Application of XRF/XRD technology in copper tailings!

Introduction

With the extensive development and utilization of mineral resourcesThe ore is becoming increasingly depleted, resources are becoming increasingly depleted, and the discharge of tailings is constantly increasing. At the same time, the discharge of a large amount of tailings has caused serious pressure on the ecological environment.

Current situation of copper tailings

Copper tailings, also known as copper tailings, are solid waste in the form of powder or gravel generated from the crushing, sorting, and selection of natural copper ores.

《According to the 2019 Analysis Report on China's Solid Waste Treatment Industry, the discharge of copper tailings in China has reached 224 million tons per year. The general method for treating copper tailings is to store them in tailings ponds. With the continuous increase in the amount of copper tailings discharged, the number of tailings ponds in China is also increasing. According to statistics, the land area directly damaged and occupied by tailings dams in China is as high as 2 × 104 km2, and it is increasing at a rate of 200-300 km2 per year. The accumulation of tailings not only occupies a large amount of farmland and forest land, but also the heavy metals contained in the tailings and the flotation agents on the surface of the tailings can cause serious harm to the ecological environment around the tailings pond; The massive accumulation of tailings can also make the tailings pond overwhelmed, which can easily lead to geological disasters such as landslides and mudslides.

At present, the technology for recycling and utilizing tailings resources in China is relatively backward. According to data statistics, the total accumulated storage of tailings in China is about20.7 billion tons, with an annual emissions of over 1.5 billion tons. The growth rate of tailings utilization is higher than that of emissions, but the utilization is less than the new increment. A large amount of tailings are stored in tailings ponds in the form of "solid waste". The comprehensive utilization rate is relatively low, about 20%, while the overall utilization rate of tailings in foreign countries has reached 60%, and the utilization rate in some developed countries has reached over 80%.

The properties of copper tailings

Although there have been numerous studies on the physical properties, mineral composition, chemical properties, and other aspects of copper tailings, there is currently no relatively unified and universally applicable understanding of the specific mineral composition of copper tailings and their interrelationships due to different geological backgrounds, beneficiation processes, and climatic influences on copper tailings in different regions.

physical properties

Copper tailings have a complex composition, containing a certain amount of copper ore and various other ores such as chalcopyrite, magnetite, and olivine, as well as complex oxides and silicates. Due to different beneficiation processes, the particle size of copper tailings is uneven, but overall, the particle size of copper tailings is relatively fine.

chemical properties

The chemical composition of copper tailings is very complex, and the correlation between copper tailings from different origins is relatively small. This is due to differences in copper ore mineralization geology, ore mining methods, beneficiation processes, and copper tailings storage methods. The main elements that make up copper tailings areMg、Al、 Si, S, Ca, Fe, Cu, etc., accompanied by trace elements such as Mn, Ti, Zn, Sr, etc. The main chemical components of copper tailings from different origins are different, including SiO2, Fe2O3, CaO, Al2O3, etc., which are basically the same as the main components of natural river sand. They can be used to prepare building materials with similar physical properties to natural river sand. At the same time, copper tailings also contain elements such as Cu, Fe, S, etc., which can be treated and recycled using certain technologies.

Application of Copper Tailings

Extraction of useful components from copper tailings, such as copper, iron, sulfur, and recovery of other useful components.

In the application of building materials, it is used as raw material for calcining clinker, cement mixing material, non fired brick material, etc.

Other materials used for underground filling, making ceramics, glass, land reclamation, etc.

Application of XRF/XRD in Copper Tailings

Recently, the Ministry of Ecology and EnvironmentThe second ministerial meeting in 2022 approved the "Management Measures for the Prevention and Control of Tailings Pollution Environment", which is now announced and will come into effect on July 1, 2022. The tailings industry will make great strides towards ecological and environmental protection, high-quality development, resource recycling, and innovative recycling technologies, which will impose stricter requirements on the classification and recycling of tailings.

Wave Sound Science PortableThe XRF/XRD series equipment, with its efficient, flexible, and practical working characteristics, plays a crucial role in various stages of tailings recycling and reuseImportant role. Help the tailings market turn "tailings" into "rich minerals" and transform ecological "burdens" into industrial "dividends".

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reflectSHINE portable X-ray diffractometer

It is possible to conduct phase and composition analysis of tailings in the field environment, providing users with information on the main and secondary components of the sample quickly.

TrueX handheld ore analyzer

On site element analysis can be quickly conducted to provide value judgment basis for tailings classification and reuse stages.