5
VALUE PROPOSITION
Value of the new treatment can be predicted based on a
realistic one percent increase in current efficiency. For a
mid-size mill generating 130,000 tons of copper annually,
the increased yield would be 1300 tons. At a selling price
of nine dollars per kilogram, the annual increase in pro-
duction equates to roughly twelve million dollars—aa very
substantial ROI compared to the price of treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
The quality and quantity of copper electrowinning depos-
its are strongly affected by chemical agents used to modify
deposit smoothness and current efficiency.
To evaluate these effects, a system was developed to
assess the quality and quantity of copper electrowinning
deposits, allowing perfromance to be evaluated based on
copper smoothness, purity and current efficiency.
Control runs demonstrated the reproducibility of the
system and the severe adverse performance of an ineffective
treatment was demonstrated.
Comparison of a proprietary chemistry against indus-
try standard guar showed a clear improvement in deposit
smoothness and a 1.7 percent improvement in current effi-
ciency compared to an untreated control.
Weight percent of electrowon copper improved from
97.6 to 99.6 with 4 ppm treatment of the new additive, at
the same time, sulfur impurity decreased by 85%.
Results show the benefits of a new proprietary chemis-
try in improving smoothness, purity and current efficiency
in the electrowinning of copper.
REFERENCES
[1] Dresher, W. H, (2001) How Hydrometallurgy and
the SX/EX Process Made Copper the “Green” Metal,
Innovations/Mining and Extraction, www.copper
org, Aug 2001.
[2] Moongo, T.E Michael, S. (2021). J.S. Afr. Inst. Min.
Metall, Vol 121(1), pp 21–28.
[3] Luyima, A. Cui, W. Heckman, C. Moats, M.S.
(2016). Minerals and Metallurgical Processing, Vol.
33(1), pp 39–46.
[4] Alfantazi, A. Valic, D. (2003). J.App. Electrochem,
Vol 33, pp 217–225
Figure 7. Improvement in current efficiency with proprietary
product compared to untreated control
Figure 8. XRF Analysis of copper deposit
VALUE PROPOSITION
Value of the new treatment can be predicted based on a
realistic one percent increase in current efficiency. For a
mid-size mill generating 130,000 tons of copper annually,
the increased yield would be 1300 tons. At a selling price
of nine dollars per kilogram, the annual increase in pro-
duction equates to roughly twelve million dollars—aa very
substantial ROI compared to the price of treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
The quality and quantity of copper electrowinning depos-
its are strongly affected by chemical agents used to modify
deposit smoothness and current efficiency.
To evaluate these effects, a system was developed to
assess the quality and quantity of copper electrowinning
deposits, allowing perfromance to be evaluated based on
copper smoothness, purity and current efficiency.
Control runs demonstrated the reproducibility of the
system and the severe adverse performance of an ineffective
treatment was demonstrated.
Comparison of a proprietary chemistry against indus-
try standard guar showed a clear improvement in deposit
smoothness and a 1.7 percent improvement in current effi-
ciency compared to an untreated control.
Weight percent of electrowon copper improved from
97.6 to 99.6 with 4 ppm treatment of the new additive, at
the same time, sulfur impurity decreased by 85%.
Results show the benefits of a new proprietary chemis-
try in improving smoothness, purity and current efficiency
in the electrowinning of copper.
REFERENCES
[1] Dresher, W. H, (2001) How Hydrometallurgy and
the SX/EX Process Made Copper the “Green” Metal,
Innovations/Mining and Extraction, www.copper
org, Aug 2001.
[2] Moongo, T.E Michael, S. (2021). J.S. Afr. Inst. Min.
Metall, Vol 121(1), pp 21–28.
[3] Luyima, A. Cui, W. Heckman, C. Moats, M.S.
(2016). Minerals and Metallurgical Processing, Vol.
33(1), pp 39–46.
[4] Alfantazi, A. Valic, D. (2003). J.App. Electrochem,
Vol 33, pp 217–225
Figure 7. Improvement in current efficiency with proprietary
product compared to untreated control
Figure 8. XRF Analysis of copper deposit