Ural office of Science and Production Association "RIVS" JSC, Uchaly, Russia:

Nemchinova L. A., Head of the Research Laboratory, e-mail: l.nemchinnova@mail.ru

Tkachenko M. I., Senior Researcher

Alekseeva Yu. B., Leading Engineer-Technologist

The plant of "Svyatogor" JSC processes the copper ore of Shemurskoe deposit and converter slags (wastes of metallurgical industry) with the obtaining of copper concentrate. The copper zinc ore of Tarnierskoe deposit is also processed on this plant, with obtaining of copper and zinc concentrates. The copper ore of Shemurskoe deposit contains 1,41% of copper. During the processing of this ore, there is obtained the concentrate, which contains 17,68% of copper with the extraction of 81,15% of copper. The copper content in converter slags is 3%. The copper content in the obtained copper concentrate is 18,78% with the extraction of 81,65% of copper. One of the basic tasks, raised before the researches from Science and Production Association "RIVS", is the increasing of technological indices during the processing of copper ores and converter slags.According to the results of laboratory researches on the copper ore of Shemurskoe deposit, there was recommended the introduction of the following additional operations (in relation to the plant scheme):
- preliminary aeration before the intercycle flotation;
- obtaining of the II copper «head» with the coarseness to 95 % grade —74 micron;
- recleaning of two copper «heads»;
- flotation of industrial products.
According to the recommended technological regime in the laboratory conditions, on the reused water of the processing plant, there was obtained the copper "head", with 27% of copper, during the extraction of 54,9% of copper. The containing of copper in the ultimate concentrate was 20,15% with the extraction of 86,58% of copper. Due to the research results, there was developed the technological flotation scheme of converter slags, in which the following additional operations were provided (in relation to the plant scheme):

- obtaining of the II copper «head» with the crushing to 95 % grade —74 micron;
- recleaning of the II copper «head»;
- flotation of industrial products.
On the basis of the recommended regime, there was obtained the concentrate, which contains 24.6% of copper during the extraction of 89,4% of copper.