Study on process mineralogy of oxidized copper ore of the ROAN extension copper deposit in Zambia

The study area is located in the north wing of the ROAN extension deposit in Zambia.The latest exploration and prospecting work has found new copper oxide resources with medium-sized reserves in this area.In order to find out the ore characteristics of the study area, chemical analysis, optical microscopic identification, phase analysis, screening test, SEM-EDS and other methods are used to systematically study the process mineralogy characteristics of oxidized copper ores in this paper.The results show that the total content of Cu is 2.53% and AsCu is 2.0%, free oxide copper phase is as high as 70.89%.Cu recovered minerals are malachite and pseudomalachite.When grinding fineness is ±75% of -0.074 mm, Cu is enriched in +0.074 mm, and the Cu grade decreases with the grinding fineness.Generally speaking, the oxidized copper ore is suitable for the recovery of stirring process and can be used as a substitute for copper resource in the deposit.However, due to the complex dissemination characteristics of malachite and pseudomalachite in the ore, and the ore contains fragile or viscous mineral like biotite, calcite, chlorite and kaolinite, in the process of actual development and utilization, attention should be paid to the optimum grinding fineness, so as to improve the dissociation degree of malachite and pseudomalachite and avoid the occurrence of argillization, which is unfavorable to leaching.