Hydrometallurgy in Codelco Norte

A. Cruz R., M. Osses K., H. Yez F.

Codelco Norte, Hydrometallurgy Managership
acruz@codelco.cl

ABSTRACT
Codelco Norte is a large mining and metallurgical complex located in the Second Region in Chile.
The operation considers two main lines of mineral processing: the Concentration line and the
Hydrometallurgical line. The annual fine copper productions in 2003 were 478 kt and 429 kt of fine
copper, respectively. Codelco Norte has nowadays the largest hydrometallurgical copper complex
in the world.
This article describes the hydrometallurgical processing plants, the main results of its operations in
2003 and the development projects considered in this process line.
There are two operation to be emphasized in the leaching of sulfide ore resources: the ROM leach
operation denominated SBL Plant, operating since 1994, and the huge secondary sulfide resources
in Radomiro Tomic Mine, still not beneficiated.

1.

CODELCO

With a production of 1,563,000 t of copper in 2003, Codelco is a leader producer on a world-wide

basis. Its mission emphasizes to develop mining and related business in responsible and agile way,
aimed to maximize its economic value and contribution to the Chilean state in the long-term.
The Corporation has four Divisions in operation, each one with its respective productive process.
Codelco's production and cost by Division in 2003 are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Copper Production and Cost by Individual Codelco Division.
Division
Codelco Norte
Salvador
Andina
Teniente
Total

Production
kt copper
907
80
236
339
1.536

Net Cost
US$/lb
49,7
82,3
62,8
61,5
65,4

2.

CODELCO NORTE

2.1

Integrated Vision

Codelco Norte was created in 2002 to integrate and rationalize the management of resources and
facilities that Codelco has in II Region, given the huge existing potential value and the large
reserves and mining resources of its property concentrated there. Joining the ex- Divisions
Chuquicamata and Radomiro Tomic (RT) is part of the current business strategy to duplicate the
economic value of the Corporation.
In the above framework an integrated handling of the District was adopted. The best practices of
each ex- Division were chosen, thus generating an integrated geo-mining-metallurgical planning, in
order to guarantee that each ton of mineral entering to the process is maximizing its contribution to
the business. Also a rearragement in the sequence of exploitation of the deposits and the best way
to employ the distrital territory has been identified. Figure 1 illustrates the Codelco Norte district,
which contains about 16.6 billion tons of ore bearing 0.5% of total copper as average grade within
an area of 25x68 km2.
The distrital management includes two areas according to mineral type, oxide or sulfide, which are
distributed as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 1. Codelco Norte District.

Figure 2. Sulfides Location in Codelco Norte District.

Figure 3. Oxides Location in Codelco Norte District.

2.2

Mineral Process Lines

Codelco Norte presents two process lines:

3.

Concentration Line, that includes concentration, smelting and refining steps, with an annual
fine copper production in 2003 of 478 kt of copper.

Hydrometallurgical Line, including leaching stages, solvent extraction and electrowining. It

consideres two areas, North Hydrometallurgy and South Hydrometallurgy with a total
annual production in 2003 of 429 kt of copper.

HYDROMETALLURGICAL LINE

The hydrometallurgical line has had an increasing development due to the incorporation of new
leachables resources, being these oxides and leachable sulfides, those that are processed in the
North and South Hydrometallurgy.

It should be emphasized that production cost in the hydrometallurgical line are lower than those in
the concentration line.

3.1

Leachable Resources

The existing leachable resources are summarized in Table 2, some of which are being leached and
considered in the Division production plans, whereas the stock of leachable resources, ripios in
reprocess and secondary sulfides from RT appear like development projects.
Table 2. Existing Leachables Resources in Hydrometallurgical Line of Codelco Norte.

3.2

North Hydro

Radomiro Tomic Mine

South Hydro

Source

Chuquicamata Mine
South Mine
North Extension South Mine (ENMS)
Stock of leachable resources
Stock of ripios in reprocess

Type
Oxide
Secondary Sulfide
Low Grade Oxide (OBL)
Low Grade Leached (LBL)

Low Grade Sulfide (SBL)

Oxide
Oxide
Oxide
Oxide

Processing Plants

429 kt of copper per year is the current capacity of the Codelco Norte
hydrometallurgical plants. Three plants are distinguished according to the mineral type
processed and its location in the district:

3.2.1 Oxide South Mine Plant

This plant belongs to the South Hydrometallurgy Area and processes the old Chuquicamata ripios
dump and also fresh oxide ores coming from South Mine. The last one, with an average grade of
1.87% copper, is processed by vat leaching with recoveries of 70%. This facility can process 7
million annual tons of oxide ore. Figure 4 shows in schematic way the processes, which are as
follows:
Primary vat leaching (14 days cycle lenght)
Secondary dump leaching of old ripios (leach cycle extent of several years)
Agitation leaching of smelting dust
Treatment of electro-refining discarding solutions
Treatment of the ACL-Project solutions (bacterial leach of copper concentrates)
Solvent Extraction - Electrowinning.

Main characteristics of the SX-EW plant are:

SX-EW Capacity
120 kt Cuf/year
Mineral Type
South Mine Oxide
Chuquicamata Oxide Ripios
Others
Production year 2003 105,546 t Cuf (vat leach, ripios dump leach and others)

SOUTH MINE

SMELTING DUSTS
PLANT

H2SO4 H2O

H2SO4
Agglomeration

GREEN HOUSE
WELL

H2O
Raffinate Pond

CHUQUICAMATA
RIPIOS LEACHING

VAT
LEACHING
(Cu 20 g/l, 500 m3/h)

PLS
(Cu 6-8 g/l)

(Cu 2-3 g/l, 1600 m3/h)

Raffinate (Cu 0.5-1.0 g/l)

PLS Pond

SOLVENT EXTRACTION

Extraction
ACL
Solutions

Loaded Organic

Loaded Electrolyte
(Cu 52-55 g/l)

ELECTROWINING

Stripping

Unloaded Organic
Spent Electrolyte
(Cu 37-40 g/l)
CopperCathode
99.99%

SHIPPING

Figure 4. Unitary Operations Description of Oxide South Mine Plant.

3.2.2 SBL Plant

This Plant is inserted in the productive line of the South Hydrometallurgy Area and processes
secondary sulfide ores coming from the Chuquicamata Mine. Its copper grade is below the
concentrator cut grade but over 0.20% CuT. The ROM ore sent to process bears 0.36% CuT as
average, and is 80% chalcopyrite and 20% chalcocite. Sulfides are leached by bacterial action,
obtaining an average recovery of 33% CuT within a 3-year period. The leaching solutions are
processed by its own SX-EW plant (see Figure 5).

The main characteristics of the SBL plant are:

SX-EW Capacity
22.5 kt Cuf/year
Ore Type
Chuquicamata mine low grade sulfides
Production year
2003 18,757 t Cuf
22,560 t Cuf (expansion).

PLS
Flowrate : 1500 m3/h
Cu: 2-3 g/l

SBL DUMP

PLS Pond

Raffinate Pond
Recycled Raffinate to Leaching

Recovered Organic

EXTRACTION
2 STAGES
PARALLEL
Unloaded Organic

Crud

Loaded
Organic
Orgnico
Cargado

Coalescer

Flowrate : 1100 m3/h

Purge of Water to E-1

STRIPPING
1 STAGE

Spent Electrolyte
Flowrate : 155 m3/h

Rich Electrolyte

Chuqui Electrolyte Filter

Sparkler Filter
CELL EO
Total : 94

Copper
Cathode
Cu : 99.99 %

Figure 5.

Rectifier

Unitary Operations Description of the SBL Plant.

3.2.3 Radomiro Tomic Plant

This plant constitutes the North Hydrometallurgical Area and processes ores extracted from
the Radomiro Tomic Mine. Facilities allow to process 62 million of oxide copper ore per year, with
0.60% CuT average grade. Recovery is about 90% of copper fed to the plant in primary and
secondary leaching steps. Also since 2003 a low grade oxide ROM ore is leached in a dump (see
Figure 6). Recoveries in the leaching step are as follows:

Primary heap leaching (75% to 80% recovery)

Dump secondary leaching of primary ripios (45% recovery)
ROM leaching of low grade oxides (40% recovery).

Copper solutions from all leach steps are processed in a SX-EW plant. Main characteristics are as
follows:
SX-EW Capacity
307 kt Cuf/year
Ore Type
Radomiro Tomic mine oxides
Production year 2003 279,053 t Cuf (primary leaching)
24,585 t Cuf (secondary leaching)
3,000 t Cuf (ROM leaching).

Botadero de
Dump
InertesInert

TKOrganico
Loaded
TK
Organic
Cargado

Coalescers

Mine
Mina

Extraccin
Extraction

Reextraccin
Stripping

Lavado
Washing

Chancado
Primary
Crushing
Primario
Flotationde
Columnas
Column
Flotacin
Stock Pile
Stock
CoarsePile
Gruesos

Stock Pile
Stock Pile
Medium Size
Intermedios

SET 6

SET 4

SET 5

SET 3

SET 2

Filters
Filtros

Chancado
Secondary
Secundario
Crushing

SET 1

Chancado
Tertiary
Terciario
Crushing

TK de electrolito
TK Filtrate
Filtrado
Electrolyte

Cure on Belt

Heat
Intercambiadores
Exchange
de Calor

Heapde
Pilas
Leaching
Lixiviacin

TK Loaded
TK de electrolito
yte
Electrol
Rico

OfF RaffinatePond

Desde Lagunas de Refino

Dump Waste
Raffinate

Pond

Lagunas de Refino

Desanding
Ponds
Lagunas
de PLS
PLS Pond

Botadero de Ripios

OBLLixiviacin
Leaching
Medium
Sln
Intermedia
Solution

Figure 6. Unitary Operations Description of Radomiro Tomic Plant.

OBL

ILS

Sln Intermedia

4.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

4.1

Oxide Ores

The development projects of existing leachable resources in Codelco Norte district,

basically correspond to low grade oxide ores and ripios that can be reprocessed, located in dumps
distributed in different places in the district.
Projects are divided in two types: new development projects by one hand and optimization
projects by the other. These have been evaluated according to the new integrating vision of the
administration. Projects in progress and their main characteristics are presented in Tables 3 and 4.

Table 3. Leachable Resources: New Development Projects.

Projects

Grades

Recovery

Recovered Cuf
Total
Year
ktf
ktf/a

Resource

Moisture

Resource

M (th)

M (ts)

CuT
%

CuS
%

158,4

0,22

0,16

55,4

193

28

53,4

218

20

11

88

11

Treatment of Ripios from ENMS blended with

Chuqui Ripios

171,3

7,5

Treatment of Ripios from South Mine blended

with Chuqui Ripios

167,8

10

151

0,27

0,16

ROM Processing of RBL

61,4

59,6

0,33

0,29

45,0

Years
N

RBL Low Grade Resource

Table 3. Leachable Resources: Optimization Projects.

Projects

Grades

Resource

Moisture

Resource

M (th)

M (ts)

CuT
%

CuS
%

Recovery
%

Recovered Cuf
Total
Year
ktf
ktf/a

Treatment of Altered Ore from the South Mine

blended with RT Ores

20

18

1,26

0,87

65,0
40,0

151
34

LBL from RT
Economically processable resource

170

167

0,19

0,14

40,0

123

Years
N
9

15

LBL Low Grade Leached

4.2

Leachable Secondary Sulfide Ores

According to the integrated management of the resources, the secondary sulfide existing at
Radomiro Tomic should involve the study of hydrometallurgical and concentration routes prior to
decide the best business option for the Corporation.
Each alternative process was subjected to a preliminary study, based on cost variables, anticipated
cash flows and plant capacities, all inserted within the Business and Development Plan 2004.
At profile level it was evaluated feasibility to process this ore in the Chuquicamata concentrator or
leaching them in RT. In the following diagram each alternative is described (Figure 7), For the
concentrator alternative, the ore should be transported 14 km from the RT mine to the
Chuquicamata plant.

SULFIDES IN NORTH HYDROMETALLURGY

ALTERNATIVE I

PIT
EXTRACTION

MINERAL
CRUSHING

LX SX -EW

SULFIDES IN CONCENTRATION PLANT

ALTERNATIVE II

PIT
EXTRACTION

TRANSPORT

CONCENTRATOR

SMELTING

REFINERY

Figure 7. Alternatives to Process the RT Secondary Sulfide Ores.

Secondary RT sulfides present two mineralization zones:
Strong secondary sulfide (SSF), with presence of chalcocite and/or secondary covellite in greater
proportion, and minor presence of chalcopyrite and/or bornite.
Weak Secondary sulfide (SSD), with presence of covellite and/or secondary chalcocite coexisting
with chalcopyrite and/or bornite.
The average recovery of sulfides processed by hydrometallurgical route is considered as first
approach between 48 and 63%, relatively low values with respect to the state-of-the-art, because it
does not consider a suitable process adapted to sulfide ores, but only the use of the current process
for oxide treatment, where clearly the crushing size -1 currently used is not appropriate for these
ores, aspect feasible to be improved. The direct cost for this alternative ranges between 45 to 39
US/lb, according to the assumed recovery. These costs are over those stated in the traditional
oxide line, due to the lower extraction compared to that obtained in the North Hydrometallurgy
operations.
In the hydrometallurgical option, the secondary sulfides should enter the existing plant after the year
2012, when the oxides exhaust. This is because the actual 90% recovery makes the first option to
continue processing oxides.
In the case of the concentrator, preliminary estimates in the mining plans, indicate that these ores
could be processed starting at 2006, although the costs of this line are higher than
hydrometallurgical line. The concentration option involve two important advantages: it allows a
greater recovery of copper (86%) and the cash flows can be anticipated, thus improving the
economical return for this alternative.
The dominant presence of chalcocite gives to the flotation concentrate different properties from the
average Chuquicamata concentrate, like higher copper grade (close to 50%) and probably lower
impurity concentration (particularly As). Assuming 86% copper recovery at this stage, about 63
USS/lb cost is estimated for the complete concentration line, including the transportation cost from
RT to Chuquicamata. See Table 5.
Table 5. Processing RT Secondary Sulfides Optimized Project.

Project
Processing of RT Secondary Sulfide
Primary - Secondary Leaching
SSF
SSD
Primary - Secondary Leaching Optimized

Resource Humidity Resource

Grades
CuS
CuT
%
%

Rec
%

Cuf Recovered
Total
Year
ktf
ktf/a

Years

M (th)

M (ts)

253

246

0,67

0,07

47,5

798

100

102
151

3
3

99
147

0,84
0,55

0,1
0,05

54,3
42,9

452
347

56
43

246

0,67

0,07

1033
235

129

63,0

Relevant characteristics of each alternative are as follows:

Process residence time
Recovery %
Unit cost US/lb
Year of start up

Concentrator
< 1 hour
86
63
2006

Hydrometallurgy
300 400 days
48 63
45 39
2012

Differential NPV associated to each process alternative with a discount rate of 8.5% and a copper
price of 85 USS/lb are shown in Table 6. The reference used is the hydrometallurgical processing
beginning at 2012, with 47.5% as total copper recovery.
Table 6. Differential NPV Associated to Each Process Alternative.

Line Process
Hydrometallurgy year 2012 (R = 48%)
Hydrometallurgy year 2012 (R = 63%)
Concentration year 2006 (R = 86%)

NPV MUS$
0
+94
+42

Both alternatives present advantages and disadvantages and together with the economic feasibility
study would allow to determine the best process alternative. The choice also would depends on
policies and commitments adopted by the administration. Variables such as plant availability, start
up opportunity, recoveries, ore resource availability, ore supplying alternative, environmental
variables and process time, among others.
The study of processing alternatives for the RT secondary sulfide ores goes on, with the target of
improving information to generate a better geo-mining-metallurgical planning that allows to establish
the best options and process opportunities and business.
5.

CONCLUSIONS

The production of 429 kt Cuf during the year 2003 in the Hydrometallurgical line in Codelco Norte, is
an important contribution to the Codelco Norte production, particularly considering the low
production cost, it stands out the relevance of the development projects mentioned before, because
its application would significantly impact the future operational result of the whole Division.
Interesting additional leachable resources appear to be worked out, to establish their stage and
process alternative, according to the integrated management plan. Reprocessing of existing ripios
and the ROM leaching operations are the most attractive alternatives to beneficiate these
resources.
The challenge to detect the marginal capacities of the existing plants, will allow to adapt the plants
to higher demands with low investments and reduced times, thus increasing profit of the business.

It should be noted that considering a low copper recovery (48%), the concentrator option is more
attractive than the hydrometallurgical route, besides in the first one an important benefit occurs by
advancing the start up in the year 2006 compared to 2012 in the hydrometallurgical route.
Still within a conservative frame, the increase of leaching copper recovery from 48 to 63% would
report important economic profit increasing the differential NPV to 94 MUS$, exceeding to the
concentration route in 52 MUS$. Therefore, although the processing of these ores is planned for the
2012, the pertinent studies to define processing conditions, required investments, better knowledge
of the resource (mineralogy, grades) and more precise metallurgical response (copper recovery,
acid consumption), must begin as soon as possible due to the high potential business.

6.

REFERENCES
1.

J. Camus, F. Azcar. Integrated Planning in the Mining Business, Copper 2003 - Copper 2003 Volume I Plenary Lectures, Economics and Applications of Copper, Santiago, Chile, 2003, 279-291.

2.

Codelco Norte, Metallurgical Balance 2003, Hydrometalurgy Management, 2003.

3.

Codelco Norte, Business and Development Plan, PND- 2004.

4.

F. Tomic, J. Alvarez. Codelco Press Conference, Results January - December 2003.