Kazakhmys Corporation LLP, Almaty, Kazakhstan:

A. A. Shahalov, Head of the Department of Complex Processing of Technogenic Raw Materials, e-mail: Aleksandr.Shahalov@kazakhmys.kz
E. A. Ospanov, Director of the Development of Complex Technology and Investment Planning Department, Doctor of Technical Sciences, e-mail: Erzhan.Ospanov@kazakhmys.kz

SRC Hydrometallurgy (LLC), Saint-Petersburg, Russia:
S. S. Bakhvalov, Researcher, e-mail: bakhvalov-s@gidrometall.ru
I. V. Fomenko, Director General, Candidate of Technical Sciences, e-mail: fomenko-i@gidrometall.ru

This paper describes the key results of research carried out with the aim of developing hydrometallurgical technology for the processing of substandard copper-zinc concentrates and middling products. The proposed technology allows to remove low-grade concentrates with a high content of impurities (zinc, lead, arsenic) from the pyrometallurgical plant, which helps to increase copper recovery in the pyrometallurgical processing. Also, the problem of processing of a lead dust from the Balkhash and the Zhezkazgan smelters was solved. The addition of atmospheric lead dust leaching into the hydrometallurgical flowsheet does not lead to its complication. The flowsheet already assumed the separation of copper and zinc into individual commodity concentrates and the transfer of harmful impurities to the tailings. The developed flowsheet for processing substandard concentrates is 80% provided with the equipment of the reconstructed Zinc Plant, Balkhash, Kazakhstan. At the moment, the development of working documentation for the reconstruction of the hydrometallurgical plant is underway. The establishment of a metallurgical hub in Balkhash will increase the efficiency of existing Kazakhmys corporation facilities. Also, it will reduce the manufacturing cost and ramp up the amount of processed raw materials and output products.

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