Outotec (Pori, Finland):
Grau R., Senior Manager, rodrigo.grau@outotec.com
Saari J., Manager, juha.saari@outotec.com

Mekhanobr Engineering JSC (St. Petersburg, Russia):

Maksimov I. I., Director on Scientific Work, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Professor, science@mekhanobr.spb.ru
Egorova V. G., Senior Researcher
Kuznetsova I. A., Senior Researcher

The paper presents the results of the Udokan deposit mixed copper ores processing technology development studies. The work was performed by the specialists of Outotec (Finland) and «Mekhanobr Engineering» (Russia) at the «Mekhanobr Engineering» laboratory on a mixed copper ore sample with total copper mass fraction of 1.46 %, including sulfide copper 0.64 %, oxide copper 0.82 % with oxidation level of 56.2 %. The studies were conducted by the selective flotation flow sheet with production of high-grade sulfide and highgrade or low-grade oxide concentrates. In closed-circuit tests with ore grinding to 80–85 % of –0.071 mm size fraction followed by selective flotation with production of high-grade sulfide and highgrade oxide concentrates, total copper recovery into ultimate concentrate was 87.75 %, copper mass fraction in sulfide concentrate — 35.5 %, in oxide concentrate — 22.5 %. By the selective flotation flow sheet with production of high-grade sulfide (36.9 % copper) and low-grade oxide (4.8 % copper) concentrates, total copper ultimate recovery was 90.45 %. By the stage selective flotation flow sheet, when intermediate flotation followed ore grinding to 80 % of –0.125 mm size fraction, and second stage was conducted with grinding to 85–87 % of –0.071 mm size fraction, total copper ultimate recovery was 92.23 %. Total copper mass fraction in sulfide concentrate — 35.57 %, in oxide concentrate — 4.82 %.

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