentrate

Roasters

matte matte

Electric Furnace slag

slag

matte granulation

Acid Plant

Off-gas

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Modern Tools for FlowsheetDevelopment

• Powerful Thermodynamic Modeling Tool

• A large database of thermodynamic information coupled with a powerful software engine

– Complex chemical equilibria

– Multicomponent phase diagrams

• Pre-select optimum test parameters to accelerate laboratory test programs

• Interpretation of process challenges

FACT SAGE™

“Why spend 2 hours in the library when you can spend 2 weeks in the lab…”

wt% Fe

wt%

S

20

15

25

5 10 15 20 25 30 350

70 60 50 40

wt% M.G.

700 o C750 o C 800 o C

850 o C 900 o C950 o C

1000 o C1050 o C

1100 o C

1150 oC

1200 o C

45556575

EFSCV

SMC

Bessemer Matte

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• A powerful flow sheet simulation tool

– Thermodynamic database for heat and mass balance including circulating loads

– Customizable and adaptable to plant data (XPS custom thermodynamic database)

• Essential to Calibrate using available data

– Benchmark plant data, new laboratory or pilot plant data

– Metallurgical simulation with FACT SAGE™

• METSIM™ Outputs

METSIM™

– Generates process stream data

– Engineering of process systems including, plant conveyances, gas cleaning etc.

• Avoid These Traps

– Understand the tool

• Basis of assumptions (plant data, lab data etc.)

• Check for reasonableness – Hand calculations, real world data

• Are stream data sufficiently accurate for equipment sizing?

– (process surges, requirement for inventory, start up, shutdown)

– Resist temptation to over analyze

• Minor process changes within the normal variation of the plant

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• Discrete Event Analysis Software

• Allows modeling of events for simulation and debottlenecking of processes, particularly batch process

• Sudbury Smelter Converter aisle

– Electric furnace Matte tapping

– Crane aisle ladle movements and lifts

– Granulation of product matte

ARENA

– Converter mouth chipping

• Develop and calibrate model

– More advanced models define events with a statistical distribution of duration

• Evaluation of proposed upgrades on process

– Larger ladles

– More or upgraded process vessels

– Higher converter air enrichment

– Process practices

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• Bench scale programs to demonstrate process feasibility and optimize parameters at reasonable cost

– Define process feasibility and potential fatal flaws

Laboratory Tools

TGA DTA for Preliminary Process Testing RoF Ferrochrom e produced through lowtemperature solid state reduction

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• Pilot testing to demonstrate process and further reduce project risk

– Define engineering design criteria

• Modern Data Acquisition & Control

– Demonstrate both metallurgy and control philosophy

Pilot Scale Testing

Tapping RoF Ferrochrome from the XPS DC Furnace XPS 100 mm diameter Fluidized Bed Reactor

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Process Flow sheet Development

• Plant Testing

– Minimum process risk

– Minimize implementation time

– Cost and risk must be considered in planning plant test

• XPS provides resources for round the clock monitoring of process

– Plant scale test planning and preparation

– Operator engagement and training

Plant Testing

– Operator engagement and training

– Intensive sampling, data collection

– Technical support

– Analysis and learning

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Conclusions

• Metallurgical flow sheet development is more effective when a holistic, multidisciplinary approach is used to achieve the best economic outcome– In this example, this includes geologists/mineralogists, mineral processors and

extractive metallurgists…..engineering and design

• Modern tools available to metallurgists accelerate process development and find drivers that move the process towards the economic optimumand find drivers that move the process towards the economic optimum

• Computer modeling and mineralogical tools must be complemented by high quality, real world testing in the laboratory, pilot plant and or commercial scale.

• Plant optimizations studies, sampling and analysis and should be carried out post start-up to further refine and define flowsheet configurations to maximise value extracted from the ore

from drill core to metal – a multi-disciplined approach to ... · • metsim™ outputs metsim™...

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