MINING CHEMICALS
Clariant says its FLOTICOR DP sulphide depressants are proven in commercial production of molybdenum concentrate , allowing operators to eliminate the risk of NaSH exposure while maintaining molybdenum recovery and grade
“ These trials will give us a great benchmark , verifying both the safety and recovery / grade benefits and also providing the cost comparison with NaSH as a depressant ,” Garcia said . “ While many operators are looking to provide the safest possible operation by removing NaSH , the cost metric could prove even more compelling for the uptake of FLOTICOR DP sulphide depressants .”
As well as these brownfield operators , Garcia expects new molybdenum producers to be great candidates for the use of FLOTICOR DP sulphide depressants .
“ As the product is so stable over a range of pHs and different environments , the amount of training required to use the product is minimal ,” Garcia said . “ At the same time , from a regulatory perspective , it is likely to be easier to win approvals for molybdenum flotation plants using FLOTICOR DP sulphide depressants since the environmental , health and safety issues associated with NaSH are simply not there .” has applications across the base and precious metals space .
Gold leach testing via GlyCat™ has been the major area of focus over the last decade for MPS . The process was invented to reduce cyanide consumption while maintaining gold recovery for gold ores from deposits containing nuisance copper . It has been designed to enhance the dissolution of gold and copper in gold / copper ores where glycine is used as a catalyst with cyanide in a cyanide-starved leaching environment . It doesn ’ t replace cyanide , but , in fact , enhances its leaching capabilities by dealing with the high-cyanide consuming copper within these gold-copper orebodies .
Yet , the company is also starting to make inroads into the base metal space through
GlyLeach™ , with nickel and cobalt two specific areas of interest . The technology can leach the targeted metals with enhanced selectivity compared with conventional methods , Draslovka says . It will solubilise copper , nickel , cobalt and zinc , while gangue minerals such as iron , manganese , silicates and carbonates remain in the leach residue .
Speaking to IM in late November , Ivor Bryan , Director of Mining Innovation at Draslovka Mining Solutions and the former MD of MPS , said the company was embarking on around 10 glycine leaching projects in the mining space , which will prove up the 3,500 hours of testing that has been conducted at MPS ’ facilities in Perth , Western Australia .
At that time , he mentioned one project in Western Australia where Draslovka was looking to recover nickel and cobalt metals from a tailings deposit owned by a major mining company . Another project mooted was in Chile and involved leaching a carbonate-hosted copper oxide deposit containing some 600 t of material .
In the time since this discussion , the company has signed two significant agreements to prove out GlyCat and GlyLeach .
In January , it was selected to be part of the OZ Minerals ’ Think & Act Differently ( TAD ) incubator and Waste-to-Value Challenge . This latter challenge has seen Rio Tinto and Boliden work in collaboration with OZ Minerals to eliminate , minimise , reuse or find new value in mine tailings and ultimately reduce the global carbon footprint of the mining industry .
Draslovka said : “ The Waste-to-Value Challenge aims to unlock innovative technologies
Glycine leaching gains
Another specialty chemicals company coming up with sustainable solutions is Draslovka a . s , which has further cemented its reputation in the last 12 months .
Thanks to a series of significant transactions over the last few years , the Czech Republic-based company has become one of the top global suppliers of sodium cyanide . Yet , its M & A activity has also seen it capture a company with the potential to make cyanide use even more efficient .
Mining & Process Solutions ( MPS ), now a subsidiary of Draslovka , has come up with cutting-edge glycine leaching technology that
Mining & Process Solutions , now a subsidiary of Draslovka , has come up with cutting-edge glycine leaching technology that has applications across the base and precious metals space
28 International Mining | MAY 2023