Pampa de Cobre CuSO4 Production Process
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ScribdTranslationsPampa de Cobre CuSO4 Production Process
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ScribdTranslations1.
- Location of Pampa de Cobre Mining
The concession is located in the
limit between Moquegua and Arequipa.
It is located in the La Capilla District (45
Km. to the south of the city of Arequipa,
General Sánchez Cerro Province,
Moquegua Department.
2.- Introduction.
MPC started operations in January 2006.
A mixed exploitation method is used, underground mining.
and open pit. We extract and process oxides and sulfides.
200 T/h Crushing Plant, operated 19 h/d (3500 T/d).
Separate pads of oxides and sulfides.
Two different trains, of oxides and sulfides.
03 re-extraction – crystallization reactors.
2.- Introduction.
Currently, we have the CuSO production plant.45H2The greatest of
world 80Tn/d.
In the world the CuSO45H2Itis used in animal feed, fungicide,
algicida, galvanoplastía, biocida.
Approximately 80% of CuSO4*5H2What is produced in the world uses
as input scrap copper. Many impurities, unsustained production.
The production of MPC is used to obtain cathodes and as a reagent for
differential flotation.
2.- Solvent extraction and crystallization process
SX-CR.
In the solvent extraction - crystallization process (SX-CR), three occur
main reactions, which are shown below:
Cu2++ 2RH(org)
↔
↔
↔
R2Cu(org)+ 2H+
(1)
(2)
(3)
(a)
(a)
R2Cu(org) +
2H+
Cu2++ 2RH(org)
(a)
(a)
2+
Cu2++ SO4 (a) + 5H2O
CuSO45H2O(s)
(a)
Circulation of the exchanged protons = 2H+
Recirculation of Poor Solution or
of Refining
Organic Reagent
Downloaded
Saturated electrolyte
H2SO4
Mineral
Crystallization
CuSO4.5H2O
Ec. 3
Leaching of the
mineral
Extraction of
copper Cu2+
Ec. 1
Re-extraction of
Cu2+
Ec. 2
Re-extraction reaction and start of
crystallization in a Reactor
Copper(II) sulfate4*5H2O
Rich leaching solution
PLS
Organic Reactant
Loaded
Saturated Electrolyte
Direction of circulation of the transferred copper Cu2+
Fig. 1 Schematic flow diagram for the production of CuSO4*5H2O. To the right
Cu2+ circulates and H+, which is added as H2SO4, circulates in the opposite direction.
Fig. 2 Schematic diagram of the Reextraction-Crystallization process and solid-separation
liquid of CuSO45H2O.
3.- Crystallization by saturation.
Crystallization is a physical-chemical process, it has three stages:
stage of
supersaturation, nucleation of crystals and growth of crystals.
Supersaturation is the driving force of both nucleation and
growth. The oversaturation in the current crystallization process is
generated by the cupric ion Cu2+product of the re-extraction reaction.
The efficiency of the re-extraction reaction Ec.2 is a function of
the
concentration of cupric ion Cu2+which should be as low as possible, Ec. 4.
The oversaturation in copper that is a condition for it to occur
crystallization Eq. 3 and Eq. 5.
2
2+
[
]
Cu
[
R2Cu
]
]
[
RH
]
2−
5
]
K
[
SO4
]
.
[
H2O
=
K
=
(4)
(5)
H+ ][ Cu2+
[
CuSO4*5H2O
]
[
Primary nucleation and
secondary
Heterogeneous nucleation
and homogeneous.
The growth due to
diffusion or by integration
of the particle.
Fig. 3: Diagram of copper transfer from the aqueous phase to the phase
organic and vice versa, the solid phase of CuSO4*5H2O is also shown.
4.- Copper sulfate production levels since the
put into operation.
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Ene- Feb- Mar- Abr- May- Jun- Jul- Ago- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dic-
06 06 06 06 06 06 06 06 06 06 06 06
Fig. 4 Availability of SX-CR plant during the year 2006.
During the months of January and February, crystallization of equipment and
transport lines.
During the month of March, steel lines were replaced with HDPE lines and fittings.
During the months of April and May and separation S/L and pumping system.
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
1000
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
0
Ene
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Ago
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dic
Production of CuSO4.5H2O Tn
CuFTn
Installed Capacity CuSO4.5H2O Tn
Fig. 5 Monthly production of CuSO4*5H2O and fine Cu in the year 2006.
4.- Investment and production costs.
Table 1. Investment costs for LIX-SX-EW and LIX-SX-CR processes of medium mining.
Mineral
Investment cost, US$/TMCuF Year
Process
LIX-SX-EW
LIX-SX-CR
Oxide/sulfide
Oxide/sulfide
2500
1500
Table 2. Production cost for LIX-SX-EW and LIX-SX-CR processes.
Process
LIX-SX-EW
LIX-SX-CR
cents US$/Lb
35-40
38-44
The investment costs in a LIX-SX-CR process are lower than in the conventional
process.
of LIX-SX-EW
The re-extraction-crystallization process is carried out in a single plant, while
the
The conventional process has an additional EW plant.
Another important factor is the low energy consumption in the SX-CR process.
The production costs in SX-CR are very sensitive to the consumption and cost of
acid.
sulfuric.
CONCLUSIONS AND COMMENTS
Approximately 80% of the CuSO4*5H2O produced in the world is used
as scrap copper input. The copper sulfate produced from scrap
copper does not provide a warranty regarding the content of impurities, at
levels of
production nor continuity of production.
The production of CuSO4*5H2O by LIX-SX-CR, in relation to the
production of
CuSO4*5H2O from scrap ensures a product low in impurities,
of
similar characteristics over time, in addition to sustained production.
•La reacción de reextracción en el proceso LIX-SX-CR se ve
limitada por la
copper oversaturation which is a condition for nucleation to occur
growth.
The main operational problem in SX-CR plants is the continuous
goal-
stability caused by the oversaturation of Cu2+, which in turn causes the
spontaneous crystallization of CuSO4*5H2O in the equipment and the
unavailability of
plant.
CONCLUSIONS AND COMMENTS
The availability of the MPC plant increased rapidly, avoiding the
crystallization phenomena in transport equipment and systems.
The investment costs in LIX-SX-CR plants are 40% lower than those of
conventional LIX-SX-EW process, mainly because it is not invested in a
EW plant.
Unlike the conventional process, the re-extraction-crystallization process
it is carried out in a single plant, while the conventional process has one
plant
additional to EW. Another important factor is the low energy
consumption in the
SX-CR process.
The production costs in SX-CR are very sensitive to consumption and
cost of
sulfuric acid, due to the fact that the process does not generate acid and that there is an
expense
additional in relation to the conventional process, to precipitate copper as
sulfate.
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