Mikheevskiy Ore Mining and Processing Plant to Increase Copper Concentrate Extraction to 90%

The Mikheevskiy Ore Mining and Processing Plant (Varnensky district, Chelyabinsk region) plans to adopt a three-stage ore grinding technology which will produce finer ore particles than the existing two-stage crushing equipment.

The separation of tiny impregnated copper particles from gangue material is expected to reduce the loss of valuable fractions in tailings and increase the extraction of copper from ore from the current 85% to 90% or more.

The main supplier of the equipment and technology for the third stage of ore grinding will be Outotec (Finland). In particular, two additional globe mills will be installed at the processing plant.

The transition to three-stage ore grinding is scheduled for autumn 2018. Total investment in the project is estimated at over 3.743 bln rubles inclusive of VAT ($64,7 mln) .

The Mikheevskiy porphyry copper deposit has ore reserves of 629 mln tons with a copper content of 0.41%.

The Mikheevskiy Ore Mining and Processing Plant is the first Russian enterprise to successfully deploy cost-effective technology for processing ore with a low mineral content.