JSC “Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company”, Monchegorsk, Russia:

D. B. Maksimov, Head of Metallurgical Shop
A. V. Zakharov, Head of Hydrometallurgical Section of Metallurgical Shop
I. E. Malts, Head of Hydrometallurgical Section of Research Department of Control and Analytic Center, е-mail: maltsie@kolagmk.ru
O. A. Khomchenko, Chief Specialist of Department of Scientific and Engineering Workings of Scientific and Engineering Development and Ecological Safety Office

“Gipronickel Institute” LLC, Saint-Petersburg, Russia:
E. M. Solovev, Senior Researcher of Hydrometallurgical Laboratory

This article describes the history of launching and development of cathode copper production by electric extraction at Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company. There are given the realized measures on technology optimization:
— changing of design instrument scheme;
— choice of optimal concentrations of chlorine-ion and leveling agent Guartec in electrolyte.
Organization of system of solutions exchange between electrolysis department and hydrometallurgical section; additional copper extraction on four electric extraction baths and following purification of expansion solution from zinc (based on the liquid extraction) made it possible to realize the following activities:
— simplification of the scheme of delivery of expansion electrolyte in the nickel production;
— exclusion of copper extraction stage costs due to its complete withdrawal;
— increasing of highest grade cathodes output by 1.7 t per day (instead of regeneration copper);
— exclusion of solutions evaporation costs with withdrawal of the basic amount of equipment;
— decreasing of costs on replenishment of nickel deficiency in the nickel electrolysis shop;
— correction of salt composition of hydrometallurgical section electrolyte (decreasing of concentration of detrimental impurities of iron and selenium);
— decreasing of sulphuric acid consumption by 5 tones per day.
Gradual accumulation of iron ions in solution (from 0.6 to 2.6 g/l) is the main reason of decreasing of current output from 90 to 82% in first years of exploitation. Together with the basic metal, the developed and mastered methodology (oxidimetry) of definition of concentration of Fe (III) ions (which became bivalent on cathode), have shown that their part in circulating contour is not less than 60% from the basic iron content. Positive dynamics of the main indices is defined. There are described the researches on the following improvement of technological scheme. There are given the basic technological indices of operation of hydrometallurgical section. Experience of successful exploitation of installation became the basis for the development of project of expanding of copper space by new technology on the whole amount of copper production at Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company.

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