JSC Kola MMC (Monchegorsk, Russia)

O. V. Severinova, Chief Technologist of the Kola Metallurgical Plant, SeverinovaOV@kolagmk.ru
S. V. Shcherbakov, Deputy General Director - Chief Engineer, ScherbakovSV@kolagmk.ru
V. V. Volkov, Head of the Chemical and Metallurgical Workshop, VolkovVV@kolagmk.ru

LLC Giproniсkel Institute (Saint Petersburg, Russia)

M. A. Lastochkina, Head of the Laboratory of New Materials, LastochkinaMA@nornik.ru
Yu. A. Savinova, Leading Researcher of the Laboratory of Pyrometallurgy, SavinovaYuA@nornik.ru

Earlier, in the course of laboratory studies, technological parameters were proposed for the processing of cakes from the leaching of copper cinder by liquidphase sulfatization. The purpose of the described pilot tests was to verify the solutions developed and confirm the possibility of processing the product in question in the Chemical and Metallurgical Workshop of the Kola MMC. The effect of temperature, duration of sulfatization, and pulp density on the processing performance of this new type of raw material for Kola MMC was investigated. The high degree of removal of non-ferrous metals, iron, and selenium into leaching solutions made it possible to obtain commercial platinum-palladiumgold concentrates suitable for subsequent refining. The main component of this raw material, which determines its technological behavior, is NiO bunsenite, the dissolution of which in sulfuric acid proceeds exothermically and is accompanied by the formation of wall accretion in a sulfatizer. Examination of the wall accretion samples by X-ray spectral microanalysis made it possible to determine its internal structure. A map of the distribution of elements in the wall accretion matrix was constructed. Based on the results of the X-ray spectral microanalysis, technological solutions and digital tools were developed to reduce its yield and improve processing efficiency. Financial and economic modeling of the reconfiguration of precious metals production by PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel confirmed the economic efficiency of the project.

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