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  • Mineralogical characterization of old bor copper mine tailings for potential reprocessing [Elektronski vir]
    Langenfus, Aleksandra ...
    Efficient processing of tailings, i.e. mine waste, is crucial to eliminate environmental risks often connected with tailings ponds. Tailings also represent a valuable source of secondary raw ... materials, which has been neglected as an opportunity. Since the mineralogy of the tailings dictates the possibilities of reprocessing and sets the limits for achievable metallurgical responses, the detailed mineralogical and chemical characterization of tailings material is a prerequisite for successful beneficiation of these kind of complex materials. Serbia has copper deposits that have been exploited since ancient times, and date back to 4500 B.C. These operations have generated large amounts of mineral processing tailings. The Bor copper mine located in the eastern part of Serbia started exploiting the high grade, 17% Cu, copper ores in 1903, the open-pit mining started in 1912 and continued until 1986 with decreasing copper grades. During these mining operations, approximately 27 Mt of tailings with an average copper and gold contents in the range of 0.2- 0.3% Cu and 0.3- 0.6ppm Au, correspondingly, were disposed in the Bor Valley. The old Bor tailings disposal covers an area of approximately 1.6 km2. The dumped tailings are extremely acid, with pH values ranging between 2.48 and 4.25 mainly due to the decomposition of abundant pyrite, which has led to acid generation. These acid conditions facilitate the mobility and bioavailability of toxic heavy metals. Overall, a century of mining has left its mark on the Bor area landscapes being one of the most polluted places in Serbia. The mineralogy of the old Bor tailings is complex due to the subsequent alteration of main primary sulfides and the occurrence of water and acid-soluble copper phases. Detailed and versatile mineralogical and chemical characterization, using sequential copper phase assays, X-ray diffraction, optical and scanning electron microscopy, and element to mineral conversions, allowed selecting the accurate methods and conditions for beneficiation of copper and gold. The most abundant copper mineral in the studied sample, which carries approximately half of the tailings total copper content, is secondary, water-soluble chalcanthite, CuSO4%5(H2O) that forms in arid climates or in rapidly oxidizing copper deposits. In addition, trace amounts of primary chalcopyrite, enargite, and covellite were encountered. However, pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral in the tailings. We present results from the detailed mineralogical and chemical characterization of old Bor tailings and show how old tailings can be reprocessed and copper and gold can be recovered effectively into a pyrite flotation concentrate. Reprocessing of old mine tailings can be both an economic and environmentally friendly solution by recovering a substantial amount of copper, gold, and sulfur into concentrate, and at the same time reducing the environmental impact caused by acid mine drainage.
    Source: Mineralogy in the modern world [Elektronski vir] : abstract book : EMC 2020, 3rd European Mineralogical Conference : 29 August - 2 September 2021, Cracow, Poland (Str. 226)
    Type of material - conference contribution ; adult, serious
    Publish date - 2021
    Language - english
    COBISS.SI-ID - 82933507

    Link(s):

    http://ptmin.pl/Book%20of%20abstracts%20emc2020.pdf

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