Evaluation of processing options for the treatment of zinc sulphide concentrates at Skorpion Zinc

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dc.contributor.authorFuls, Herman Franz
dc.contributor.authorPetersen, Jochen
dc.date.accessioned2015-06-26T14:37:55Z
dc.date.available2015-06-26T14:37:55Z
dc.date.issued2013-05
dc.description.abstractSkorpion Zinc, an integrated zinc mine and refinery located in the South of Namibia, has a production capacity of 150 000 t/a of special high grade (SHG) zinc. The Skorpion zinc oxide resource will be depleted by 2017. Extensive exploration drilling for additional zinc oxides was conducted without success. With the abundant availability of zinc sulphide concentrates regionally (Black Mountain and Gamsberg in the Northern Cape or Rosh Pinah Zinc and new deposits in the Rosh Pinah region) the life of the operation can be extended by processing of zinc sulphide concentrates. Leach kinetics of zinc sulphides are substantially slower than oxides, preventing the processing of zinc sulphides in the existing process under current conditions, and Skorpion Zinc faces the challenge to identify a suitable zinc sulphide treatment process that can be integrated with the existing plant. Various zinc sulphide processing options were identified through an extensive literature search and non-viable options were eliminated. Mass and energy balances were established for potential options and an economic evaluation (including capital and operating cost estimation) was conducted to identify a suitable process. It is concluded that ferric leaching of sphalerite in a sulphate medium under atmospheric or pressure leach conditions are suitable processes for Skorpion Zinc. These processes present advantages over all other options when elemental sulphur is preferred as the final deportment for sulphide sulphur. Both these processes can be integrated into the existing refinery and will be able to process concentrates with a wide composition range.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationFuls, H. F., & Petersen, J. (2013). Evaluation of processing options for the treatment of zinc sulphide concentrates at Skorpion Zinc. <i>Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13148en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationFuls, Herman Franz, and Jochen Petersen "Evaluation of processing options for the treatment of zinc sulphide concentrates at Skorpion Zinc." <i>Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy</i> (2013) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13148en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationFuls, H.F. and Petersen, J. (2013). Evaluation of processing options for the treatment of zinc sulphide concentrates at Skorpion Zinc. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Volume 113, Issue 5: 399-405en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn2225-6253en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Fuls, Herman Franz AU - Petersen, Jochen AB - Skorpion Zinc, an integrated zinc mine and refinery located in the South of Namibia, has a production capacity of 150 000 t/a of special high grade (SHG) zinc. The Skorpion zinc oxide resource will be depleted by 2017. Extensive exploration drilling for additional zinc oxides was conducted without success. With the abundant availability of zinc sulphide concentrates regionally (Black Mountain and Gamsberg in the Northern Cape or Rosh Pinah Zinc and new deposits in the Rosh Pinah region) the life of the operation can be extended by processing of zinc sulphide concentrates. Leach kinetics of zinc sulphides are substantially slower than oxides, preventing the processing of zinc sulphides in the existing process under current conditions, and Skorpion Zinc faces the challenge to identify a suitable zinc sulphide treatment process that can be integrated with the existing plant. Various zinc sulphide processing options were identified through an extensive literature search and non-viable options were eliminated. Mass and energy balances were established for potential options and an economic evaluation (including capital and operating cost estimation) was conducted to identify a suitable process. It is concluded that ferric leaching of sphalerite in a sulphate medium under atmospheric or pressure leach conditions are suitable processes for Skorpion Zinc. These processes present advantages over all other options when elemental sulphur is preferred as the final deportment for sulphide sulphur. Both these processes can be integrated into the existing refinery and will be able to process concentrates with a wide composition range. DA - 2013-05 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2013 SM - 2225-6253 T1 - Evaluation of processing options for the treatment of zinc sulphide concentrates at Skorpion Zinc TI - Evaluation of processing options for the treatment of zinc sulphide concentrates at Skorpion Zinc UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13148 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/13148
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationFuls HF, Petersen J. Evaluation of processing options for the treatment of zinc sulphide concentrates at Skorpion Zinc. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. 2013; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13148.en_ZA
dc.languageengen_ZA
dc.publisherSouthern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgyen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentCentre for Bioprocess Engineering Research
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceJournal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgyen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.saimm.co.za/
dc.titleEvaluation of processing options for the treatment of zinc sulphide concentrates at Skorpion Zincen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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