NUST MISIS, Moscow, Russia

A. A. Baranov, Post-Graduate Student, baranov.1999@bk.ru
M. A. Zhdanov, Student
V. V. Cheskidov, Deputy Director of the College of Mining, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

VNIPIpromtekhnologii JSC, Moscow, Russia
A. V. Seleznev, Head of Department of Mining, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

Amid declining global uranium production and increasing demand for uranium as fuel for power plants, it is essential to address the challenge of expanding the number of uranium mining enterprises. Particular attention should be paid to explored deposits, as the costs of geological exploration account for 10–15% of the total capital expenditures for developing a mining site overall. It is known that the calculation of the cost per ton of uranium is based on either maximum or average price indicators of the metal, without considering the value of by-product components. This leads to an increase in the break-even price of extraction. To reduce the cost per ton of uranium produced at polymetallic deposits, associated components are extracted from the ores. However, in this case, it is crucial to establish the relationship between the distributions of the by-product metal (element) and the primary mineral to minimize operational costs. At large deposits, such as the Yuzhnoe deposit of the Elkon Horst, such by-product extraction can significantly increase profits. The studies were conducted on the correlation between uranium and gold content. A statistical analysis of the relationship between the metal concentrations was performed, yielding the data on the strength and type of correlation. The Yuzhnoe deposit of the Elkon group can be considered polymetallic. The metals present in the ore exhibit a strong enough correlation, allowing for the prediction of their joint occurrence in the ore. This information will help create a predictive model for gold distribution in the ore, based solely on the samples analyzed only in terms of uranium. Additionally, due to the linear nature of the dependence, the model will be simpler to implement. The obtained results will enable development of more efficient methods for exploring and developing the Yuzhnoe deposit, as well as technologies for processing complex ores, thereby reducing the cost of extracting the primary metal—uranium. Overall, the deposit will become more attractive for capital investment.

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