Refractory Copper Ore from Nchanga, Zambia: A Materials Characterization Study

Abstract

The Nchanga Cu-Co ore deposit of the Zambian Copperbelt, is hosted in Neoproterozoic siliciclastic-carbonate sedimentary rocks, and it consists of two orebodies: the Lower Orebody (shale) and the Upper Orebody (arkose). Refractory Cu ores present in the Upper Orebody comprise 150 Mt with average 0.87% Cu, and are characterized by inadequate recovery of copper by leaching. This materials characterization study, conducted on refractory ore samples from the Upper Orebody using optical microscopy, QEMSCAN®, and microprobe, has shown that copper occurs mainly in biotite, phlogopite, malachite, pseudomalachite and goethite. QEMSCAN® has quantified the abundance of each phase and total Cu deportment in each phase.

Meeting Name

Annual Meeting of the Society of Mining Engineers (2008: Feb. 24-27, Salt Lake City, UT)

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Copper Ores; Materials Characterizations; Neoproterozoic; Ore Bodies; QEMSCAN; Refractory Ores; Carbonate Minerals; Copper; Copper Deposits; Leaching; Metal Recovery; Mica; Minerals; Optical Microscopy; Ore Deposit Geology; Ore Deposits; Refractory Materials; Sedimentary Rocks; Sedimentology; Ores

Geographic Coverage

Zambia

International Standard Book Number (ISBN)

978-1605604558

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2008 Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Feb 2008

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