Processing technology for old tin-bearing polymetallic tailings at Sherlovaya Gora GOK

The necessity of processing manmade mineral-bearing objects containing rare metals is a present-day scientific challenge. It is more efficient and advisable both economically and technologically to carry out waste processing within a cluster of mining and processing plants, and using a uniform flow chart. The aim of this study is to develop alternative variants of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processing technologies for tin-bearing polymetallic ore mining and processing waste with a view to extracting rare and associate nonferrous metals. The study object is the gravity-and-flotation tailings of tin-bearing polymetallic ore of Sherlovaya Gora deposit, and the manmade material dumped at Bolshaya Sopka open pit in Transbaikalia. The material constitutions of the old gravity-and-flotation tailings at Sherlovaya Gora concentration factory and the manmade material in the dumps at Bolshaya Sopka open pit are examined. Three alternative variants are developed for processing waste of this mining cluster with a view to extracting rare and nonferrous metals: pyro-hydrometallurgical technology with periodic leaching; two-stage hydrometallurgical technology (stage I—base flotation and hydrometallurgy; stage II—base hydrometallurgical technology with stepped recovery of metals). Recovery of rare elements Bi, Cd, Sc, In, Be, Li and Nb is implemented using local technologies at each step. Removal of arsenic involves two-step roasting: sulfidation roasting (step 1) at the temperature of 500–550 ºС at the lack of oxygen and oxidative roasting (step 2) at 600–650 ºС and at excessive oxygen flow rate of 0.25–0.3 l/min. The developed mixed-type technology can greatly reduce the environmental hazard of production waste at Sherlovaya Gora GOK.

Shumilova L. V., Khatkova A. N., Razmakhnin K. K., Prostakishin M. F. Processing technology for old tin-bearing polymetallic tailings at Sherlovaya Gora GOK. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2023;(12):152-168. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2023_12_ 0_152.

The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project No. 22-17-00040 Development and Scientific Substantiation of Eco-Friendly Wasteless Processing Technologies for Natural and Manmade Raw Materials, 2022–2023.

L.V. Shumilova¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, Professor, е-mail: shumilovalv@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5991-9204,
A.N. Khatkova¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, Professor, e-mail: alisa1965.65@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6527-0026,
K.K. Razmakhnin¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor, e-mail: igdranchita@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-2944-7642,
M.F. Prostakishin¹, Executor of Project No. 22-17-00040, e-mail: m.prostakishin@gmail.com, 1 Transbaikal State University, 672039, Chita, Russia.

L.V. Shumilova, е-mail: shumilovalv@mail.ru.

1. Krupskaya L. T., Zvereva V. P., Sklyarova G. F., Orlov A. M. Aboveground mining waste storage as an ecosphere pollution source and waste exploitability in Russia’s Far East. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2021, no. 2, pp. 5—21. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236-1493-2021-20-5-21.

2. Zvereva V. P., Frolov K. R., Lysenko A. I. Chemical reactions and conditions of mineral formation at tailings dumps of the Russian Far East. Mining Science and Technology (Russia). 2021, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 181—191. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.17073/2500-0632-2021-3-181-191.

3. Kolesnikova O., Syrlybekkyzy S., Fediuk R, Yerzhanov A., Nadirov R., Utelbayeva A., Agabekova A., Latypova M., Chepelyan L., Volokitina I., Vatin N. I., Kolesnikov A., Amran M. Thermodynamic simulation of environmental and population protection by utilization of technogenic tailings of enrichment. Materials. 2022, vol. 15, no. 19, article 6980. DOI: 10.3390/ ma15196980.

4. Duszyński F., Migoń P., Strzelecki M. C. Escarpment retreat in sedimentary tablelands and cuesta landscapes — Landforms, mechanisms and patterns. Earth-Science Reviews. 2019, vol. 196, article 102890. DOI: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2019.102890.

5. Singh V. K., Ansari T. A., Vishal V., Singh T. Landslide susceptibility analysis using numerical and neural network, Near Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, India. American Journal of Environmental Sciences. 2020, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 8—20. DOI: 10.3844/ajessp.2020.8.20.

6. Yushina T. I., Petrov I. M., Grishaev S. I., Cherny S. A. Review of the market of REM and technologies for processing rare earth raw materials. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2015, no. S1, pp. 577—607. [In Russ].

7. Boyko S. M., Troshin Yu. P., Markova M. E., Mikheeva E. I., Alekseeva N. I. Impurity elements in cassiterites of tin ore deposits as an indicator of the zonal distribution of components in ore bodies. Zapiski Zabaykal'skogo filiala Geograficheskogo obshchestva SSSR. 1982, no. 48, pp. 39—43. [In Russ].

8. Dementiev V. E., Voiloshnikov G. I., Fedorov Yu. O. Development of the OA «IRGIREDMET» for the extraction of valuable components from technogenic raw materials. News of the Tula state university. Sciences of Earth. 2020, no. 4, pp. 418—427. [In Russ].

9. Shumilova L. V., Yurgenson G. A. The role of chemistry and microbiology in the field of mining: the state of the problem and promising tasks. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2021, no. 3-1, pp. 40—55. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2021_31_0_40.

10. Gaivoronsky B. A. Sherlovogorskoye field. Mestorozhdeniya Zabaykal'ya [Deposits of Transbaikalia], vol. 1, book 1, Chita-Мoscow, 1995, pp. 130—133.

11. Shumilova L. V., Yurgenson G. A., Khatkova A. N. Tin-bearing polymetallic ore mining in Transbaikalia and physicochemical geotechnology of extraction of rare and nonferrous metals. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2022, no. 9, pp. 156—168. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_ 1493_2022_9_0_156.

12. Solovyova V. M., Cherepovitsyn A. E. Organizational and economic models of development of rare-earth industrial complexes: Russian and foreign experience. Bulletin of the SouthRussian state technical University (NPI). Series Socio-economic Sciences. 2021, no. 1, pp. 188—202. [In Russ].

13. Nechaev A. V., Polyakov E. G., Belousova E. B., Pikalova V. S., Bykhovsky L. Z. Mineral resource base of niobium of Russia: priorities of development. Mineral Recourses of Russia. Economics & management. 2020, no. 4-5, pp. 8—15. [In Russ].

14. Aleksashina T. V. Development and management methods of the rare metal industry in the Russian Federation. Journal of Altai academy of economics and law. 2022, no. 7-1, pp. 13—17, available at: https://vaael.ru/ru/article/view?id=2293 (accessed 24.10.2023). [In Russ].

15. Yurgenson G. A. Landscape-geochemical and geo-ethical problems of historical mining territories on the example of Transbaikalia. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2020, no. 5, pp. 81—86. [In Russ]. DOI: 10. 17580/gzh.2020.5.15.

16. Dimukhamedov R. R., Khromova E. A. Problematic issues of mining and production of rare and rare earth metals. Prospect and protection of mineral resources. 2022, no. 3, pp. 64—67. [In Russ].

17. Lifton J. The global technology metals markets: A conference primer. InvestorIntel. Aug. 16, 2015, pp. 1—6.

18. Kryukov Ya. V., Samsonov M. Yu., Yatsenko V. A. Russian rare earth industry: should we adopt the experience of China? ECO. 2018, no. 10, pp. 138—152. [In Russ].

19. Yatsenko V. A., Samsonov N. Yu., Kryukov Ya. V. An optional approach to the economic assessment of projects for the development of rare earth deposits. World of economics and management. 2018, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 69—84. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25205/2542-0429-2018-18-4-69-84.

20. Abramov B. N. Toxicity assessment of mine tailings ponds in Transbaikalia. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2021, no. 11, pp. 136—145. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_202 1_11_0_136.

21. Lu J., Lu H., Lei K., Wang W., Guan Yu. Contamination of soil and water resources with trace elements of metals caused by small-scale mining of metal ore: a case study at a sphalerite mine in Northern China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2019, vol. 26, no. 24, pp. 24630—24644. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-05703-z.

22. Kryukov V. A., Yatsenko V. A., Kryukov Ya. V. Rare earth industry — to realize the available opportunities. Russian Mining Industry. 2020, no. 5, pp. 68—84. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.30686/ 1609-9192-2020-5-68-84.

23. Gurman M. A. The use of thermochemical methods in the processing of gold-containing pyrite-arsenopyrite concentrates. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2013, special edition 4, pp. 180—186. [In Russ].

24. USMMA Defence supply chain assessment. Select systems employng rare Earth. 10/7/2010, available at: http://www.usmagneticmaterials.com/documents/USMMA-DOD-Supply-Chain-Assessment-v6.pdf. Official website of the company — http://www.electromech.com.