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

Transcription

1 From Drill Core to Metal A Multi-Disciplined Approach to Flowsheet Development Process Mineralogy Extractive Metallurgy Plant Support Quantitative Mineralogy, Mineral Processing, Sampling & Statistics Pyrometallurgical and Hydrometallurgical Modeling, Testing and Piloting On-site Support Services in Start-up & Commissioning Mika Muinonen Dominic Fragomeni Virginia Lawson Jorge Oliveira Norman Lotter Process Optimization, Controller & Control Solutions Process Control Materials Selection & Equipment Failure Analysis & Prevention Materials Technology A GLENCORE Company 1

2 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 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 A GLENCORE Company 2

3 XPS Process Mineralogy Developing and Optimizing Flowsheets for YOUR ore Fully equipped Mineral Processing Lab focused on quality Flowsheet Development Crushing/blending and sample preparation Pre-concentration 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 Sampling & Statistics Process Mineralogy Modern Quantitative Mineralogy New QEMSCAN FEG Microprobe SEM, Semi-Quantitative XRD Analysis Minerals not Metals Gangue and Paymineral Mineralogy Strategic Optimization of Existing Operations Expert interpretation of results Process reviews and Due Diligence Base metals, precious metals, rare earths and some industrial minerals 3 A GLENCORE Company 3

4 XPS Extractive Metallurgy Modeling Strategic Process Development, Operational Support & Implementation METSIM Bench scale test work Pilot Furnaces/Roasters ComSol Chemsheet Benchmarking / Analysis Define Process Change Implementation 0.60 Charge 196, before converter roll 1124 MSCF, SCFM, 2113 F Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point Charge 196, after converter roll 1124 MSCF, SCFM, 2113 F Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point Power Spectral Density (psi^2/hz) Power Spectral Density (psi^2/hz) Hz Hz 4 A GLENCORE Company 4

5 Equipment and Methods The Right Tools Sampling and Geomet Selection Sample Preparation Quantitative Mineralogy QEMSCAN Mini Flotation Pilot Plant Quality Flotation Testing A GLENCORE Company 5

6 Equipment and Methods The Right Tools NETZSCH TGA with Mass Spec 300 kw DC Arc Furnace A GLENCORE Company 6

7 Nickel Rim South Case Study Location A GLENCORE Company 7

8 Nickel Rim South Case Study Cross-Sectional View Upper Footwall Mineralization A GLENCORE Company 8

9 Nickel Rim South Case Study Footwall Cu GeoMet Units Main Footwall Upper Pyrrhotite Rich Footwall Fringe Footwall Low Sulphur PGM Footwall Contact Zone GeoMet Units Sublayer Breccia Footwall Breccia Background PGMs/PMs Pentlandite Millerite Chalcopyrite Bornite Pyrrhotite Pyrite Quartz Feldspar Chlorite Mica Epidote Actinolite/Tremolite Pyroxene Carbonates Fe Oxides Other A GLENCORE Company 9

10 Staged Grind and Flotation (MF2) 80% um 80% - 75 um 80% - 25 um A GLENCORE Company 10

11 Strathcona Mill Rougher Flowsheet Rougher Circuit Lime 56% - 75 um Lime, PIBX, Dowfroth ph 9.2 PIBX ph 9.2 Sulphuric Acid, PIBX ph 8.0 Primary Ro Conc Secondary Ro Conc Scav Tails Scavenger Conc A GLENCORE Company 11

12 NRS Grade/Recovery Performance Flotation Responses of NRS Geomet Units to Standard Strathcona Flotation Cum. Ni+Cu Grade % Footwall Breccia Sublayer Breccia Upper Footwall Main Footwall Fringe Footwall Cum. Ni Recovery % Improved Flotation Response with CMC Depressant 25 Cum. Grade % Ni+Cu Footwall Breccia Sublayer Breccia Sublayer Breccia CMC Cum. Recovery % Ni A GLENCORE Company 12

13 Strathcona Mill Pre-Float Circuit Copper Pre-Float Circuit Ni Ore Lime Lime, PIBX, Dowfroth ph 9.2 PIBX ph 9.2 Sulphuric Acid, PIBX Ni Recovery % ph 8.0 No Pre-Float With Pre-Float Cu Ore Lime Lime, PIBX, Dowfroth ph Ro Conc 2 Ro Conc Scav Conc Scav Tails Cu Recovery % Cu Pre- Ro Tails Cu Pre- Ro Conc A GLENCORE Company 13

14 Mini-Pilot Plant Campaigns 2x7-Day Continuous Campaigns Performed with: Strathcona Flowsheet Strathcona Flowsheet Cu Pre- Float Staged Grinding for Improved PGE Recovery All runs on NQ drill core at 10 kg/hr Total sample mass consumed = Only 4 t of core sample! A GLENCORE Company 14

15 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 A GLENCORE Company 15

16 Sudbury Smelter Nickel Rim Project Holistic Approach 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 Roast Reduction Smelting Deeper roast to reduce SO 2 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 concentrate Acid Plant Off-gas Roasters slag Electric Furnace slag matte matte slag SCV SMC FV FV matte granulation A GLENCORE Company 16

17 Modern Tools for Flowsheet Development FACT SAGE 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 Why spend 2 hours in the library when you can spend 2 weeks in the lab wt% M.G. wt% S Bessemer Matte 700 o C 750 o C 800 o C 850 o C 900 o C 950 o C SMC 1000 o C 1050 o C 1100 o C 1150 o C SCV EF 1200 o C wt% Fe A GLENCORE Company 17

18 Modern Tools for Flowsheet Development METSIM 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 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 A GLENCORE Company 18

19 Modern Tools for Flowsheet Development ARENA 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 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 A GLENCORE Company 19

20 Modern Tools for Flowsheet Development Laboratory Tools Bench scale programs to demonstrate process feasibility and optimize parameters at reasonable cost Define process feasibility and potential fatal flaws TGA DTA for Preliminary Process Testing RoF Ferrochrome produced through low temperature solid state reduction A GLENCORE Company 20

21 Modern Tools for Flowsheet Development Pilot Scale Testing Pilot testing to demonstrate process and further reduce project risk Define engineering design criteria Modern Data Acquisition & Control Demonstrate both metallurgy and control philosophy Tapping RoF Ferrochrome from the XPS DC Furnace XPS 100 mm diameter Fluidized Bed Reactor A GLENCORE Company 21

22 Process Flow sheet Development Plant Testing 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 Intensive sampling, data collection Technical support Analysis and learning A GLENCORE Company 22

23 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 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 A GLENCORE Company 23