An Appraisal of Minerals Availability for 34 Commodities Page: 69
This report is part of the collection entitled: Technical Report Archive and Image Library and was provided to UNT Digital Library by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
69
COBALT
V
O
U
C
o
m
10
o
C
U
n
0
0
I-YEAR
Figure 2.-World cobalt production, 1950-85.Canada is the largest producer of cobalt as a byproduct
of nickel mining and the third largest cobalt producer
among MEC's, mining approximately 3,000 mt of
recoverable cobalt in 1985. Like Zaire's copper mines, the
relationship between Canada's nickel and cobalt produc-
tion vary. The most important variables include cobaltgrades and recoveries. Overall cobalt recovery is estimated
at nearly 45 pct but technical advances may take place,
resulting in increased production. At full nickel production,
Canada has the potential capacity to produce over 2,200 mt
of refined cobalt annually. An additional 1,800 mt of re-
fined cobalt can originate from Norway, which processes
Falconbridge's Canadian production.
Australia's cobalt production is also primarily a
byproduct of nickel, a large portion of which is from
laterites. Peak production from Australian sulfide and
laterite operations was nearly 3,400 mt in 1977, but recent
production averaged about 1,200 mt (835 mt in 1985).
The U.S.S.R. and Cuba's annual cobalt mine production
capacity is about 4,150 mt or about 11 pct of world produc-
tion. Nearly all of this production is consumed in the Soviet
bloc.
From 1982 to 1985, the United States depended on Zaire
for 40 pct of its imported cobalt requirements, Zambia-16
pct, Canada-18 pct, Norway-6 pct (most of which
originated from Falconbridge's Canadian nickel matte,
therefore, Canada's actual total share is about 24 pct) and
other countries, including Australia and Botwsana (3).
Much of the material from Botswana and Australia was
refined at AMAX's Port Nickel refinery in Louisiana. In
1985, AMAX closed its Port Nickel refinery, which
eliminated all domestic refining of cobalt.EXTRACTION AND PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY
MINING
Cobalt is recovered as a byproduct of metals that are
mined by both surface and underground methods. Table 2
shows the mines and prospects evaluated in this study. Most
of the cobalt originating from the copper mines in Zaire and
Zambia is recovered using open pit mining. These mines
require blasting of rock and the construction of benches in
order to truck the ore from the pit. Waste-ore ratios are
variable but average about 5:1. Ores in Zaire and Zambia
generally consist of sulfide and oxide ores, which require
different processing methods. Therefore, efforts are made
to mine them separately.
Underground mines in Zaire and Zambia usually
employ sublevel open stoping. Australian and Canadian
nickel ores are mined primarily by various underground
methods. Application of highly mechanized vertical crater
retreat mining and other bulk mining methods are becom-
ing increasingly important in an effort to reduce costs,
especially in Canada; however, ground support problems
have been encountered.
Cobalt-bearing nickel laterites, such as those in New
Caledonia and the Philippines, are mined by surface
methods. Because laterites are generally of an uncon-
solidated nature, scrapers, shovels, and front-end loaders
are used for mining and loading ore into trucks.
PROCESSING
Beneficiation techniques for the recovery of cobalt vary
with ore chemistry. In Zaire and Zambia, revenues fromcopper are of greater importance than cobalt; therefore, ef-
forts to maximize recovery of copper are usually prioritiz-
ed at the expense of cobalt. The copper-cobalt mines in Zaire
and Zambia require specialized beneficiation methods ow-
ing to the presence of several types of ores. Ore, depending
on its type, is directed to a specific concentrator designed
to treat that specific ore chemistry. Cobalt feed grades may
vary from 0.1 to 2.5 pct, but average 0.33 pct with an
average mill recovery of approximately 35 pct. Recovery
values are low because of variable cobalt grades and efforts
to maximize copper recovery at the expense of cobalt.
Most cobalt in Zaire is processed through the DIMA-
Kamoto concentrator (8 million mt/yr ore feed). This plant
can produce a low-cobalt, high-copper concentrate of 0.5 pct
Co and 60 pct Cu or a high-cobalt, low-copper concentrate
grading 4 to 5 pct Co and 45 pct Cu. Average overall con-
centrator recovery of cobalt can be as low as 18 pct. The
average recovery, however, is approximately 35 pct. Cobalt
associated with oxide mineralization is not recovered.
The metals contained in the concentrates sent to the
Luilu or Shituru plant are extracted and separated through
leaching, precipitation, and electrolysis. Some copper-cobalt
concentrates are shipped to Zambia and Belgium for refin-
ing. The cobalt contained in concentrate shipped to the
Lubumbashi smelter is not recovered, instead, it is incor-
porated in the smelter slag. As much as 10,000 mt/yr of
cobalt ends up in the slag.
Nickel-cobalt sulfide ores, such as those at INCO's Sud-
bury operations in Canada, are directed to beneficiation
plants where two concentrates, nickel and copper, are pro-
duced. Although there is some cobalt contained in the cop-
per concentrates, it is not recovered. Nickel concentrate,
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This report can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Report.
United States. Bureau of Mines. An Appraisal of Minerals Availability for 34 Commodities, report, 1987; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc12833/m1/78/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.