Minerals Engineering 18 (2005) 13341336

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Technical note

Improvement of mineralogical and chemical characterization to

predict the acid leaching of geometallurgical units from
Mina Sur, Chuquicamata, Chile
S. Helle
a

a,*
,

U. Kelm a, A. Barrientos b, P. Rivas b, A. Reghezza

Instituto GEA, Universidad de Concepcion, Barrio Universitario s/n, Casilla 160-C, Correo 3, Postal Code 4070386, Concepcion, Chile
b
Facultad de Ingeniera, Departamento de Ingeniera Metalurgica, Universidad de Concepcion, Casilla 160-C, Correo 3,
Postal Code 4070386, Concepcion, Chile
c
Director Metalurgia de Procesos, Gerencia de Produccion, Codelco Norte, Chuquicamata, Chile
Received 28 April 2005; accepted 9 September 2005

Abstract
Chemical and mineralogical changes were studied during experimental sulphuric acid leaching of oxide copper ores from Mina Sur,
Chuquicamata, Chile, to validate predictive tools for the heap leaching process.
2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Copper oxide ores; Non-ferrous metallic ores; Cation exchange; Leaching; Ore mineralogy

1. Introduction
The continuous eorts to improve the recovery of copper in heap leaching operations (Hutchinson and Ellison,
1992; Fonseca et al., 1992; Zanker et al., 2002) point to
gangue mineralogy (phyllosilicates and zeolites principally)
as a key parameter to predict the leaching process.
The principal ores at Mina Sur, are chrysocolla, atacamite, copper wad and pitch with quartz, feldspars, phyllosilicates, iron oxides and hydroxides as gangue minerals;
each geologic unit is assigned a Geo-Metallurgical Unit
(UGM) based on chemical and physical quality graded
from 1 to 5 marking increasing aptitude for successful Cu
extraction. Blending is the option to process them, however
gangue behavior has to be improved to minimize errors.
A previous experimental study with synthetic aggregates
(Kelm and Helle, 2003, 2005; Helle and Kelm, 2003, 2005)
has aimed at to semi-quantify the interaction orereactive

gangue, using a non-traditional chemical and mineralogical

characterization combined with a short leaching test; cation exchange capacity (CEC) was recommended as a predictive tool of the copper retention. The present study
aims to validate these conclusions using two UGM of
extreme composition from Mina Sur.
2. Experimental
Ores (Grava Exotica Ex and Grava Achocolatada
Ach), were characterized macroscopically, microscopically
and X-ray diraction (XRD) of the <2 lm fraction; chemical analyses (Cu, Fe, Al, Mn and Mg) were carried out on
head, residues and solutions together with the CEC (Ca,
Mg, Na, K) of head and residues. Analytical procedures
are described in detail by Kelm and Helle (2005). Table 1
summarizes the experimental protocol.
3. Results and discussion

Corresponding author. Tel.: +56 41 204867; fax: +56 41 241045.

E-mail address: shelle@udec.cl (S. Helle).

0892-6875/$ - see front matter 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.mineng.2005.09.029

Copper content and CEC represent extreme values for

both ores (Table 2) and no signicant dierence has been

S. Helle et al. / Minerals Engineering 18 (2005) 13341336

1335

Table 1
Summary of the experimental parameters of cycle 1 (C1) and cycle 2 (C2), run in triplicate, without recirculation of solution
Parameters

C1

C2

Flow
Real ow
[H2SO4]
d/h ratio
Flocculant
Tenso active
T
Leaching time
Sampling
Ex mass
Solubility ratio
Acid pretreatment
Ach mass
Solubility ratio
Acid pretreatment
Rinse rate
Elution rate

8
7.5
95%/25
3
7
45
15
7
12
6.325
0.98
87.08
6.415
0.56
27.65

8
controlled
95%/25
3
7
45
10
7
11
6.752
0.98
98
7.125
0.56
31
5.5 (3 times)
5.5 (1 time)

1/h m2
ml/min
g/l
No dimension
ppm
ppm
C
days
daily
kg
CuS/CuT
kg H2SO4/ton
kg
CuS/CuT
kg H2SO4/ton
L H2O/CuT
L electrolyte 6%*

Chilean Patent Application 2319-01.

Table 2
Copper content, CEC and key modal mineralogy of Ex and Ach ores
Parameter

Ex ore

Ach ore

CuTCuS%
CEC: cmol/kg
Ore minerals wt.%
Reactive gangue wt.%

3.183.12
14.76
Chrysocolla (13), copper pitch (1), copper wad (1)
Phyllosilicates (58) (chlorites), iron oxidehydroxide (7)

0.320.18
23.11
Atacamite (1), copper wad (1)
Phyllosilicates (62), iron oxidehydroxide (7)

observed between the amounts of clay type minerals based

on quantitative microscopic analysis. Also Fe (3.02.81%)
Al (2.071.85%) Mg (0.870.71%) and Mn (0.070.03%)
content are very similar for both samples.
However XRD of the <2 lm clay size fraction reveals
intense presence of smectite (potentially reactive) and illite
in the Ach ore and a lesser presence in the Ex ore (Fig. 1).
Kaolinite is the dominant phyllosilicate in the Ex ore and
smectite is found partially dissolved in the residues of both
ores.

The acid pretreatment leached 60% of Cu in the Ex ore

and 100% in the Ach ore; a clear sulphatation of clasts surfaces is observed and not-reacted chrysocolla (Ex) remains
in the nuclei of some clasts after the leaching experiment.
Neoformed phases are chalcantite (Cu2SO4 5H2O) and
alunogen (Al2(SO4)3 17H2O.
Leaching recovered was 93% in the Ex ore and and 83%
Cu in the Ach ore; water rinsing and elution recovered
0.37% and 0.19% respectively in the Ex ore, and 2.56%
and 3.08% in the Ach ore.

Fig. 1. XRD charts of <2 lm fraction of head and residue of Ex and Ach ore, Ethylene glycol saturated. Intensity as counts per second (CPS).

1336

S. Helle et al. / Minerals Engineering 18 (2005) 13341336

From 3% of Cu retained in the Ex ore, 18% is recovered

by rinsing and elution and from 5% of Cu retained in the
Ach ore, 100% is recovered in these two steps. Cu recovery
during elution is directly dependant on the CEC.
4. Conclusions
Mineral characterization by microscopy together with
XRD clay phase specication in the <2 lm fraction and
determination of whole ore CEC, allows to obtain a robust
knowledge of the interaction oresolution in the heap
leaching process.
Water rinse and elution identify elements physically
and chemically retained respectively by the gangue. Cu
recovery is related directly to the CEC of both ores, these
validating the previous previous studies with synthetic
aggregates.
Acknowledgement
The authors thank nancial support by Conicyt (Fondecyt Grant 1010823).

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