Process Mineralogical Investigation in Concentrator at Rampura Agucha 229

Process Mineralogical Investigations in Concentrator

at Rampura Agucha
U. Vishwanath and Joshi Akhilesh
Rampura Agucha. Hindusthan Zinc Ltd

ABSTRACT :Rampura Agucha which is the 3rd largest Zinc mine in the world in terms of contained zinc
metal production is also host one of the most metallurgically complex ores in the world. The mineralogy of
feed, middlings, concentrates and tailing of both the streams were studied to determine the liberation
characteristics and recoveries of major minerals and to characterize the mode of losses in the tailing to
identify the feasibility of improving the lead/zinc recoveries. The studies indicate that though the scope for
increasing lead recovery is limited, there is some opportunity for increasing zinc recovery

1. INTRODUCTION pyrite (5-18%), pyrrhotite (12-14%) and galena

(1-3%). The dominant gangue minerals (45-50%)
The Rampura Agucha deposit is the third largest occurring within the ore zone are quartz, feldspar,
lead-zinc mine in the world in terms of contained micas (sericite, chlorite and biotite), sillimanite
zinc deposits on a production basis and fourth and trace amounts of garnet and amphibole.
largest on a reserve basis with 87.35 Mt of Graphite (5-7%) is ubiquitous.
reserves & resources with an situ grade of 2.03%
Pb and 12.97% Zn. The present capacity of the
concentrator is 3.75 Mtpa and is in the process of 3. BENEFICIATION PLANT
expansion to 5 Mtpa by early 2008. Besides being
The main sections of the operation are as follows:
a world-class deposit it also boasts of high
Primary Crushing of R.O.M. ore from 1,200mm
complexity in terms of its geo-metallurgical
to –150mm Secondary and Tertiary Crushing of
characteristics i.e. textural characters, which
Ore from 150mm to -12mm. Grinding and
makes it challenging for a metallurgist to achieve
Classification of Stream 1 comprising of rod and
optimum recoveries and grade. The present
ball milling, two stage cyclone classification
recoveries and grade of zinc in St1 and 2 are
system and an output of 72 microns. Grinding and
91.67% Zn assaying 53.53% and 91.51% Zn
Classification of Stream 2 comprising of
assaying 53.4% zn respectively at and lead
reciprocating feeders, SAG and ball milling, two
recoveries and grade in St 1, 2 of 60.18% Pb
stage cyclone classification system; and an output
assaying 64.62% Pb and 59.88% Pb assaying
of 63 microns. Lead-Zinc flotation circuit each of
64.93% lead in lead concentrate respectively. The
Streams 1 & 2 including roughing, scavenging, 3-
Zinc recovery achieved at RA Mine is second
stage lead cleaning and 4-stage zinc cleaning;
highest in the world and exceeded only by Broken
Hill deposit
4. GEOMETTALURGICAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ORE:
2. GEOLOGY AND MINERALIZATION
The liberation characteristics of any ore are
The orebody is hoasted in Graphite mica
intimately related to the mineralogical texture and
sillimanite schist/Gneiss and extends for about
recovery is a function of liberation which directly
1550 m and in the depth extent it is extending for
proportional to textural complexity. Simpler the
more than 800 m below surface level.
textural characteristic better the liberation vice
The economic minerals, in the order of versa. Based on the textural characteristics RA
decreasing abundance, are sphalerite (15-20%),
230  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
mine has three ore types which can be classified
as normal, sheared and mylonitised. The normal
type is coarse grained which simple inter-granular
relationship and consequently good liberation
characteristics. The mylonitised ore is very fine
grained and with complex textural characteristics
and poor liberation characteristics. The sheared
ore comparatively is intermediate in grain size
with medium textural characteristics and
liberation characteristics. These ore types have
different liberation characteristics and different
recoveries. But broadly a system of classifying
ore beyond N150 as North ore with difficult
metallurgical characteristics is being followed in
the plant The sphalerite of RA is marmattitic
wherein Fe substitutes for zinc in the lattice
between 6% and 12 and the zinc content in
individual sphalerite grains varies from 53% up to
60% as against the theoretical 67% which should
be present in normal sphalerite the variation may
have a significant effect to the Zn grade of the
zinc concentrate
In this paper a study of the mineralogy of
feed, middlings, concentrates and tailing of both
the streams and ores of different geo metallurgical
characteristics was done to determine the
liberation characteristics and recoveries of major
minerals and to characterize the mode of losses in
the tailing to identify the feasibility of improving
the lead/zinc recoveries
5. BENCHMARKING OF ZINC
RECOVERY OF RAMPURA—AGUCHA
AGAINST OTHER MAJOR ZINC
MINES
The Zinc recovery achieved at RA Mine is second
highest in the world and exceeded only by Broken
Hill deposit. But the comparison is not a true
comparison and has to be done on a textural basis.
The ore at Broken hill is coarse grained with
simple liberation characteristics while the ore of
RA Mine has complex liberation characteristics,
thus making the achievement more creditable. But
keeping the benchmark of recovery attained at
Broken Hill we want to achieve/exceed the
performance and for this purpose a detailed
mineralogical study was carried out to find out the
mode of losses of zinc.
6. BENCHMARKING OF LEAD
RECOVERY
The lead recovery in Lead concentrate is
comparatively much lower as compared to other
major mines. Here again the comparison has to be
on a textural basis and because of the complex
interlocking characteristics of the galena resulting
in poor liberation the recovery is also lower.
Galena being a ductile mineral which flows
easily, and because of the complex deformational
history undergone by the deposit, it has migrated
into the cleavages of graphite and mica and
fractures of quartz/feldspar as 15- 20 micron sized
grains which are difficult to liberate and report
into the tailing. But in an effort to increase the
recovery mineralogical study of the tailing was
done to ascertain the mode of losses of galena.
7. MINERALOGICAL STUDY
7.1 Mineralogical Study of Feed
The study of feed samples indicated the
following:
Feed Galena Spectrum
The Feed Galena spectrum indicates that the
average liberation of Gn in most of the sections is
around 50-60%. The Sec N450 and S 150 which
is texturally complex has a low liberation of 35%
The Liberated Galena is around 20 mic. The
Unliberated Galena is in size range of
15-20 microns in complex locks.
Feed Sphalerite Spectrum
The Feed Sphalerite Spectrum indicates that the
average liberation of Sphalerite in most of the
sections is around 75%. The highest liberation of
81% achieved in S 250 section is solely
attributable to the very clean coarse ore. The
Liberated Sphalerite is around 40-74 mic. The
unliberated Sphalerite (10-15 mic) is in complex
locks.
7. STUDY OF LEAD TAIL
Process Mineralogical Investigation in Concentrator at Rampura Agucha
7.1 Galena Spectrum in Lead Tail
The Galena Spectrum in the lead tail indicates
that there is practically no liberated galena. The
galena interlocks are with Gangue, Graphite and
Sphalerite. The galena grain size interlocked with
Gangue and graphite is around 5-10 microns. In
the interlocks with Sphalerite, galena constitutes a
minor phase (20 mic) which is reporting to the
Zinc concentrate.
8. STUDY OF LEAD CONCENTRATE
8.1 Galena Spectrum in Lead
Concentrate
The galena spectrum in the lead concentrate
indicates that it is composed predominantly of
liberated galena
Sphalerite Spectrum in Lead Concentrate
The sphalerite spectrum in the lead conc indicates
that almost 50% Liberated Sphalerite of the size
of around 20 microns is reporting to the Lead
Conc.
In RA at present there is no addition of Zn
SO4 for depressing the zinc to the zn circuit under
the assumption that non sulfide Zn is replacing
the role of Zn SO4. The results indicate that it is to
be explored whether the addition of ZnSo4 can be
resumed again.
9. STUDY OF ZINC CONCENTRATE
9.1 Sphalerite Spectrum in Zinc
Concentrate
231
The Sphalerite spectrum in the zinc conc indicates
that the overall liberation is more than 95%
except in Samples from N450 + S150 area which
are texturally complex, and where the liberation is
88% and 86% respectively. In all the samples
more than 60% of the Iron is accounted by
Marmatite (Iron in the lattice of Sphalerite) The
concentrate of RA is fine grained and the grain
size of sphalerite in Stream 1 is around
predominantly around 20 microns and in Stream
2 it is predominantly around 15 microns Galena
spectrum in Zinc conc.
The galena spectrum in the zinc conc
indicates that it is mostly the unliberated Galena,
which is locked with Sphalerite in the size range
of 10-15 microns which has reported into the Zn
Conc and there is no liberated sphalerite
indicating that there is no misplacement of lead
into zinc circuit.
10. STUDY OF FINAL TAIL
10.1 Galena Spectrum in the Final Tail
The Galena Spectrum in the Final tail indicates
that there is practically no liberated galena. The
galena interlocks are with predominantly with
Gangue, Graphite and rarely with Sphalerite. The
galena grain size interlocked with Gangue and
graphite is around 15microns. The average
recovery is 59.78%. The comparison of
theoretical and actual recovery indicates that there
is not much difference
10.2 Sphalerite Spectrum in Final Tail
The Sphalerite Spectrum in the Final tail indicates
that an average 23% liberated Sphalerite is
escaping to the tails. The average grain size of
liberated Sphalerite is 20-40 microns. The average
grain size of unliberated Sphalerite is 20-30
microns. The coarser particles can be recovered
with the present technology but the finer particles
232  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
recovery would require better cells. The average
recovery is 92.87%. The comparison of
theoretical and actual recovery indicates that there
11. CONCLUSION
The study of mineralogy of feed, middlings,
concentrates and tailing of both the streams to
determine the liberation characteristics and
recoveries of major minerals and to characterize
the mode of losses in the tailing to identify the
feasibility of improving the lead/zinc recoveries,
has indicated that there exists limited scope for
is scope to increase the average recovery to
93.65% by recovery of the liberated particles.
increasing lead recovery but there is scope for
enhancing the zinc recovery especially in stream
1 where increased residence time in cleaner
circuit would capture the liberated particles and
enhance recovery. The presence of liberated
sphalerite in lead concentrate indicates that there
is some opportunity for recovering the sphalerite
by addition of zinc sulfate.