200 TPD Rock Copper Processing

In order to extract high-purity copper from copper ore, a series of mineral processing processes are required. Following we will introduce the main steps and key technologies of the copper beneficiation process.

The copper ore extraction process can include the following main steps

1. Crushing

The raw ore is coarsely and finely crushed through the crushing equipment to reduce the size of the ore particles to prepare for subsequent processing.

2. Grinding

The crushed ore is finely ground through grinding equipment to further reduce the particle size, and the ore is mixed with the grinding medium to form the slurry.

3. Flotation

The copper ore and impurities in the slurry are separated through flotation equipment. In general, flotation agents arranged with gas adsorption capacity are used to inject the grinded slurry into the flotation tank. The copper ions in the copper ore react with the flotation agent through mechanical or physical and chemical effects to form flotation. The copper ore particles within the foam float, while the impurities sink to the bottom, achieving flotation separation.

4. Concentrate processing

The copper-containing flotation foam obtained after flotation is called concentrate and needs further processing. Multiple flotation methods can be used to gradually improve the grade of copper ore and increase the copper content to a higher level. At the same time, the concentrate can be desulfurized, dearsenic, and other treatments to reduce the content of harmful elements.

5. Leaching and electrowinning

Leaching the concentrated copper ore after concentrate treatment, dissolving the copper ions to form a copper solution. Then, through electrolysis equipment, the copper ions are reduced into solid copper metal using the principle of electrolysis, thereby obtaining pure copper.
 

The optimal copper ore extraction process needs to be determined based on specific copper ore characteristics, process requirements, and equipment conditions. At the same time, during the extraction process, we need to pay attention to environmental protection and reasonably handle by-products such as tailings and wastewater to ensure a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly extraction process. In the following, we will introduce the 200TPD rock copper production line designed based on customer working conditions information.

There are 4 parts in a full processing plant, including a crushing system, grinding system, flotation system, and dewatering system.

Main machines include a raw material feeding hopper, chute feeder, fine jaw crusher, vibration screen, belt conveyor, transfer bin, ball mill, spiral classifier, mixing tanks, chemical tanks, flotation machines, slurry pump, thickener, disc vacuum filter machine, etc.

1. Feeding and Crushing System: Work 10 Hours A Day, 16-20 TPH Input Capacity.

We use a chute feeder for feeding raw material (below 210mm) to the fine jaw crusher stably and evenly.

The fine jaw crusher is for crushing big stones to about 20mm, then output from the fine jaw crusher will go to the vibration screen, which with one layer screen of 20mm mesh, screens out 0-20 mm fine material and goes to transfer bin before the ball mill.

Larger than 20mm back to fine jaw crusher for crushing again, so the crushing system can work separately from the grinding system.

2. Ball Mill Grinding System: Work 24 Hours A Day, 8-9 TPH Input Capacity.

The 0-20mm powder material will first be stocked on the transfer bin and vibration feeder underground to feed 0-20mm powder material to the ball mill. There is a small vibration feeder fixed under the transfer bin, and then powder material is smooth to the ball mill through a belt conveyor. The ball mill is for grinding material to small fine powder below 200 mesh.

To get fine powder, the ball mill needs to work together with a spiral classifier. The overflow of the classifier is a fine slurry around 200 mesh, and the underflow coarse particles will go back to the ball mill grind again to be closed-circuit. So from this grinding system will get 200 mesh slurry.

3. Flotation System

The 200 mesh slurry will be firstly sent to mixing tanks for mixing material and relevant chemicals completely.

The flotation processing includes roughing flotation, sweeping flotation, and fine flotation. Adjust the number of chutes of the flotation machine according to the raw material grade of the copper ore.

4. Dewatering System

After getting the copper concentrate slurry from the flotation system, it is with water, so need to dewater it. The size is very small, which is around 200 mesh. First, we use the thickener to primarily thicken the concentrate, and make higher density, then use a disc vacuum filter machine to dry copper concentrate ore with very low moisture, and then the concentrate can go to the packing system. The water after the thickener and disc vacuum filter can be reused.

This processing plant setup is also suitable for rock gold sulfide, zinc, lead ore, etc.