XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 395
Bulk ore sorting at the El Soldado copper mine in
Chile resulted in ore grade increases of 5-20%+ with
5-20% of mined ore being rejected as waste. Copper ore
processing can produce 32 kg CO2 e/t. The diverted coarse
waste has saved up to 20% of GHG emissions, mainly due
to avoidance of milling and further downstream treatment,
with only minor (up to 2.5%) metal losses. Savings of over
40,000 t CO2 e/yr are achieved at an ore processing rate
of 1,200 tph where 14% of the mined ore is discarded at
waste. Figure 4 shows an analyzer installation in a bulk
sorting application where parcels of 30 seconds are diverted
according to their quality above or below an economic cut-
off grade. Multiple diversion criteria can be used and inter-
mediate grade material could be diverted to a beneficiation
process such as particle sorting.
Source: Scantech International Pty Ltd
Figure 2. Copper ore grade variability from each 30 seconds of conveyed flow from a
block cave mine
Source: Navarrette et al. 2022
Figure 3. Copper ore grade variability at Ministro Hales and Chuquicamata
Bulk ore sorting at the El Soldado copper mine in
Chile resulted in ore grade increases of 5-20%+ with
5-20% of mined ore being rejected as waste. Copper ore
processing can produce 32 kg CO2 e/t. The diverted coarse
waste has saved up to 20% of GHG emissions, mainly due
to avoidance of milling and further downstream treatment,
with only minor (up to 2.5%) metal losses. Savings of over
40,000 t CO2 e/yr are achieved at an ore processing rate
of 1,200 tph where 14% of the mined ore is discarded at
waste. Figure 4 shows an analyzer installation in a bulk
sorting application where parcels of 30 seconds are diverted
according to their quality above or below an economic cut-
off grade. Multiple diversion criteria can be used and inter-
mediate grade material could be diverted to a beneficiation
process such as particle sorting.
Source: Scantech International Pty Ltd
Figure 2. Copper ore grade variability from each 30 seconds of conveyed flow from a
block cave mine
Source: Navarrette et al. 2022
Figure 3. Copper ore grade variability at Ministro Hales and Chuquicamata