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Application of Biohydrometallurgy to Copper Mining in Zambia: Prospects and Opportunities

Received: 24 August 2016     Accepted: 29 August 2016     Published: 26 September 2016
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Abstract

The consumption of copper worldwide has grown fast since 2000; the mining industry is increasingly faced with the necessity to process low grade ores and waste tailings, from current mining operations. The economic extraction of copper from low-grade ores requires low-cost processing methods such as biohydrometallurgy. This study looks at a general panorama of copper mining in Zambia and discusses biohydrometallurgy as a novel and economically viable process for copper extraction. It also presents future prospects of this technology in Zambia. Since early 1930s, the copper mining industry has been the economic and social pillar of Zambia with about 80% contribution to the total export earnings and about 13% Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Mineralisation in the Zambian Copperbelt is dominantly sulphide, comprising of chalcopyrite, bornite and chalcocite among others with grades of the ore deposits generally in the range of 3 - 4% copper and 0.1 - 0.2% cobalt. Huge low grade copper deposits (~0.67% Cu) which are dominantly sulphides (chalcopyrite) were recently discovered in Lumwana area in the North-western Zambia and are currently being exploited. Reports show that more than one billion tons of ore (c. 2.7% Cu) has so far been mined from the mines on the Copperbelt Province of Zambia and conservative estimates suggest that a further two billion tons await exploitation. This provides considerable opportunities for further exploration and mining in Zambia. However, there is currently no commercial copper processing plants in operation on a large-scale in Zambia via biohydrometallurgical process. In order for Zambian mining industry record considerably higher recoveries at inherently lower capital cost, there is need to focus effort on research in this innovative technology and its application.

Published in American Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering (Volume 1, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajcbe.20170101.13
Page(s) 17-23
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2016. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Biohydrometallurgy, Bioleaching, Copper Mining, Mining in Zambia

References
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[2] M. I. Lydall, A. Auchterlonie, “The Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia: A Growing Global ‘Hotspot’ for Copper-Cobalt Mineral Investment and Exploitation”, the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 6th Southern Africa Base Metals Conference, 2011.
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[10] C. L. Brierley, “Management in Action-Biomining: Biomining Beckons”, Mining Magazine, 201: 324-328, 2010.
[11] H. R. Watling. (2006). The bioleaching of sulphide minerals with emphasis on copper sulphides — a review. Hydrometallurgy, 84: 81–108.
[12] J. A. Brierley, C. L. Brierley. (2001). Present and future commercial applications of biohydrometallurgy. Hydrometallurgy, pp. 233-239.
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[14] A. P. Briggs, M. Millards, “Cobalt recovery using bacterial leaching at the Kasese Project”, Uganda IBS Biomine, pp. 97. M2, 1997.
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[16] Copper Organisation, “Copper in the USA: bright future-glorious past”, 2001. Available: http://www.copper.org/general/g_fact.htm
[17] Metorex, “Executive Summary of the Competent Persons' Report and Valuation Statement of Chibuluma Mines Plc in the Republic of Zambia”, 2009.
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[27] J. Petersen, Dixon. (2007). Modelling Zinc heap bioleaching. Hydrometallurgy, 85: 127-143.
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    Ronald Ngulube. (2016). Application of Biohydrometallurgy to Copper Mining in Zambia: Prospects and Opportunities. American Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, 1(1), 17-23. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcbe.20170101.13

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    Ronald Ngulube. Application of Biohydrometallurgy to Copper Mining in Zambia: Prospects and Opportunities. Am. J. Chem. Biochem. Eng. 2016, 1(1), 17-23. doi: 10.11648/j.ajcbe.20170101.13

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    AMA Style

    Ronald Ngulube. Application of Biohydrometallurgy to Copper Mining in Zambia: Prospects and Opportunities. Am J Chem Biochem Eng. 2016;1(1):17-23. doi: 10.11648/j.ajcbe.20170101.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajcbe.20170101.13,
      author = {Ronald Ngulube},
      title = {Application of Biohydrometallurgy to Copper Mining in Zambia: Prospects and Opportunities},
      journal = {American Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering},
      volume = {1},
      number = {1},
      pages = {17-23},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajcbe.20170101.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcbe.20170101.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajcbe.20170101.13},
      abstract = {The consumption of copper worldwide has grown fast since 2000; the mining industry is increasingly faced with the necessity to process low grade ores and waste tailings, from current mining operations. The economic extraction of copper from low-grade ores requires low-cost processing methods such as biohydrometallurgy. This study looks at a general panorama of copper mining in Zambia and discusses biohydrometallurgy as a novel and economically viable process for copper extraction. It also presents future prospects of this technology in Zambia. Since early 1930s, the copper mining industry has been the economic and social pillar of Zambia with about 80% contribution to the total export earnings and about 13% Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Mineralisation in the Zambian Copperbelt is dominantly sulphide, comprising of chalcopyrite, bornite and chalcocite among others with grades of the ore deposits generally in the range of 3 - 4% copper and 0.1 - 0.2% cobalt. Huge low grade copper deposits (~0.67% Cu) which are dominantly sulphides (chalcopyrite) were recently discovered in Lumwana area in the North-western Zambia and are currently being exploited. Reports show that more than one billion tons of ore (c. 2.7% Cu) has so far been mined from the mines on the Copperbelt Province of Zambia and conservative estimates suggest that a further two billion tons await exploitation. This provides considerable opportunities for further exploration and mining in Zambia. However, there is currently no commercial copper processing plants in operation on a large-scale in Zambia via biohydrometallurgical process. In order for Zambian mining industry record considerably higher recoveries at inherently lower capital cost, there is need to focus effort on research in this innovative technology and its application.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Application of Biohydrometallurgy to Copper Mining in Zambia: Prospects and Opportunities
    AU  - Ronald Ngulube
    Y1  - 2016/09/26
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    AB  - The consumption of copper worldwide has grown fast since 2000; the mining industry is increasingly faced with the necessity to process low grade ores and waste tailings, from current mining operations. The economic extraction of copper from low-grade ores requires low-cost processing methods such as biohydrometallurgy. This study looks at a general panorama of copper mining in Zambia and discusses biohydrometallurgy as a novel and economically viable process for copper extraction. It also presents future prospects of this technology in Zambia. Since early 1930s, the copper mining industry has been the economic and social pillar of Zambia with about 80% contribution to the total export earnings and about 13% Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Mineralisation in the Zambian Copperbelt is dominantly sulphide, comprising of chalcopyrite, bornite and chalcocite among others with grades of the ore deposits generally in the range of 3 - 4% copper and 0.1 - 0.2% cobalt. Huge low grade copper deposits (~0.67% Cu) which are dominantly sulphides (chalcopyrite) were recently discovered in Lumwana area in the North-western Zambia and are currently being exploited. Reports show that more than one billion tons of ore (c. 2.7% Cu) has so far been mined from the mines on the Copperbelt Province of Zambia and conservative estimates suggest that a further two billion tons await exploitation. This provides considerable opportunities for further exploration and mining in Zambia. However, there is currently no commercial copper processing plants in operation on a large-scale in Zambia via biohydrometallurgical process. In order for Zambian mining industry record considerably higher recoveries at inherently lower capital cost, there is need to focus effort on research in this innovative technology and its application.
    VL  - 1
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Author Information
  • Department of Chemical Engineering, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia

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