Copper belt in Africa

In Africa, in contrast to other continents, almost all copper deposits are concentrated in the same area - the so-called "copper belt". The political instability of the region became the main reason for which the Continent, which mined in the middle of the last century, the fifth of all world copper, rolled to the beginning of the new millennium to the share of only 3.5%.

In archaeological findings it can be argued that copper in Africa began to be produced in the II century AD. On the territory of Zimbabwe. In Zambia, extraction began in the III century AD. The first copper was mined mainly from Malachite, as it easily melts. Messina and Falborva became the first cities with the copper production of copper production. Industrial copper mining in Africa began in the town of O "KIEP in Namakvalond, South Africa, in 1852

Traditionally, three states - Zambia, Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) and South Africa (South Africa) - determine the face of the African Medium Industry. They mined about 90% of copper on the continent, the first two countries are located in the "copper belt".

Copper belt Continent

This is a band of reservoir fields of copper ores on the border of Zambia and the DRC, stretching out in the north-western direction by 160 km with a width of up to 50 km (Fig. 1).

At the continuation of the copper belt in Katang, there are numerous deposits of copper, cobalt and uranium. The first copper mine was opened at the beginning of the twentieth century, the intensive mining of ore began at the end of the 20s. The main deposits form two parallel rows, separated from one another by 25-30 km.

The overwhelming part of copper ores is accommodated among Verkhneprotorozoic sedimentary rocks crushed into arcuate folds and airborne-arabic platform on the crystalline basis. Copper ores are associated with rocks of a certain lithological composition (argillites, dolomites, field-living quartzites) and form a series of decorated plastophone bodies. The main ore minerals (pyrite, chalcopyrite, borneite, chalcozine, digest, linneit) impregnate the whole mass of rocks and concentrated along the simplification planes. Most ore bodies are oxidized and leached to a depth of 50-60 m from the surface. In the oxidation zone, Malachite developed, Halcozin, buy, chrysocolla. The copper belt contains more than 5 billion tons of copper ore with copper content often exceeding 4%.

Zambia
The copper belt occupies a small part of the province of the Industrial Heart of Zambia. Here, on an area of \u200b\u200bless than 4% of the total territory of the country, more than 20% of the population is concentrated, the main part of which lives in the agglomeration of cities - from Ndol in the east to Chileabombwe in the West.
The ore wealth of the copper belt was mastered gradually: in the pre-war years, the development of deposits of the Roan-Antelop, Nkana and Mugulira began, during World War II, the NCHANG deposit was mastered. In the second half of the 50s. The relatively large mines of bankrupt and Chibulum are put into operation, and in the 60s. - Wambishi mine. About all large mines arose a typical production combination - ore mining, its enrichment (up to 28-33%), the smelting of draft copper with a content of 98-99% metal.

The refining copper was launched in the Nkana-Kitwe in 1935, after three years after the launch of melting stoves, after 1945 - in Mufulire and Chingola, and then built a Medeelectric and Ndol for 110 thousand tons. So in the "copper belt »There are three center with a full cycle (Nkana-Kitwe, Mufulira, Nrang-Chingola).

The peak of copper production in Zambia came in 1969, then 720 thousand tons of copper and Zambia were produced on the fourth place in the world. However, due to the low price of copper and, as a result, insufficient investment in its production and production since the mid-70s. Mining sharply decreased (Fig. 2). To exit the crisis, the privatization of state copper enterprises was conducted, Konkola Copper Mines PLC (KCM), Mopani Copper Mines (MCM), as well as a number of other smaller firms were formed. Since 2002, when only 336 thousand tons of copper were produced, this indicator begins to grow stably, and in 2006, thanks to new projects and modernization of the old, the level of production was made in 515 thousand tons. Large contribution to achieving this Figures introduced the company First Quantum Minerals Ltd., which introduced the Kansani quarry on April 19, 2005, and in 2006 the production of copper on the project amounted to 127 thousand tons.

KCM manufactures about 38% of copper in Zambia and owns such mining projects, like concoction, NCHANG, Nampundva, as well as Nkana's MEDE-processing complex. MCM owns a project for the extraction of NKAN and the Mufflira Metallurgical Complex with a full cycle from the mining of ore to the production of cathodes. MCM provides about 36% copper production in the country.

DemocraticRepublic of Congo

Copper belt in the DRC occupies part of the province of Katany and about 1% of the country. The history of mastering the copper belt in the DRC is similar to Zambian, the number of copper produced by year is comparable to Zambia, with his peak in the middle in 1986, when 460 thousand tons of copper were produced, and a sharp fall in 2002, when only 32 thousand was produced . t copper. This was facilitated by political instability and war, but since 2003, the situation in the region gradually stabilizes. The State GECAMINES company, which belonged to all deposits of copper in the country, began to create joint ventures to exit the crisis, attracting foreign companies, such as First Quantum Minerals Ltd, Anvil Mining, Phalps Dodge, and others. As a result, the production of copper in the country Reaches 100 thousand tons. A great contribution to this indicator was made by ANVIL MINING, which operates in the Congo since 2002 and masters three new fields, two of which: diculus and kulule - just begin to go out at full capacity. In 2006, they produced 22.6 thousand tons, respectively and 19.6 thousand tons. The third deposit - Kinsoever - is under development. By 2010, when all enterprises come to full power, Anvil Mining plans to receive about 100 thousand tons of copper per year.

First Quantum Minerals Ltd, as well as in Zambia, has a strong position in the DRC, getting copper at the Lonshi field, launching colleve and frontier projects, as well as conducting exploration of Kashima and Cybamba deposits. The Lonshi project earned at the end of 2001, and by 2006 the production at the field reached its maximum - 53.5 thousand tons of copper in ore.

The frontier project earned in the fall of this year and the end of the year the amount of copper produced should be 10 thousand tons, and at the exit to the full volume - about 80 thousand tons per year. Works at the colleze deposit were discontinued from the 90s., And in the plans of First Quantum Minerals Ltd - to restore the quarry and the surrounding territory.

Phalps Dodge operates in DRC through its subsidiary Tenke Mining Corporation, which operates at the tenka fan. This is the largest field in Africa and one of the world's largest in the world in terms of the amount of copper (about 4.7 million tons), it is in third place in the world after Graçberg deposits (Indonesia) and Escondida (Chile). Tenke Mining Corporation plans to launch industrial production in 2008, and when production reaches a maximum - to produce 400 thousand tons of copper per year.

In addition, a grand project, in the near future will begin to receive copper and on other fields, both new and frozen in the 90s.

South Africarepublic
Although the copper belt does not pass through the territory of South Africa, the production of copper in the country in the last 5 years is at the level of 100 thousand tons, the merit in this belongs to the Palabor deposit. Here is one of the deepest and wide copper quarries in the world, until the closure in 2002, about 100 thousand tons of copper per year was mined. Now mining is carried out only on the underground mine, and the production of refined copper by Palabora Mining is 80 thousand tons per year, and about 20 thousand tons of copper on refining receives from other firms.
Unlike the rich ore of the copper belt deposits, the share of copper in ore does not exceed 1% here, and after the closure of the copper mine (approximately after 20 years), the position of South Africa in the copper market in Africa will inevitably weaken, as this is the only big copper field in South Africa.

Despite the sharp reduction in the volume of copper produced in Africa by the end of the millennium, the copper belt countries by attracting foreign investment begin to restore their position in the copper market. According to preliminary estimates, given the metal reserves in the copper belt, as well as production growth rates, by 2010 it is possible to expect the production of copper on the continent within 1.2 million tons per year.

In the preparation of the article were
website materials used:
www.miningreview.com, www.mbendi.co.za, zamby.info, www.wits.ac.za,
www.palabora.com, www.kcm.co.zm,
www.first-quantum.com,
www.miningweekly.co.za,
www.anvilmining.com, www.tenke.com

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Copper ores

In nature, copper is not contained in its pure form, it is mined from multicomponent ores. At the same time, the breed is considered suitable for enrichment when the copper content in it is 0.5 - 1%.

Industrial and geological types of copper ore:

• stratiform type - sandstones and copper slates;
• pereviedan - a rare type of native copper;
• hydrothermal - porphy rudes;
• magmatic - copper-nickel ores;
• carbonte - iron compound.

Natural compounds, which include copper:

• bornet (copper purple, motley chest) - the composition prevails iron, sulfur and copper;
• halcopyrite (Copper Kolchenan) is its chemical formula - Cufes2, in addition, splalleite and galena are present as part of ore.
• halcosine (copper glitter) - chemical formula - cus ore with such a compound is quite rare.

Secondary minerals:

• kipping - native copper and malachite meet in the ores;
• kovel - sulfide sulfide, containing 66% of dumplings and 34% sulfur;
• malachite - copper dihydrococcarbonate is found in Russia (Lower Tagil deposits).

Spreading copper ores in the world

Latin American countries have the richest copper deposits around the world. In particular, Chile gives 40% of the global production of red metal.

The largest deposits in Chile

The largest deposit Chile is located near Rankenagua. Here, the ore was mined by the Indians, before the arrival of Europeans. Industrial development is conducted from the end of the XIX century. Characteristics of the El Tenent deposit:

• area - 3,800 hectares;
• the number of employees - 6000;
• minimum wages - 700 dollars per month;
• maximum depth of mine - 800 m;
• the length of the mountain tunnels is 2400 km;
• the largest lift of the mine is able to deliver up to 350 workers for one lift / descent;
• copper content in ore - from 1 to 4% (such an indicator relates to the breed to the category of rich);
• from the mine, the breed is transported by train, the length of the railway is 10 km, 15 "walker" is performed per day;
• with the deepest mine, the breed export large freight cars: 7 meters high, 8 m wide;

Other deposits in Chile:

• El Abra - 150.4 thousand tons per year mined;
• Serro Colorado - 89.5 thousand tons;
• Los Pelabrins - 268.4 thousand tons;
• Escondid - 1.34 million tons.

It is noteworthy that in Chile, the production of copper is carried out by nationalized companies, that is, state.

How this is done: copper mining

Copper belt in Africa

African countries are rich in copper ores. In the central part of the continent there is a so-called copper belt. It passes through the territory of the two states:

• Zambia;
• Zaire.

The length of the "belt" is 160 km, with a width of up to 50 km.

In Africa, rich ore - copper content from 3.3 to 4%, most metal in connections:

• pyrites;
• chalcopirites;
• borns;
• chalkosins.

There is a honeymoon breed in Africa at a depth of 60 m, which greatly simplifies its prey.

The largest deposits of copper:

IN last yearsDue to the unstable political situation, the volume of copper production was significantly reduced in Africa - by 3.5%. It influenced world prices - they began to grow rapidly.

Congo's Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as South Africa, is also the democratic republic in Africa. These two states are not located on the territory of the "copper belt", but they give significant volumes of the produced metal.

Since the copper-containing breed occurs shallow-mining is carried out mainly by a career way. In Africa, the main part of the ore is extracted from the earth's immigration manually, there is a rather small percentage of mechanization. Juvenile children work in the careers, work is very heavy, no conditions are not.

That is why here elevated level injury and mortality. It is noteworthy that all responsibility for the life of miners is removed in Chile from the mining company. They sign an agreement that the mine is descended by their own will and "at your own risk". The state closes his eyes. Anxiety beats only an international organization for human rights.

Unauthorized Copper Field of Ainak in Afghanistan

According to some sources, in particular, the non-governmental organization TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL, in Afghanistan there are largest stocks of copper, which in terms of volumes occupy second place in the world. But most were not fully understood and production in the industrial way is not carried out.

The largest, not only in Afghanistan, but also in the world, is the Ainak. The main problems of its development arose as a result of the dispute of the mining company and archaeologists. The fact is that in the territory of the copper deposits, scientists found the ancient Buddhist city of Mes Ainak, which represents a great historical value. Therefore, the secession of the same name was prohibited.

The government plans to organize ore mining in the Ainak field at the level of 300 thousand tons per year, and gradually increase the volume.

Characteristics of the Iinak field:

• area - 5 km 2;
• estimated stocks of copper:
  • central Ainak - 9.8 million tons;
  • western Ainak - 9.9 million tons;
• the volume of planned investment in development is 4.4 billion US dollars;
• the attracted investor is MCC Company (PRC).

Starting from 2011, it was planned to activate the Iinak deposit - to reach the level of 200 thousand tons in 2015. Now the deadlines have shifted again - until 2018. It only remains to hope that Ainak will work in full swing and will largely correct the financial situation of the state, but the cultural and historical value of the Buddhist city will be preserved.

Methods for obtaining pure metal from ore

To date, copper production is carried out in the most common way - pyrometallurgical. In the world, it is used by 90% of processing companies.

Stages of enrichment:

• preparatory - obtaining raw materials with mining enterprises, its sorting;
• melting on matte;
• purging in the converter - the output is the blacknicker copper;
• refining.

The enrichment of the resulting raw materials occurs by flotation. The ore is placed in a container with water, then compressed air adds there. As a result, foam is formed, copper particles stick to bubbles, and an empty breed is settled at the bottom.

The next stage is firing. As a result, they are trying to reduce the content of sulfur in ore. The composition heats up to 800 ° C - sulphides oxidize, and the amount of sulfur decreases by 2 times.

Next, the resulting mass is sent to the special furnaces - the step of smelting on the matte. Here, the temperature rises to 1450 ° C. Iron and the remaining sulphides are completely oxidized and blew up in converters. The result is a rough copper, which is cast in ingots, and slag.

Copper production is completed by refining. It implies the final cleaning of the metal from impurities.

The way is as follows:

• black copper ingots are placed in a bath with electrolyte (sulfuric acid);
• thin sheets of clean copper - cathode are placed in the container;
• connect electrical current;
• as a result, all particles of copper are collected at the cathode, and impurities are settled at the bottom - they are called sludge.

Often, the sludge contains precious metals - gold, platinum.

Countries Leaders for the extraction and smelting of copper in the world

Leaders for the extraction of copper ore - Chilean companies, thanks to them, the state ranks first in the world ranking.

5 700 thousand tons of metal were produced in the country, despite the fact that the total volume was at the level of 20245 thousand tons.

In second place - Chinese mining companies are leaders in the increase in production volumes.

Every year, the float rate of copper ore increases by an average of 1.5%. At the same time, the country exports a significant proportion of metal from Chile and Australia.

Chinese mining companies are distributed in many countries of the world, including in Afghanistan.

• Peru - produces 1300 thousand tons - 9% of world volume;
• US - 1220 thousand tons - 7%;
• Australia - 990 thousand tons - 5%;
• Russia - 930 thousand tons - 5%;
• Congo - 900 thousand tons - 4.5%;
• Zambia -830 thousand t - 4.1%;
• Canada - 630 thousand tons - 3.5%.

According to the forecasts of world analysts (USGS and ICSG companies), in the coming years of the country leaders will remain in their places, since most of the copper deposits are already explored and are actively mastering. It is only possible a minor reduction in volumes and, accordingly, an increase in the price, which is so steadily growing, starting in 2011.

Medical exporters

Not always the country with the largest volume of metal production is headed by the export rating of raw materials. The picture on the global market for the sale of refined copper is somewhat different than in the volume of production.

Countries Leaders in the export of red metal:

Turkey.

The total volume of imports is 5805.4 thousand tons per year.

China purchases raw materials, mostly in Chile. Turkey, USA and Japan - in Africa, Korea - Australia.

Video: Galileo. Copper

"Sometimes it seems to me that the main residence
fabulous copper mountain was not Medium Ural ,
And his south. It is here long before our
Era she showed steppe tribes copper. "
E. MERMYAK

No wonder the Urals is called a belt stone, as they look into the water. But if more precisely, the stone is ours rather a multi-way, since it is composed of a variety of well-pronounced meridional belts.

Iron belt is detected by all the famous mountains - Kachkanar , Grace, high, magnetic and many others. Parallel Iron is copper - from the city of Ivela Sverdlovsk region To the city of Guy Orenburg. The golden belt is most pronounced in the valley of the upper flow of the Miass River. Worldwide is known for a yashmovy belt stretching from the city of Miass to city Orsk . This we mentioned a small part of the average and Southern Urals , and how many belts in the north and Polar Urals And it is difficult to imagine. Do not forget the southern tip Urals - Mulgarians, about the wealth of which are known very little. But the subject of our attention is a small segment of the Ural copper belt - the Bashkir copper belt, which is located in Southeast Bashkiria, and also captures a small piece of the Orenburg region under the city of Osk.

The total length of the Ural section described below is somewhere 3-3.5 hundred kilometers. Copper deposits are represented by two ore nodes - participation and Podolsky, they are known since the XVIII century, but their large-scale operation began only after World War II.

The northernmost part of the Bashkiria's copper belt is located in the participation area. This is somewhere in a hundred kilometers north of Magnitogorsk.

Study Mining and Processing Plant (UG)

The participation of the mine was initially a tying, produced here the gold-containing ore of soap on an armor plant. After the war, the copper-zinc ore was discovered near, so the mine required to reconstruct. Since 1954, began open development Fishering Career . Since 1968, the processing factory has earned full capacity, mined copper-zinc ores turned out to be rich, and their enrichment made it possible to obtain quite high-quality concentrates. Copper and zinc concentrates obtained from ore for many years have provided raw materials with copper smelting plants of the Middle Urals and the Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant. The corner ranks third in the country for the production of copper concentrate, more than two thirds of the Russian zinc are also produced here.

It's time, the ore reserves were exhausted, the prey was stopped, the quarry at the time of closure was huge: 900x1800 m and in a depth of 380 m. However, they found more deeply running ore bodies and here they laid the Underground Mine.

Not far from the structures in the Chelyabinsk region, a new field was found - Uzelginsky and opened the second quarry - youth. There were also new, more deeply occurring deposits, and naturally that the plant switched to underground development of ore reserves. Now there are three underground mine.

Now the plant in a planned manner is engaged in finding new sources of raw materials. Departed and developed open way Sultanovskoye deposit of copper-zinc ores located on the eastern outskirts of the Chelyabinsk region. Thus, the possibilities of replenishing ore reserves are constantly being searched and new deposits are mastered.

Parallel copper is the jasmic belt, and in the plant, naturally, engaged in a clinner case. Products out Ayškulsky , Kalkan And many other Yashers are known not only in Russia, but also abroad.

Such is the evolution of the participant GOK - from open mining work to the underground mining of ore. And constant search for raw materials.

Sibiye GOK (Bashkir copper-sulfur combine - BMK)

Siby is in a hundred kilometers south of Magnitogorsk. The history of local GOK is largely similar to the participation, but began somewhat earlier. Actually the village of Sibey is located on the eastern slope of the Meridional Range of Irendel, and everything began on the western slope. The Tanalyk River flows along the ridge, along the shores of it from the XIX century on several initiatives, gold and interpret it at the factory in the city of Baimak. In 1913, the plant was rebuilt on the processing of copper ores discovered behind the ridge. During the Second World War, the copper needed more, and another copper plant was built in Sibay. When in 1957, concentrates were launched in Sibay in Sibay, the enterprise was called a copper-sulfur plant. Transportation of ore for the ridge has become inappropriate, both copper plants closed. BMCK, like the Stili GOK, began to supply the Ural plants concentrates.

Photo - Andrei Shulgin

The quarry was in depth. Ruda was takenlawed, and sometime fun even began to see how the powerful dump truck crashed for a long time on an intra-relocarious serpentine, he would take himself to take himself! Therefore, in the middle of serpentine, they built a transshipment site, where the ore was pulled out into a large trolley - a skip, which was pulled up to the top with the help of cables. But ore, as in Pupils, dried up, and this decision was meaningless. It was necessary to switch to underground mining of ore bodies found under the quarry. Again in the middle of serpentine aboard the career, the horizontal tunnel was embedded - the gallery - height and width from the dump truck, from which the ore extracted with the help of vertical workings was exported to the top by road.

Just as in the pupils, another quarry was opened nearby - Kamagansky, but here soon moved to the underground development of ore deposits.

Currently, the non-functioning Siberian quarry has a diameter of two kilometers, and in a depth of 500 meters is the second size in the world. But it is distinguished by a unique feature - on board the career was opened by Jasma, as experts, a surgeon-red color say. Therefore, as in Pupils, there are stone production. The whole city was filled with jashed stones, because at career it is an empty breed, it is used as a building material, especially a lot of yashmovy fragments on the slopes of roads.

The processing factory, while loaded by incompleteness, processes the ore of the jubilee and May fields of Hairullinsky GOK, but about them below.

P.S. Those who believe that the name Sibey is a mixture of Latin with Turkic, and there is a certain synthesis of the designation of copper (CU) and the Bashkir word "Bai" (rich). No, it is purely Bashkir toponym.

Buribaevsky GOK

The most southern district in the east of Bashkortostan - Heirullinsky. The higher was mentioned that experts call two copperproof zones - the participation and Podolskaya. So it is in the Hairullinsky district that this is the most Podolsk zone, and there are several copper deposits (it seems that in South Bashkiria, almost every slide is a copper deposit).

About one hundred kilometers south from Sibaya, and here is another quarry - Buribaevsky. Since Buryby is standing on the Tanalyk River, his story resembles Baimakskaya. In manually produced rocks Received an increased gold content. At first, his soap is true, unlike traditional diligent flushing, the noble metal has already been removed in the first half of the twentieth century modern methods - amalgamation, and subsequently with cyanization. Later, the ore, produced in an open way, was taken to the Baimak Gold Copper Plant, and even rich even happened, exported.

The field existed so far reserves of gold-containing ores were exhausted, and so coincided that during the Second World War, when the need for copper increased, Buribaevsky ore department reoriented to the extraction and enrichment of copper ore. The concentrate was processed in the baymak at the copper factory and on the Mednogorsk copper-sulfur plant (this is in a hundred kilometers to the southwest, already in Orenburg region).

The intensive exploitation of the Buribaevsky career led to the exhaustion of easily accessible stocks of copper ores and demanded an active search for new deposits. In the nearby territories, several new deposits were developed and began to be developed. At first, the ore was open open, then, underground, enrichment led on the Buribaevsky factory. A little higher was mentioned that the processing of some fields of some deposits is also in the Siberian factory.

With the opening of a large anniversary field, Heirullinsky GOK was founded. A quarry opened, a concentrating factory is built. The question of the construction of a plant processing concentrates to metals is postponed to better times.

Completing the effective work of an acute transport problem. Decision on the construction of the Siberian Branch - Sarah, that in the Orenburg region railwayIt is accepted more than half a century ago, even the mound structure began, but there are no roads yet. So you have to carry the ore in Buribay and Sibay by road. Several weakened the stress of the first stage of the processing factory in the anniversary deposit.

The second problem is the investments necessary for the construction of new mines, and here it helps the arrival of the Northern neighbor in the South Bashkia, the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UGMC), which needed, as already mentioned, in copper concentrates for its factories. The company has serious stakes of South Bashkashki gocks, for example, built a Kamagan underground mine in Sibay, began the construction of the first underground mine in the anniversary deposit, launched the mentioned processing factory.

At this, the story of the copper fields of the Khairullinsky district can be completed, having remembered that, ahead of another GOK, which must be said about.

Guy Goke

On the border with the Orenburg region, the copper belt of Bashkiria does not end. He splits somewhat - west towards Mednogorsk and east towards Orsk. Mednogorsk deserves a separate conversation , here - about another goke. A few dozen kilometers south of the Bashkortostan border is the largest of South Ural copper-zinc fields - the Guy. Year of birth - 1959, when the opening of ore deposits was started. Further evolution is traditional: first open, then underground deposit development, the construction of a processing factory to obtain concentrates - copper and zinc, and shipping them to consumers. The result is second place in Russia after the raw material production of the Norilsk district. Figures are stunned: estimated reserves of 300 million tons. Ore, it provides more than half a century of stable operation of the GOK. But the plant exploits new deposits in neighboring areas and has already begun mining ore on some of them. And this is not all, the development of several gold deposits has begun. Well, it is not difficult to guess that the Guy GOK is the leading enterprise of the commodity complex UMMC.

Photo - Ivan Bulikov

Nearby, closer to the city of Orska, is one of the pearls of the Bashkir Yashmey belt - mount Colonel with unique jaspers. True, it is said that this stone has already been seriously developed, maybe this is the reason that the groove is not engaged in the processing of diverse stones, in any case, information is not detected about it. Mountain Colonel is announced monument of Nature of the Orenburg region.

Summing up acquaintance with the copper belt of Bashkiria, it should be said that the southeastern corner of the republic is true Eldorado, where the richest deposits of non-ferrous metals and where new cities grow around large mining and processing enterprises. Examples serve and teaching, Sibiba, and Buribay, and Guy, really young and modern cities.