Additional process that have to be available for the project:

 Molybdenum Flotation & Leaching

 Foundry and Acid Plant:  Roaster (Spray type oven - spray liquid at the top and burn off
the Sulfur from the material); Converter, Electrostatic  Precipitator, Dryers, blowers

 Hydrometallurgical:  Agglomeration, Leaching in Piles, Solution management, Solvent

extraction, Refining

1- Molybdenum flotation & Leaching

1.1- Molybdenum Processing - Flotation

1.1.a- (Reference: International Molybdenum Association

http://www.imoa.info/ molybdenum/mining_processing/molybdenum_processing.html)

The milled ore/gangue powder is mixed with a liquid and aerated in the flotation step. Molybdenite
particles attach to rising air bubbles and concentrate in the surface froth which is swept into overflow
troughs. The less dense ore rises in the froth to be collected, while the gangue sinks to be discarded. 
Flotation separates the metallic minerals from the gangue this way and – in the case of copper/
molybdenum ores – separates molybdenite from copper sulphide. Subsequent regrindingand reflotation
stages increase the molybdenite content of the new concentrate stream, by steadily removing
unwanted material. The resulting MoS2 concentrate contains between 85% and 92% MoS2.  Further
treatment by acid leaching can be used to dissolve impurities like copper and lead if necessary.

1.1.b- Design, installation and operation of Pinto Valley moly flotation columns

(Reference: Rodgers, R "Design, installation and operation of Pinto Valley moly flotation columns".
Mining Engineering.FindArticles.com. 23Mar, 2011)
Link: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5976/is_201009/ai_n56226764/

Process description of the Pinto Valley concentrator

The run-of-mine ore is delivered by haul trucks to a Fuller 1.5- ? 2.26-m (60- ? 89in.) gyratory
primary crusher. The crusher discharge, 177 mm (7 in.) in size, is conveyed to a coarse ore stockpile. The
fine crushing plant contains three secondary 2.1-m (7-ft) Nordberg standard crushers and six, 2.1-m (7ft)
Nordberg tertiary shorthead crushers with their respective screens and conveyor belts. The ore from the
coarse stockpile is sent by apron feeders and belt conveyors onto three 2.1- - 5-m (7- xl6-ft) Simplicity
doubledeck vibrating secondary screens. The screen oversize is passed to the three secondary crushers.
The screen undersize is sent to the fine ore stockpile. The secondary crusher product is sent to the
tertiary feed bin ahead of the tertiary crushers. Ore is withdrawn from the tertiary bin by six feeder belts
and sent to six, 2.4- / 6-m (8-ft - 20ft) Simplicity doubledeck vibrating screens with final screen openings
of 19 - 76 mm and 12.7 - 76 mm (0.75 - 3 in. and 0.5 - 3 in.).
 Cyclone overflow is sent to three flotation sections of copper-molybdenum roughers. The copper-
molybdenum flotation circuit contains 65, 28m3 (1,000 cu ft) Wemco flotation mechanical cells, 14, 8.5
m3 (300 cu ft) Wemco rougher scavenger cells, and four, 2.4-m (8-ft) diameter by 12-m (40-ft) tall
column cleaner flotation cells. Two regrinding mills treat the rougher concentrate. The bulk concentrate
product of the columns containing copper and molybdenum is sent to one of two, 27-m (90-ft) Dorr
Oliver thickeners and then to the molybdenum flotation circuit.

During the copper flotation process, the concentration of copper is raised to about 28 percent
copper while the molybdenum is upgraded from about 0.07 percent MoS2 to about 1.1 percent MoS2.
In the molybdenum circuit, the final molybdenum concentrate contains about 80 percent molybdenite.
The final copper concentrate (or molybdenum plant tails) is thickened in two 27-m (90-ft) Dorr Oliver
thickeners to 60 percent solids and sent to either of two 900,928 L (238,000 gal) storage tanks. The
slurry is pumped from the storage tanks to the filter plant. The filter cake is sent by conveyors to the
concentrate storage building for shipment. Tailings from the copper flotation circuit flow by gravity to
three, 107-m (350-ft) diameter thickeners. The underflow (thickened slurry) from these thickeners flows
down a large pipeline to the tailings dam. Clear water from thickener overflow and tailings dam reclaim
water is pumped back to the grinding and flotation circuits.

Molybdenum flotation process at Pinto Valley

The flotation process to separate molybdenum from copper consists of adding ammonium
hydrosulfide and sodium hydrosulfide (NASH) to the bulk copper-molybdenum concentrate to "depress"
copper and iron sulfides, thus allowing molybdenum to float naturally. The copper-molybdenum
flotation circuit produced about 3,154 to 3,785 mVs (500 to 600 gpm) of bulk copper-molybdenum
concentrate containing 28 to 30 percent copper, 0.7 to 1.1 percent MoS, and 30 percent iron. This
product is sent to the thickener where water is recovered increasing the slurry density of the thickener
underflow to 50 to 55 percent solids. Thickening prior to molybdenum flotation is very important to
remove copper flotation collectors that would inhibit the copper depression. The thickener U/F slurry is
pumped to a holding tank of 75,700 L (20,000 gal) of capacity for 10 hours of retention time. This
permitted a constant flow to the molybdenum plant. The slurry from the holding tank is sent to a
conditioner tank for 30 minutes of retention time. NASH and fuel oil is added to this tank. From the
conditioner, the slurry is pumped to a distribution box that feeds to four flotation rougher banks of six
Agitair 1 m3 (40cu ft) cells. Nitrogen is used as gas phase in the rougher circuit to avoid NASH oxidation.

The rougher concentrate is pumped to a 2-m (6-ft) diameter cleaner flotation column. Water is
added through a drip pan washer on top of the column to remove any insoluble or copper sulfide carried
out in the flotation bubbles. Nitrogen is also used to form the gas bubbles. The cleaner column
concentrate is directed to an attrition scrubber to clean the copper surfaces and additional NASH is
added for copper and iron sulfide depression. From the attrition scrubber the concentrate is pumped to
the recleaner bank that consists of 10 Denver cells. The final molybdenum concentrate is thickened in an
8-m (26-ft) thickener, filtered on a disk filter, dried in a Holoflite screw dryer and drummed for
shipment.

(Reference: EPA. MOLYBDENUM, FERROMOLYBDENUM, AND AMMONIUM MOLYBDATE. Generalized

Process Description)
http://www.epa.gov/wastes/nonhaz/industrial/special/mining/minedock/id/id4-moly.pdf)

Molybdenum Metal and Ammonium Molybdate

Molybdenum metal and ammonium molybdate are made by roasting concentrated molybdenite ore, as
shown in Exhibit 2. The concentration operations, which are not shown, include crushing, grinding, and
flotation of either primary or copper ores. Molybdenite is recovered from either primary molybdenite
or copper sulfide ore by flotation, after the ore has been cru shed and ground to a suitable size. Several
stages of grinding and reflotation concentrate the molybdenite in
the primary ore to a 90 to 95 percent purity concentrate. The remainder of the concentrate is primarily
silica. Copper, iron and lead are the impurities removed as tailings by this flotation process. Several
sequential stages of flotation also are used for the copper ore, first to separate the gangue, and then
the copper. The molybdenite concentration is usually 70 to 90 percent purity, when recovered from
copper ores.
Technical grade molybdic oxide, consisting of 90 - 95 percent MoO3, is produced by roasting
molybdenite concentrate in a multiple hearth furnace at temperatures up to 650°C. Molybdenum con
centrates may be leached with nitric acid prior to roasting to reduce the alkali concentrations in the
concentrates. The roasting process removes sulfur and converts the sulfide to oxide. The flue gas
contains products of combustion, SO2, and may contain rhenium or selenium. The SO2 in the flue gas is
converted to sulfuric acid (H2SO4).

Pure molybdic oxide can be produced from technical grade molybdic oxide through sublimation and
condensation or by leaching. In sublimation, the technical grade oxide is heated to ap proximately
1,100°C in a muffle type furnace. The oxide is vaporized and carried in a stream of forced air through
cooling ducts and the condensed oxide particles are collected in a fabric filter. The purified ox ide
contains greater than 99.5 perc ent MoO3. Technical grade oxide may also be purified by leaching with
a hydrochloric acid-ammonium chloride solution (not shown). The impurities are dissolved and
separated from the solid molybdic oxide by filtration. The pure oxide may be sold as a product, reduced
to molybdenum metal powder, or used to produce various molybdenum chemicals.

Ammonium molybdate is formed by reacting technical grade molybdic oxide with ammonium hydroxide
and crystallizing out the pure molybdate. The ammonium molybdate ma y be sold as product, calcined
to form pure molybdic oxide, or reduced to form molybdenum metal powder.

2- Foundry and Acid Plant:  Roaster (Spray type oven - spray liquid at the top and
burn off the Sulfur from the material); Converter, Electrostatic Precipitator,
Dryers, blowers

2.1- General Information

- Davenport. Extractive metallurgy of copper.

P.221- Flowsheet for producing sulfuric acid from smelting and converting gases.
(Extractive_Metallurgy_of_Copper_-_G._W._DAVENPORT.pdf)
2.2- Roaster

Spray roasting of spent acid is the most common way of regeneration. The three basic process steps of
spray roaster acid regeneration are preconcentration, roasting and absorption. During preconcentration,
the incoming waste acid undergoes direct heat and mass exchange with the hot exhaust gas from the
roaster furnace. The direct heat exchange is accomplished in a venture evaporator where the waste
acid is atomized and turbulently intermixed with the roast gas at high velocity.
The waste acid is thus partially evaporated, leaving behind a preconcentrated waste acid to be used as a
liquid feed to the spray roasting furnace. In the spray roasting furnace, the preconcentrated waste acid
which is injected from the top by means of high pressure atomizing nozzles undergoes a drop-by-drop
evaporation of water and acid, as well as pyrohydrolysis reaction of remaining sulphides.

In the absorption column, the coaled roast gas from the gas exit of the preconcentrator undergoes
adiabatic exchanger with rinse water in a packed column and forms regenerated acid, which can be re-
used.

E NE RG Y C ON SU MP TI ON ( SP L R EG EN ER ATI ON ):
2.700 kJ per liter of processed waste acid
ST AC K EMIS SIO N FIG UR ES :
HCl < 10 mg/Nm3 dry
Cl2 < 3 mg/Nm3 dry
Particles < 10 mg/Nm3 dry
P RO DU CT IO N TU RN D OW N R ATI O:
70% to 100% of nominal capacity
SPEC IFI C AD VAN TA GES:
quick start-up and shut-down
low maintenance
oxidation and separation of copper with ferric oxide (important for electrical steel makers)
ability to treat rinse water

The spent acid is concentrated in a gas separator using hot gases. An integrated venture allows the
elimination of particles which escape the cyclone. The solution is injected into the reactor trough spray
nozzles at a pressure of 3-5 bar.

Roasting of sulphide concentrates has been practised for centuries. Oxidative roasting of pyrite (FeS2) is
a standard way of producing sulphuric acid. In many base metals plants, roasting is used on an industrial
scale, e.g. for the production of zinc, copper, and nickel, even tin, molybdenum, and antimony. In many
cases, the roasting operations take place in conjunction with one or more leaching or smelting
operations. Roasting is used in order to capture some of the sulphur present in the concentrates
produced from sulphidic ores. The general approach used in sulphide roasting is to oxidize some (or all)
of the sulphur, and treat the resulting SO2, most commonly producing sulphuric acid in an acid plant.
Other options for recovery of sulphur include the production of elemental sulphur, or liquid SO2.

Modern roasting processes (since about 1960) usually use fluidized-bed reactors, which are energy-
efficient, and have a high productivity because of their favourable kinetic reaction conditions. The SO2
content in the off-gas is typically 8 to 15% by volume.

Roasting may be used to prepare sulphide concentrates for subsequent pyrometallurgical or

hydrometallurgical operations. For pyrometallurgical processing, the usual purpose of roasting is to
decrease the sulphur content to an optimum level for smelting to a matte. Partial (oxidizing) roasting is
accomplished by controlling the access of air to the concentrate; a predetermined amount of sulphur is
removed, and only part of the iron sulphide is oxidized, leaving the copper sulphide (for example)
relatively unchanged. Total, or dead, roasting involves the complete oxidation of all sulphides, usually
for a subsequent reduction process. (For hydrometallurgical extraction, roasting forms compounds that
can be leached out.)

The roasting process has several effects:

a) Drying the concentrates

b) Oxidizing a part of the iron present
c) Decreasing the sulphur content by oxidation
d) Partially removing volatile impurities, for example arsenic
e) Preheating the calcined feed with added fluxes (for example, silica or limestone), in order to lower the
energy requirement of the downstream process

(DATA SPL REGENERATION HCl acid)

(Reference: http://www.sms-siemag.com/download/W7203E_ACID_Regeneration.pdf)

2.3- Smelter Offgas Treatment

2.3.1- Gas Cooling

Reference: Davenport. Extractive metallurgy of copper. P.222 Gas cooling and heat recovery
(Extractive_Metallurgy_of_Copper_-_G._W._DAVENPORT.pdf)

2.3.2- Electrostatic Precipitator

2.3.2.a- Introduction
 Reference: Davenport. Extractive metallurgy of copper. P.222 Electrostatic precipitation of dust
(Extractive_Metallurgy_of_Copper_-_G._W._DAVENPORT.pdf)

Other: http://www.sulphuric-acid.com/techmanual/GasCleaning/esp.htm#Equipment Details

2.3.3. b – Types of ESPs.

Reference: Turner, Greiner, Vatavuk. Electrostatic Precipitator. P. 3- 4. Types of ESPs. Different

configurations. (Electrostatic_Precipitators_new.pdf)

2.3.2. c- ESP Design Procedure

Reference: Turner, Greiner, Vatavuk. Electrostatic Precipitator. P. 3-21

(Electrostatic_Precipitators_new.pdf)

2.3..2. d- Auxiliary Equipment

Reference: Turner, Greiner, Vatavuk. Electrostatic Precipitator. P. 3-11. Control Device and
Typical Auxiliary Equipment (Electrostatic_Precipitators_new.pdf)

2.4- Dryers

General Specifications. Drying tower and associated acid circulation. Cooling equipment.
Reference: Davenport. Extractive metallurgy of copper. P224. Gas Drying
(Extractive_Metallurgy_of_Copper_-_G._W._DAVENPORT.pdf)

2.5- Blowers

General Specifications. Reference: Davenport. Extractive metallurgy of copper. P226. Main acid
plant blowers (Extractive_Metallurgy_of_Copper_-_G._W._DAVENPORT.pdf)

2.6- Converter

Reference: Davenport. Extractive metallurgy of copper. P.231-240. Industrial Sulfuric Acid Manufacture
(Extractive_Metallurgy_of_Copper_-_G._W._DAVENPORT.pdf): Catalytic Converter, Operating details,
Absorption towers, gas heat exchangers, acid coolers, grade of products.

Complementary references:

- Acid Plant Operation Handbook (Spanish). Equipment Description, Operational Data.

http://www.indec.cl/manualpa.html
3- Hydrometallurgical:  Agglomeration, Leaching in Piles, Solution management,
Solvent extraction, and Refining.

3.1- Heap Leaching

Reference: Davenport. Extractive metallurgy of copper. (Extractive_Metallurgy_of_Copper_-

_G._W._DAVENPORT.pdf).

P.289. Introduction, Chemistry of Heap Leaching.

P 293-300. Industrial Heap Leaching: Construction Details, Aeration, Pregnant Solution Collection,
Crushing, agglomeration and acid curing , Details of heap leach operations, Optimum leach conditions.

3.2- Solvent Extraction

Reference: Davenport. Extractive metallurgy of copper. (Extractive_Metallurgy_of_Copper_-

_G._W._DAVENPORT.pdf).

Chapter 18, Solvent Extraction Transfer of Cu from Leach Solution to Electrolyte.

P307. The Solvent Extraction Process

P312. Industrial Solvent Extraction Plants
P314. Details of five Cu solvent extraction plants
P317.Quantitative Design of Series Circuit

3.3a- Electrolytic Refining

Reference: Davenport. Extractive metallurgy of copper. (Extractive_Metallurgy_of_Copper_-

_G._W._DAVENPORT.pdf).

CHAPTER 16 Electrolytic Refining

P272. Industrial Electrorefining

P274. Industrial copper electrorefining data
P278. Cells and Electrical Connections
P289. Electrical energy consumption

3.3b- Electrowinning

Reference: Davenport. Extractive metallurgy of copper. (Extractive_Metallurgy_of_Copper_-

_G._W._DAVENPORT.pdf).

Chapter 18, Electrowinning

P327- General Information

P329- Electrowinning Tankhouse Practice. Current density, Anode, Cathode.
P332- Details of five Cu electrowinning plants