Improving the processing of low-grade copper ores (2024-2028)
Abstract
The project aims to investigate the electrochemical interaction occurring during the grinding of low-grade copper ores and understand how the interaction affects the recovery of copper minerals and rejection of waste minerals in the subsequent separation process. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of minerals processing and materials engineering using interdisciplinary approaches. Expected outcomes of this project include cost-effective new steel products used for grinding copper ores and new chemical solutions to selectively reject waste minerals during mineral separation. This should significantly reduce the operating costs in copper processing plants and increase the copper production from low-grade copper ores.
