MINING CHEMICALS
Mining the right chemistry
Whether it is increasing recovery , preventing scale formation or improving HSE , there is a chemical out there able to solve the challenge , Dan Gleeson reports
The whole mining supply ecosystem is focused on the sector ’ s need to recover more metals and minerals from a falling number of viable orebodies , with the mining chemicals producers also doing their bit for this cause .
This has been highlighted of late with developments in the tailings space , with chemical manufacturers devising new solutions to recover value from material deemed to be waste by many mines .
Transforming tailings
To “ support the mining industry ’ s efforts towards sustainability ”, Clariant recently announced a new technical facility in Brazil exclusively dedicated to developing solutions for tailings management .
The Competence Center for Tailings Treatment ( CCTT ) opened on September 27 in Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais .
The facility will develop mining chemicals and technologies to support the industry ’ s efforts to recover more minerals from tailings deposits and reduce waste from the heart of Brazil ’ s mining hub , according to Clariant , adding that the new lab is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment and is home to a dedicated team of R & D experts .
“ Clariant is at the forefront of offering sustainable solutions for mining , and the CCTT will provide robust technical capabilities to demonstrate how our innovations can improve tailings management and waste reduction ,” Wagner Silva , Global Head of Technology , Clariant Mining Solutions , said .
The new CCTT is a core pillar of Clariant ’ s
Tailings Management Program , which comprises four complementary technology platforms : Flotation , Magnetic Separation , Dewatering and Rheology Modification .
Flotation chemicals for slimes , for instance , help mines recover valuable minerals currently going to waste , while flotation chemicals for secondary mining enable operators to reprocess old tailings . In addition , filter aids help operators dewater tailings better , leading to drier stacks and faster throughput .
The company told IM that , following the opening of the CCTT lab , it had conducted road shows with individual customers and , as a result , had identified dozens of opportunities with different clients along the four technology platforms .
“ In the flotation area , we are seeing a lot of
interest in the flotation of iron from tailings , both
from companies that process iron as well as companies that process copper tailings to recover iron ,” the company explained .
Clariant ’ s Competence Center for Tailings Treatment in Belo Horizonte will provide robust technical capabilities to demonstrate how the company ’ s innovations can improve tailings management and waste reduction , according to Wagner Silva
Additionally , companies that mine sulphide ores , like copper and gold , are finding their tailings have sufficient valued minerals , like gold , to warrant evaluating tailings reprocessing , it added .
In the area of magnetic separation , Clariant said it was excited about its new vertical ring high-gradient magnetic separator , which has already garnered a lot of interest from companies processing ultra-fine tailings to recover residual iron .
“ Our specially formulated surfactants and polymers are helping customers recover more of the iron in their ultra-fine tailings , while maintaining the grade ,” it explained .
And the company is also benefitting from the growing trend of dewatering of tailings for dry stacking , which has seen many companies install or expand their filtration capacity .
“ Operators are finding that achieving the design moisture content in the filtered tailings is more challenging than they expected ,” the company said . In addition to the target moisture content , achieving the required filtration rate is a concern for many operators .
Livia Faustino , Clariant ’ s Tailings Management Program Project Manager , told IM : “ During our road shows , we have received requests for
18 International Mining | MAY 2022