About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Fundamentals of Sustainable Metallurgy and Processing of Materials
|
| Presentation Title |
Improving Copper Recovery by Froth Flotation at Konkola Concentrator Using Controlled Potential Sulphidisation (CPS) |
| Author(s) |
Henry Chilombo, Yotamu Hara, Wilfred Mulenga Mwenya, Cornwell Tepa, Fredrick Chileshe |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Henry Chilombo |
| Abstract Scope |
With the aim of improving recovery at Konkola concentrator on the Copperbelt Provience of Zambia, controlled Potential Sulphidisation (CPS) was studied at laboratory and plant scale. Eh was varied at a range of -50mV to -550mV and intervals of -50mV. Laboratory tests showed a significant increase of recovery for ASCu from 39 % at -50mV to 56 % at -350mV. Three distinct steps were apparent as the potential became more negative, these: increasing recovery from -50mV to -300mV; plateau in narrow range of -300mV to -350mV; and sharp decline at potential more negative than -400 mV. The response of AICu followed a similar trend but peaking at less negative potentials. The effect of NaHS dosage on Eh was studied and the dosing of NaSH was between 121 and 261 grams per tonne of ore for optimum Eh between -300mV and -350mV. A preliminary cost-benefit analysis at Cu metal price of US$5,880/tonne and taking into account other extra direct operating costs indicated that CPS has potential to earn additional revenue of approximately US$1.1m per annum. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Extraction and Processing, |