3520 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
for Test FCL1 which explains the lowest copper grade-
recovery curve (Figure 3) and the lowest iron recovery was
obtained in Test F7/FCL2 which explains the highest cop-
per grade-recovery curve (Figure 3). Essentially, in Figure 5
as the iron recovery decreased, the copper grade-recovery
curve increased (Figure 3).
The tungsten unit recovery versus the copper unit
recovery in the first cleaner concentrate is illustrated in
Figure 6.The highest tungsten recovery to the first cleaner
concentrate was obtained in Test FCL1. For the other tests,
the tungsten recoveries to the first cleaner concentrate were
around 20%. Therefore, Test FCL1 resulted in the lowest
selectivity between copper and tungsten.
In the statistical assessment of 119 copper concentrates
conducted by Delbeke and Rodriguez (2014), it was found
that 50% of global copper concentrates have a copper grade
of less than 26.67%, with the minimum being 14%. On the
other hand, 30% of the world’s production exceeds 28.45%
Cu. As previously discussed, most likely it would not be
possible to upgrade the first cleaner copper concentrate to a
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Copper Recovery (%)
FCL1 FCL2 FCL3 F7/FCL2 FCL4
Figure 3. Copper grade (%)versus copper recovery (%)in the first cleaner concentrate
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Mass (%)
FCL1 FCL2 FCL3
F7/FCL2 FCL4 Iso
Figure 4. Copper recovery (%)versus mass (%)in the first cleaner concentrate
Copper
Grade
(%)
Copper
Recovery
(%)