Uchalinsky Mining and Processing Integrated Works JSC (Uchaly, Russia):

Yagudin R. A., Deputy Chief Concentration Officer – Head of Concentration Factory, e-mail: yagudin_ra@ugok.ru
Yagudina Yu. R., Head of Research Laboratory

Magnitogorsk State Technical University (Magnitogorsk, Russia):
Emelianenko E. A., Assistant Professor, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

A few decades ago, the copper-and-zinc ore concentration was a process flow of ore preparation and cleaning operations resulting in production of marketable copper, zinc and, partly, pyrite concentrates. Efficiency of mining and metallurgical technologies is governed by rational and multipurpose utilization of mineral resources and on scientific-and-technical approach to handling problems in integrated development and conservation of mineral wealth. As early as mine planning stage, all process characteristics and features of ore should be taken into account, for the first turn, the ore material constitution that complicates in the course of mineral extraction. The aim of this research was to investigate the material constitution and process properties of pyrite copper ore treated at the Uchalinsky processing plant, and to study rational approaches to this ore dressing. The main goal of the ore dressing is production of high quality copper and zinc concentrates at high yield of the related commercial components. However the problem is complicated by some factors. The difficulties of concentration of pyrite copper ore at the Uchalinsky processing plant are conditioned by that the copper-zinc-pyrite ore occurring in the South Ural formations can greatly differ in the material constitution and process properties in different areas of the same deposit due to different genesis and degree of subsequent metamorphism and owing to intricate and tight intergrowth of sulphides unlocking of which requires very fine grinding; for another thing, the flotation properties of copper sulphides and zinc sulphides activated by copper ions are very close in the discussed ore. Thus, the complex material constitution, fine intergrowth of sulphides and barren rock, high content of water-soluble copper, zinc and iron sulfates as well as development of colloform varieties prone to overgrinding characterize the ore as rebellious. In flotation the aggregates of copper, zinc and iron sulphides go to tailings, and unlocking of these aggregates requires hydrometallurgical methods. Currently, aimed at the integrated approach to pyrite copper ore processing based on the positive experience gained in steam-and-pressure leaching of copper concentrate, the investigations are carried out into the steam-and-pressure leaching of tailings and copper-and-zinc middlings.

1. Yagudin R. A., Yagudina Yu. R., Zimin A. V., Nemchinova L. A. Gornyi Zhurnal — Mining Journal, 2008, Special issue, pp. 31-35.
2. Seravkin I. B., Pirozhok P. I., Skuratov V. N. et al. Mineralnye resursy Uchalinskogo gorno-obogatitelnogo kombinata (Mineral resources of Uchaly Mining and Metallurgical Combine). Ufa : Bashkortostan Book Publishing House, 1994.
3. Zimin A. V., Gusar L. S., Yagudin R. A., Boduen A. E. Gornyi Zhurnal — Mining Journal, 2008, Special issue, pp. 92–96.