Current status of mineral processing technology for copper minerals and their associated resources

A systematic review is presented on the current status and development trends of mineral processing technologies for copper minerals and their associated resources, in response to the expanding applications and sustained demand for copper. An overview is first provided of copper’s industrial applications and distribution, the physicochemical properties of copper minerals, and the global characteristics of copper resource distribution. This is followed by an introduction to the common associated resources in copper deposits, their occurrence features, and the technologies for their recovery during mineral processing. The mineral characteristics and processing technology for both sulfide and oxide copper ores are summarized, with emphasis placed on current research in innovations aimed at improving copper recovery efficiency. These innovations include flotation process optimization, breakthroughs in leaching technologies, and pretreatment and surface modification techniques. Detailed discussion is devoted to comprehensive recovery technologies, covering copper-molybdenum separation, the selective separation of copper-lead-zinc polymetallic ores, and the synergistic recovery of precious metals such as gold and silver, as well as strategic metals like cobalt and nickel. Technological developments in areas such as eco-friendly depressants and integrated process optimization are encompassed. Finally, for refractory copper resources, various technical approaches are summarized, ranging from enhanced traditional flotation to combined mineral processing and metallurgy, and biohydrometallurgy. It is pointed out that future technological development will place greater emphasis on refinement, integration, and greening to achieve the efficient utilization of low-grade, complexly associated, and refractory copper resources.