Ensayos en escala planta piloto sobre procesamiento hidrometalúrgico de los minerales cuprouraníferos del distrito de Malargüe

Abstract

Once the final flowsheet for the processing of the Malargüe copper-uranium ore (based on laboratory scale tests) was adopted it was considered necessary in order to confirm the data quoted above, to perform pilot plant scale experiments. In this paper the advantages and disadvantages in the performance of all or part of the flow sheet steps in pilot plant scale are discussed. Based on considerations both of technical and methodological nature, it was decided to test on pilot plant scale solely the steps of milling, flotation, roasting and acid leaching. Special atention to reagent consumption at this last step was given, because of its strong incidence in the economics of the global process. A description of the pilot plant scale experiences on the acid leaching of uranium from the Malargiie ore is presented. An operations diagram of the different steps required for the performance of this study is also presented.From this study—of the '‘prognostic type”, according to F. WHITNEY—it was possible to predict the behaviour of this ore, which later facilitated the design of the Malargüe Plant.