Inqubo Yokukhiqiza Nokucubungula I-Copper Ore
Ithusi (Cu) ingenye yezinsimbi ezibaluleke kakhulu empilweni yanamuhla. Ukuqhuba kwayo kagesi nokushisa, ukumelana nokugqwala, kanye nokuguquguquka okuhlobene kwenza ithusi libe yinto ebalulekile yezintambo zikagesi, izingxenye ze-elekthronikhi, amapayipi, ngisho namandla avuselelekayo izinto zezimboni ezifana namaphaneli elanga nama-wind turbine. Kodwa-ke, ngaphambi kokuba ibe umkhiqizo wokugcina, ithusi kumele lidlule ochungechungeni olude lwezinqubo, kusukela ekumbeni nasekucubungulweni kwe-ore kuya ekucwengisisweni nasekubunjweni kube ama-cathode noma ezinye izinhlobo zezentengiselwano. Lesi sihloko sixoxa ngenqubo ejwayelekile yokukhiqizwa nokucubungula i-ore yethusi, kanye nezinhloso kanye nezimiso zokusebenza esigabeni ngasinye.
1. Ukuhlola Nokumbiwa Kwensimbi Yethusi
Isigaba sokuqala siqala ngokuhlola ukuthola izindawo zokugcina zethusi ezisebenza kahle ngokwezomnotho. Imisebenzi yokuhlola ifaka phakathi imephu ye-geological, ukuhlola kwe-geophysical kanye ne-geochemical, kanye nokumba okuyisisekelo ukuze kunqunywe izinga, ukusatshalaliswa kwamaminerali, kanye nomthamo wokugcina. Uma sekutholakale ucwaningo kanye nezimvume, ukumbiwa kwenziwa kusetshenziswa izindlela ezimbili eziyinhloko:
1. Ukumba imigodi evulekile: okusetshenziselwa ama-deposit ethusi aseduze kakhulu nobuso, njengethusi le-porphyry. Le ndlela ibusa ukukhiqizwa kwethusi emhlabeni wonke ngoba ama-reserve amakhulu yize izinga le-ore livame ukuba phansi.
2. Ukumba ngaphansi komhlaba: kusetshenziswa uma amadiphozithi ejulile noma izimo zendawo zingavumeli ukumba okuvulekile.
I-ore evubukuliwe ngokuvamile iqukethe amaminerali ethusi njenge-chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂), i-bornite (Cu₅FeS₄), i-chalcocite (Cu₂S), kanye namaminerali e-oxide njenge-malachite (Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂) kanye ne-azurite. Ngaphezu kwethusi, i-ore ivame ukuqukethe ukungcola noma amaminerali ahlobene nayo njengensimbi, isulfure, i-silica, igolide, isiliva, kanye ne-molybdenum.
2. Ukuchoboza Nokugaya
I-ore evubukuliwe inkulu ngakho-ke idinga ukuchotshozwa ukuze kuhlukaniswe amaminerali ethusi ne-gangue. Le nqubo ihilela izigaba ezimbili:
– Ukuchoboza: ukusebenzisa i-jaw crusher, i-cone crusher, noma i-gyratory crusher ukunciphisa usayizi we-ore ube ngamasentimitha ambalwa.
– Ukugaya: ukusebenzisa umshini wokugaya ibhola noma umshini wokugaya i-SAG ukukhiqiza izinhlayiya ezincane, ngokuvamile ezifinyelela kumashumi kuya kumakhulu ama-micrometer ngobukhulu.
Inhloso eyinhloko yalesi sigaba ukukhulula amaminerali ethusi kusuka ku-matrix yedwala. Izinga lokukhululwa libalulekile empumelelweni yezinqubo zokuhlukanisa ezilandelayo.
3. Ukuhlushwa kwe-Ore: Ukuntanta (Kwama-Ore e-Sulfide)
Kuma-ore ethusi e-sulfide, indlela evame kakhulu ukuflotha kwe-froth. Kule nqubo, i-slurry ye-ore encane ixutshwa namanzi kanye nama-reagent athile amakhemikhali:
– Umqoqi: wenza ubuso be-copper mineral hydrophobic ukuze bunamathele kalula kuma-bubbles omoya.
– I-Frother: yakha igwebu eliqinile.
– Izilungisi (iziqalisi, izidambisi-ndlela, izilawuli ze-pH): zandisa ukukhetha kokuhlukaniswa.
Umoya upheshulwa ungene esitokisini sokuntanta, okwenza amaminerali ethusi anamathele kuma-bubbles futhi akhuphukele phezulu njengegwebu, lapho aqoqwa khona njengokugxila kwethusi. Izinto ezisele ezingezona ezethusi zilahlwa njengemisila.
Ukugxila okubangelwayo kuvame ukuqukatha cishe u-20–35% Cu, okuphakeme kakhulu kune-ore yokuqala okungaba ngu-0,4–1% Cu kwezinye izimayini ze-porphyry.
4. Ukucutshungulwa Kwe-Hydrometallurgical (Kwe-Oxide Ores)
Ama-ore e-Copper oxide ngokuvamile awacutshungulwa ngempumelelo ngokugeleza kwe-sulfide. Ngakho-ke, izindlela ze-hydrometallurgical ezifana nalezi:
1. Ukuvuza: insimbi noma izinto ezichotshoziwe ziyanqwabelana (ukuvuza okuningi) bese zixutshwa nesisombululo se-sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄). Ithusi liyancibilika kuma-ion e-Cu²⁺ esixazululweni se-leach esikhulelwe.
2. Ukukhishwa kwe-solvent (SX): ukuhlukanisa nokuhlanza i-Cu²⁺ kusuka kusisombululo se-leach kusetshenziswa izinyibilikisi eziphilayo.
3. Ukuwina nge-electro (EW): ukufaka ithusi elihlanzekile ku-cathode ngogesi kagesi, okukhiqiza i-cathode yethusi emsulwa kakhulu.
Indlela ye-SX-EW ithandwa kakhulu ngoba ingakhiqiza ama-cathode ngqo ngaphandle kokuncibilika, ikakhulukazi kuma-ore e-oxide asezingeni eliphansi.
5. Ukuncibilikisa i-Copper Concentrate
Kuma-sulfide concentrates, isigaba esilandelayo yi-pyrometallurgy. Ama-concentrates ayomiswa bese encibilikiswa esithandweni (isb., i-flash smelter noma i-reverberatory furnace). Ngesikhathi senqubo yokuncibilikisa, ukuhlukaniswa kwenzeka ngezigaba ezimbili eziyinhloko:
– Okungacwebezeli: ingxube ye-sulfide yethusi ne-iron, equkethe cishe i-45–70% Cu.
– I-Slag: iqukethe ama-oxide nama-silicates avela ekungcoleni okufana ne-silica, insimbi, namanye amaminerali.
Ukusabela kwamakhemikhali ngesikhathi sokuncibilikisa nakho kukhiqiza amagesi acebile nge-SO₂. Ezindaweni zesimanje, i-SO₂ iyabanjwa futhi icutshungulwe ibe yi-sulfuric acid, okunciphisa ukukhishwa kwegesi futhi kukhiqize umkhiqizo obalulekile.
6. Ukuguqula kube yi-Blister Copper
I-matte evela kumshini wokuncibilikisa icutshungulwa kumshini wokuguqula (isb., umshini wokuguqula uPierce-Smith). Umoya noma umoya-mpilo uyafuthwa ukuze kufakwe i-iron sulfide kanye nesulfure:
– Insimbi ifakwa ku-FeO2 bese ingena ku-slag.
– I-sulfur i-oxidized ibe yi-SO₂.
Umphumela wokugcina uba yithusi eliyi-blister elinokuhlanzeka okungaba ngu-98–99% Cu. Libizwa ngokuthi “i-blister” ngoba ubuso balo buvame ukubonakala bunezimbobo ngenxa yokukhishwa kwamagesi ngesikhathi senqubo.
7. Ukucwenga: Ukucwenga Umlilo kanye Nokucwenga Ugesi
Nakuba okuqukethwe kwethusi ku-blister kuphezulu, kusekhona ukungcola okufana ne-Fe, S, Ni, As, Sb, kanye nezinto ezibalulekile (Au, Ag, Pt, Pd) okudingeka zisuswe. Ukucwenga kwenziwa ngezinyathelo ezimbili ezijwayelekile:
1. Ukucwenga umlilo: ukucwenga kokuqala esithandweni somlilo ukuze kuncishiswe umoya-mpilo kanye nokungcola okuthile, okukhiqiza i-anode yethusi emise okwepuleti.
2. Ukuhlanza ngogesi: i-anode incibilikiswa ngogesi esixazululweni se-copper sulfate. Ithusi elimsulwa liwela phezu kwe-cathode njengethusi le-cathode elihlanzekile elingu-99,99%.
Ukungcola okuhle njengegolide nesiliva akuncibiliki futhi kuzovela njenge-anode slime, ezobe isicutshungulwa ukuze kutholakale izinsimbi eziyigugu. Yingakho imboni yethusi ivame ukukhiqiza igolide nesiliva njengemikhiqizo elandelayo.
8. Ukuphrinta kanye Nomkhiqizo Wokugcina
Ama-cathode ethusi angathengiswa ngqo njengezimpahla ezijwayelekile zomhlaba wonke (isb. i-LME Grade A) noma acutshungulwe abe ezinye izindlela:
– Induku yocingo yezintambo zikagesi,
– amapayipi ethusi okufaka amapayipi kanye ne-HVAC,
– amashidi/amapuleti embonini yokukhiqiza,
– ama-alloy afana nethusi (Cu-Zn) kanye nethusi (Cu-Sn).
Lesi sigaba sokwenziwa sivame ukwenziwa esitshalweni sokudweba esigoqayo, esikhiphayo, noma esidwetshwa ngocingo, kuye ngomkhiqizo owufunayo.
9. Ukuphathwa Kwezemvelo Nemfucuza
Inqubo yokucubungula i-ore yethusi ikhiqiza ukungcola, i-slag, kanye nokukhishwa kwegesi. Ngakho-ke, izici zemvelo zibalulekile:
– Izinsila zigcinwa emadamini ezinsila ngokuqapha ukuzinza kanye nekhwalithi yamanzi.
– Amanzi okucubungula avame ukuphinda asetshenziswe ukuze kuncishiswe ukusetshenziswa kwamanzi amasha.
– I-SO₂ evela kumshini wokuncibilikisa ibanjwa ukuze kukhiqizwe i-sulfuric acid.
– Ukubuyiselwa komhlaba kwenziwa ngemva kokuqedwa kokumba.
Izindinganiso zesimanje zemvelo zidinga ukukhishwa kothuli okuncishisiwe, ukusetshenziswa kwamandla okuphumelelayo, kanye nokuphathwa ngokuphephile kwamakhemikhali afana ne-sulfuric acid.
Isiphetho
Inqubo yokukhiqiza ithusi kusuka ku-ore ihilela ukulandelana kobuchwepheshe okuyinkimbinkimbi: ukuqala ngokumba, ukuchoboza nokugaya, ukuhlukaniswa kwamaminerali ngokuntanta noma ukuhlanzwa, bese kuba ukucwengisiswa ngokuguqulwa kwe-smelting noma i-SX-EW, ukukhiqiza ama-cathode ethusi asezingeni eliphezulu. Ukukhetha indlela yenqubo kuncike kakhulu ohlotsheni lwe-ore (i-sulfide noma i-oxide), okuqukethwe kwethusi, kanye nokucatshangelwa kwezomnotho kanye nezemvelo. Njengoba isidingo somhlaba wonke sikagesi, izimoto zikagesi, kanye namandla avuselelekayo sikhula, ukukhiqizwa kwethusi okusebenzayo nokuqhubekayo kuyisihluthulelo sentuthuko yesikhathi esizayo yemboni.
