Improvements to existing mineral concentration and extraction processes and the development of new and novel methods will be needed to achieve a zero-emission copper mine of the future. A Mineral Processing Roadmap must consider a broad definition of processing that is dependent on the ore type and guides methods used to separate and prepare copper concentrate from mined material and extract a final marketable product. A Mineral Processing Roadmap must also include the opportunity to valorise waste streams (tailings or other solid wastes) via secondary or re-processing methods to optimise overall metal recovery, emission, or energy intensity.
There are many opportunities to improve energy and environmental performance across mineral processing activities that will lead to a range of benefits:
- Energy Efficiency Improved energy efficiency per unit of output
- Emission Intensity Reduced emissions per unit of output
- Health and Safety Improved safety outcomes in processing activities
- Productivity Reduced cost and higher value per unit of output
- Recovery Increased copper recovery per unit or output
A primary copper operation produces the metal that will meet the demands of low-carbon energy and industrial systems. The copper industry has a unique opportunity to demonstrate improved energy and environmental performance alongside playing a substantial role in assisting the world in decarbonising.
There are both incremental and radical innovations that will transform mineral processing. This Roadmap envisions achieving a reduced emissions footprint using a variety of liberation, concentration, and extraction technologies, as well as optimising recovery and process systems and applying alternative business models. Accelerated knowledge transfer and a collaborative approach are vital to address industry complexity and challenges, to achieve ambitious improvements across mineral processing systems, and to establish genuinely sustainable operations in the future.
