Work

Determination of Abrasiveness in Copper-Gold Sulfide Ores: A Contribution to the Geometallurgical Model of the Sossego Deposit

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: The geological context of this study is established in the iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposit of Sossego (Canaã dos Carajás, Brazil), where hydrothermal alterations in shear zones concentrated the metals of interest and added new characteristics to the metavolcanic-sedimentary and granite rocks. The mineral transformation of rocks by hypersaline fluids enriched in metals and silica also modifies some metallurgical properties, such as abrasiveness. Special bench tests on rock drill cores are used in mapping the abrasiveness of rocks, with the Bond abrasion test being more commonly used in the mining industry, but it has a restrictive sampling protocol and mass requirement for geometallurgical studies. As a counterpoint, the test of the Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées/Central Laboratory of Bridges and Roads (LCPC) requires a smaller amount of fine material and a finer granulometric range. The study on the use of LCPC was implemented in 40 samples, using Bond Ai as a reference. The results showed a strong correlation between both methodologies (R2 = 95%), validating the use of LCPC to quantify abrasiveness in the Sossego mine. It was also possible to classify the most abrasive lithologies.

Source: Minerals

DOI: 10.3390/min11121427

Authors: Petterson de Azevedo Barbosa, Maurício Guimarães Bergerman, Elisabeth da Fonseca, Rogerio Kwitko-Ribeiro

Institutions: Universidade de São Paulo, Vale (Brazil), Centro de Desenvolvimento Mineral

Language: English

Topic: Mineral Processing and Grinding

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,944

Funder: Universidade de São Paulo