Analysis of the Possibility of Using New Types of Protective Coatings and Abrasion-Resistant Linings under the Operating Conditions of the Spiral Classifier at KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Ore Concentration Plant

A study was carried out to select the appropriate coatings for corrosion protection of the spiral classifier working at KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Ore Concentration Plant. The abrasion resistance of selected protective coatings and wear-resistant linings was investigated using a DT-523 rotary abrasion tester with Taber CS-10 rubber abrasive discs. The average weight loss of the coatings after a cycle of 2000 revolutions was determined. Tests of protective coatings using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique were carried out to determine the suitability of coatings in the highly saline environment of the aqueous suspension of ground copper ore. During the measurements, changes in resistance, polarising current and capacitance were determined as a function of time for the tested coatings. The linings selected on the basis of laboratory tests were also tested under industrial conditions. Their degrees of wear were characterised. The results obtained indicated the highest abrasion resistance of materials from the polyolefin group (polyethylenes), where the average weight loss did not exceed 5 g/dm2. In the case of protective coatings, the highest durability was demonstrated by coatings with additives of ceramic aggregates, phenol-epoxy, and an elastomeric coating based on polyurea, whose average weight loss during the test cycle did not exceed 19 g/dm2. EIS measurements showed that the tested coatings were resistant to the aggressive environment of the feedstock. Tests under cathodic polarisation conditions of the samples at a potential below the protection potential showed that they were resistant to a highly saline environment and were also resistant to its alkalinisation resulting from the application of cathodic protection, which will be used to protect the classifier together with protective coatings. Tests carried out under industrial conditions using wear-resistant linings made of plastics have made it possible to analyse the mechanism and degree of wear of the various materials during the operation of the classifier. Measurements of lining wear were made in relation to baseline volumes. Polyurethane, a polymer lining based on MDI and PTMG, and those made of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene with anti-stick additives showed the lowest wear rates.

Abnormally high content of noble metals in wastes of the Fiagdon concentration plant: a possible new type of mineralization for the North Caucasus is gold-platinoid with base metals, localized in the Early-Middle Jurassic black shales

На Северном Кавказе благороднометалльное (золото, серебро, платина, элементы платиновой группы) оруденение черносланцевого типа локализовано в тоар-ааленских флишоидных углеродсодержащих терригенных отложениях, приуроченных к региональной Самуро-Белореченской металлогенической зоне (СБМЗ) – от Дагестана до Адыгеи и Краснодарского края. Вовлечение в поисково-разведочные работы этого стратегического минерального типа оруденения дает возможность расширить минерально-сырьевую базу Южного федерального округа России. Цель исследований – выявление содержаний благородных металлов и элементов платиновой группы (ЭПГ) в промышленных отходах Фиагдонской обогатительной фабрики (ФОФ) и в рудовмещающих тоар-ааленских черносланцевых толщах. ФОФ, в частности, перерабатывала руды полиметаллических месторождений Кадат и Какадур, локализованных в тоар-ааленских флишоидных углеродсодержащих терригенных отложениях Авсандур-Ламардонского рудного поля (АЛРП). Проведена оценка АЛРП на возможность выявления здесь промышленно значимого золото-платиноидного с полиметаллами оруденения в черносланцевой толще. Методы исследования. ICP-MS анализом проанализированы 5 проб в Центре «ИГЕМ-Аналитика» на масс-спектрометре X-Series IIи 13 проб – в Лаборатории физико-химических и химических методов анализа ИМГРЭ на приборе Elan 6100 DRC. Результаты работы. Установленные в 18 пробах (в керне скважин) Фиагдонского хвостохранилища (ФХ) повышенные содержания благородных металлов можно объяснить наличием как в рудах АЛРП, так и во вмещающей их нижне-среднеюрской углеродсодержащей песчано-глинистой флишоидной толще нового для Северного Кавказа нижне-среднеюрского золото-платиноидного cполиметаллами оруденения в черносланцевой толще (2,5-3,2 мас. % УГВ). Предложена модель образования золото-платинового оруденения черносланцевого типа за счет конвекции вадозных вод в высоко металлоносных (Au, Ag, Pt, Pd) ранне-среднеюрских флишоидных толщах алевролито-аргиллитового состава. При поисковых работах на золото-кварцевый, золото-сульфидный и колчеданно-полиметаллический с золотом типы оруденения в Горной Осетии и в восточной части Горного Дагестана был выявлен ряд перспективных на золото объектов.В пределах СБМЗ может быть выявлен ряд промышленно значимых объектов с золото-платиноидным с полиметаллами оруденением в черносланцевых толщах тоар-ааленского возраста. Предложен комплекс мероприятий с минимальными временными, материальными и финансовыми затратами. In the North Caucasus noble-metal (gold, silver, platinum, elements of the platinum group (PGE)) mineralization of the black-shale type is localized in Toar-Aalenian flysch-like organic matter rich, terrigenous sediments in the regional (from Dagestan to Adygea and Krasnodar Territory) Samuro-Belorechenskaya metallogenic zone (SBMZ). Involvement in prospecting and exploration of this strategic type of mineralization provides the opportunity to expand the mineral resource base of the Southern Federal District of Russia. The Aim of the research is to identify the content of platinum and PGE in the industrial wastes of the Fiagdon concentration plant (FCP) and in the ore-bearing Toar-Aalenian black shale strata. In particular, processed ores of the Kadat and Kakadur polymetallic deposits, localized in Avsandur-Lamardon ore field (ALOF). The ALRP was prospected for economic gold-platinum with polymetallic deposit in the black-shales series. Methods. ICP-MS analysis - 5 samples were analyzed by ICP-MS in IGEM-Analytics Center on an X-Series II mass spectrometer and 13 samples - in the Laboratory of Physical-Chemical and Chemical Methods of Analysis of the IMGRE on the Elan 6100 DRC instrument. Results. The elevated noble metal concentrations established in 18 samples (borehole core samples) from the Fiagdon tailings dump could be explained by the presence of both the ALRP ores and the gold-platinum with polymetallic mineralization in the host Toar- Aalenian black-shales series (2.5-3.2 wt. % of carbonaceous matter). The model of formation of gold-platinum mineralization at the expense of vadose water convection in highly metalliferous (Au, Ag, Pt, Pd) Early-Middle Jurassic flysch-like strata of siltstone-argillite composition is proposed. During prospecting works for gold-quartz, gold-sulfide and colliery-polymetallic with gold types of mineralization in the Mountain Ossetia and in the eastern part of Mountain Dagestan a number of promising objects for gold were revealed. A number of economic significant objects with gold-platinum with polymetallic mineralization in black-shale series of Toar-Aalenian age can be identified within the SBMZ. A complex of prospecting with minimal time, material and financial expenses is proposed

ASSESSMENT OF IRON ORE CONCENTRATION CHARACTERISTICS ON THE BASIS OF ULTRASONIC MEASUREMENTS

A great number of various factors to a different extent impact iron ore treatment, properties of mineral composition of ore and parameters of technological equipment being some of them. To solve the problem of improving performance of a concentration plant in terms of the concentrate, it is required to elaborate effective scheduled procedures, upgrade technological equipment, develop methods of control over concentration processes considering technological properties of ore fed. There is suggested a method of improving efficiency of magnetic concentration of iron ore under the action of high-intensity ultrasound. There are established dependencies between physical-mechanical and chemical-mineralogical characteristics of iron ore slurry solids and their behavior in technological flows under controlled ultrasonic vibrations, this enabling simulation modelling of the process and specification of optimal controlling actions. The research object is assessment of characteristics and control of iron ore magnetic concentration on the technological line of the ore concentration plant. The research subject is the cyber-physical system based on using impacts of highintensity ultrasound on slurry solids to assess characteristics of iron ore magnetic concentration. Obtained dependencies and mathematical models of the non-linear spatial process of high-intensity ultrasound propagation in the iron ore slurry enable implementing the method of assessing characteristics of iron ore magnetic concentration and due to this increase efficiency of the mentioned operations. There are suggested methods of calculating intensity of high-intensity ultrasound in a certain point of the measurement area in order to perform forecast displacement of ground ore particles and changes of the fraction composition of slurry solids under the controlled action of high-intensity ultrasonic vibrations. The developed method and the software-engineering complex for its implementation enable restoring a function of distributing ground ore particles by sizes, forecasting results of technological operations and forming controlling actions.

The Comparison of Main Copper Sulphide Minerals Beneficiation Under Laboratory and Industrial Conditions at the KGHM Concentration Plant

The Zechstein copper ore deposit located on the Foresudetic monocline has a complex geological structure both in lithological and mineralogical aspects. The significant variability in quantity and quality of minerals deposited in the ore bed is one of the factors determining the susceptibility of copper ore to beneficiation based on flotation, which is carried out in the KGHM Concentration Plant. Based on the algorithm developed, flotation experiments on a laboratory scale have been conducted to predict the upgrade rates under industrial conditions. This paper provides the results of the mineralogical examination of the flotation products performed by one of the KGHM Concentration process lines and compares the beneficiation of various copper sulphide minerals. The results of the laboratory tests have been compared with the results of sampling carried out simultaneously at the process line. A procedure has been proposed to develop equations defining the industrial upgradability curves for copper sulphide minerals under the KGHM Concentration Plant conditions.