Sulphur 395 Jul-Aug 2021
31 July 2021
Sulphuric Acid News
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Production begins at Kamoa-Kakula copper mine
Production has begun at Ivanhoe Mines’ Kakula copper mine in the DRC. The company says that total production for this year is expected to be 80-95,000 t/a of copper in concentrate, with a phase two expansion to 400,000 t/a due to be completed by Q2 2022. Ivanhoe is working with China’s Zijin Mining on the development plan for phases 2 and 3 of the mine, as well as a feasibility study for the Kipushi zinc mine further to the east. Both projects lie close to the DRC’s southern border, with Angola and Zambia respectively. Phase 3 of Kamoa will lift capacity to an anticipated 600-800,000 t/a of copper in concentrate, making it the second largest copper mine in the world after Escondida in Chile. Canadian-based Ivanhoe expects to be digging 3.8 million t/a of ore at Kakula with 6% copper content in Phase 1.
The DRC has a long-standing ban on exports of copper concentrate, and so processing of the copper is planned to occur in-country. Around 40% of the copper concentrate from Phase 1 (up to 150,000 t/a of concentrate) will be processed into a 99% copper blister at the nearby Lualaba Copper Smelter under a 10 year contract. Ivanhoe recently announced that an offtake agreement for 100% of Phase 1 production has been signed with the Citic Metals and Gold Mountains International Mining Company Ltd (a subsidiary of Zijin). Each of the companies will be receiving 50% of the Kamoa-Kakula Phase 1 production.
Further down the line, there are plans for a new smelting complex beginning operation in 2026. Ivanhoe signed a power supply agreement with a hydro-electric plant in April this year for the projected Kamoa expansions. The smelter would produce around 300,000 t/a of blister copper, as well as an estimated 1,600 t/d of sulphuric acid a by-product. Ivanhoe’s plan is that the sulphuric acid produced at Kamoa would be sold to copper-oxide mining operations in the central African copper belt that currently purchase acid from Zambia or overseas.
CHINA
Sinopec starts up two new alkylation units
DuPont Clean Technologies says that it has achieved a successful start-up of two STRATCO® sulphuric acid alkylation units at the Zhongke Refinery and Petrochemical Company LTC refinery in Zhejiang, and the Sinopec Shanghai Company (SPC) refinery in Jinshan, Shanghai. Both are designed to process MTBE raffinate feedstock and produce 9,240 bbl/d (360,000 t/a) and 10,240 bbl/d (400,000 t/a) of alkylate, respectively. The low-sulphur, high-octane, low-Rvp alkylate with zero olefins will enable Sinopec to meet the China VI low sulphur fuel standard at these two refineries.
The start-up brings the number of STRATCO units in operation with Sinopec organization to six, with a seventh unit due to come online this year. Sinopec Shanghai refinery is the second commercial installation of the Model 74 Contactor reactor, which reduces the number of total reactors and plot space required, at an overall lower capital cost for the alkylation unit. It has a volume of 68.1 m3 (18,000 gallons), an increase from the standard size Contactor (Model 63) of 43.5 m3 (11,500 gallons) per reactor.
“In the last few years, DuPont and Sinopec have had the opportunity to start up several STRATCO® alkylation units together, providing DuPont with the opportunity to develop a strong relationship with each refinery. The success in both startup and operation continues to meet and exceed expectations, enabling the Sinopec organization to make a vast amount of high quality alkylate to improve the overall quality of their gasoline pool. We are very appreciative for the experience we’ve had with each of these refineries,” said Kevin Bockwinkel, global business manager, STRATCO Alkylation Technology.
UNITED STATES
Rhyolite Ridge project wins key permit
ioneer Ltd says it has received a Class II Air Quality Permit for its lithium-boron Rhyolite Ridge project in Nevada, a major project milestone, following a detailed review of the project by the state of Nevada’s Bureau of Air Pollution Control. The permit was a key requirement for construction to begin at the site.
The project comprises a quarry, overburden storage facility, an ore processing facility responsible for boric acid and lithium carbonate production, and a spent ore storage facility, as well as the first sulphuric acid plant permitted in the state of Nevada. The acid plant features MECS® / SNC Lavalin designed heat recovery technology, which means the plant will generate all of the electricity and heat required for normal operations, according to ioneer. This means the operation will be energy-independent and using co-generated zero-carbon power. The acid plant features state-of-the-art controls that limit emissions to among the lowest in the world for this type of plant, the company claims.
ioneer’s Managing Director, Bernard Rowe, said: “The issuance of the Class II Air Quality Permit represents a significant milestone for the Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project and supports our detailed plans for a processing plant with low emissions and minimal hazardous air pollutants. After regulatory review and public comment period, we are pleased that Rhyolite Ridge is the first project with sulphuric acid production to receive a Class II Air Quality permit in Nevada.”
The company expects to mine and process 63.8 million tonnes of ore over the 26-year mine life at an average annual rate of 2.5 million t/a.
WORLD
Copper smelting activity rebounds from low point
Global copper smelting activity reached its highest point this year in May, with South America the top producing region, according to Earth-i and Marex Spectron’s SAVANT platform. SAVANT’s global copper smelting index averaged 49.4 for May, a return to long-run average levels after a record low point of 39.8 in March 2021. The platform, which monitors about 90% of smelting capacity, put the rise down to copper’s price surge stimulating a supply response. Copper prices reached a 10-year high of over $10,000/tonne in May on the London Metal Exchange.
Marex global head of analytics Dr Guy Wolf said the record low levels of smelter activity in March had led to “an explosive price rally” for refined copper. “The natural supply response to that became evident in the data towards the end of April has continued throughout May – hence the consolidation in copper prices,” he said. “We are now entering a fascinating period, where seasonal declines in smelter activity in China and the rest of Asia are to be expected, and other regions showing no signs of slowdown. Given the importance of Chinese demand, it remains to be seen if the external supply can satisfy China’s demand during this maintenance window.”
FINLAND
Metso Outotec wins order for precious metals recycling plant
Metso Outotec says that it has received an order for the engineering and delivery of key equipment for the expansion of a precious metals recycling plant, although the customer and the value of the contract were not disclosed. Metso Outotec’s equipment delivery consists of a direct current (DC) furnace with feeding equipment and process control system. The order has been booked in Metals’ Q2/2021 order intake. Typically, this type of an order is in the range of e8-15 million.
Metso Outotec’s pyro- and hydrometallurgical technologies are capable of the processing of secondary raw materials, including valuable metals like copper and platinum. The Ausmelt™ and Kaldo™ processes can be used for integrated primary smelting and standalone smelting, complemented with efficient gas cleaning systems. Further refining can be accomplished with Metso Outotec’s state-ofthe-art electrorefining and electrowinning processing technologies. The DC furnace is based on proprietary technology featuring advanced environmental performance and efficient slag and alloy separation providing high metal recoveries.
“We are excited about this order, as it will strengthen our position in treatment of secondary raw materials. Our DC furnace technology is well suited for secondary smelting applications, including precious metal recycling. This delivery is well in line with our strategy to grow in circular economy,” explains Jyrki Makkonen, Vice President, Smelting business line at Metso Outotec.
MOROCCO
Morocco sets up Global Phosphorus Institute
Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and the Ibn Rochd Foundation for Science and Innovation (FIRSI) have announced the creation of the Global Phosphorus Institute (GPI), an independent non-profit international institution. According to a press release, the GPI “aims to bring together scientists, policy makers and communicators, industry leaders, educators and a variety of food security stakeholders on a single platform.” It also aims “to create and share innovative solutions to balance the need and use of phosphorus in the production of healthy food, animal feed and natural fibres as we protect our environment for a prosperous and equitable society in the spirit of the United Nation’s Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.”
Hicham El Habti, the president of Mohammed VI University and new president of the GPI said: “GPI will promote global, science-based, inclusive dialogue and collaborations on subjects ranging from industrial phosphorus use and recycling to nutrient management and stewardship. Morocco, as the custodian of the planet’s largest known reserves of phosphate… has a unique duty to encourage and support global research, innovation and dialogue on this essential element and its vital role in life on earth.
“GPI looks forward to convening experts with a variety of diverse backgrounds and views to develop a variety of different approaches to phosphorus use,” said El Habti. “Sustainable and innovative use of phosphorus is essential to improve life on earth in all its forms.”
The global institute has appointed Dr Amit Roy as its first executive director to spearhead the operations (see People section). His initial focus will be creating the Consortium for cutting-edge phosphorus research projects, building global coalitions, and establishing research hubs around the world.
CANADA
Falco and Glencore agreement on copper-zinc project
Falco Resources Ltd says it has concluded an agreement in principle with Glencore Canada Corporation establishing a framework of terms and conditions pursuant to Falco’s Horne 5 gold-silver-copper-zinc project in Quebec. The project covers the former Horne and Quemont mines, formerly copper-zinc sulphide mines, which will be de-watered and rehabilitated, as well as the Horne 5 deposit, which lies at a depth of 0.6-2.3 km. The new mine will produce an anticipated average 15,500 t/d of ore over the mine’s 15 year life. Ore will be processed by primary grinding in a single SAG mill and ball mill, followed by three flotation and thickening circuits dedicated to recovering copper, zinc and pyrite concentrates. The pyrite concentrate would then be leached along with the pyrite flotation tailings in separate leaching circuits. Pumping out the old mines is expected to take two years from the completion of de-watering infrastructure in H2 2021/H1 2022. Access to the Quemont 2 shaft is contingent upon Falco’s agreement with Glencore, which operates the Horne smelting facility only 700m away.
AUSTRALIA
Patent application for new phosphate fertilizer blend
Minbos has lodged an Australian provisional patent application for a new phosphate rock fertilizer blend. The provisional patent claims to produce a 100% organic phosphate fertilizer using less reactive phosphate rocks than conventional production. The new patent application has been filed to cover the new blend following analysis of results comparing different product forms from Minbos’ Cabinda phosphate granules in field trials in Angola, and greenhouse trials at the International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC) in the US.
The company says that its new phosphate rock fertilizer blend promotes the early release of phosphate nutrients from phosphate rock, potentially eliminating monoammonium phosphate from the proposed Cabinda Phosphate granule formulation. This results in a purely organic fertilizer blend. Minbos says its new blend will be trialled during the company’s 2021 and 2022 growing season through soil incubation tests, growth chamber trials and greenhouse trial. The company also says that the production of the new phosphate rock fertilizer blend can potentially be applied to the company’s granulation plant and be including in the production profile from commissioning in 2022.
“This is a promising development for the company’s plans to participate in the development of a regional agricultural powerhouse,” said Minbos CEO Lindsay Reed. “The new fertilizer blend has the potential to deliver healthy, organic crop yields for Angola and its farming communities for decades to come.”
INDONESIA
Zhejiang Huayou HPAL project to come in under budget
Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt’s first nickel and cobalt project in Indonesia will enter the commissioning stage at the end of this year, with capital expenditure coming in below planned levels, according to the company. The project, on Sulawesi, is one of several Indonesian nickel and cobalt plants using high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) technology. The project is a joint venture between Huayou, stainless steel giant Tsingshan Holding Group and China Molybdenum Co. It is designed to have annual capacity of 60,000 t/a of nickel content and 7-8,000 t/a of cobalt content in their nickel-cobalt mixed hydroxide product.
“We are confident to say to the market that the capex is lower than the original design. The original design is around $1.2-1.3 billion,” said George Fang, Huayou’s executive vice chairman, speaking at an online industry conference, though he did not provide a revised figure for the plant’s cost. “We are in the final stage of construction. We will finish all construction and start commissioning at the end of this year,” he said, noting it will take about another 12 months for the plant to ramp up to full operation. “If there no was no Covid-19, we would have finished half a year earlier.”
Huayou is also building another HPAL project in Indonesia, which was announced in May, with annual capacity of 120,000 tonnes in nickel content, double the size of the Huayue plant, in conjunction with battery producer EVE Energy. Fang said that that project is at the start of engineering and construction, and would source nickel from Indonesia’s Weda Bay region.
HPAL plant inaugurated
In late June Indonesia’s Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan inaugurated production operation at the PT Halmahera Persada Legend high pressure acid leaching (HPAL) facility on Obi Island, South Halmahera. The HPAL plant has been built at an investment cost of over $1.0 billion and will produce nickel for electric vehicles. Minister Luhut said that by 2030 it is predicted that the global electric vehicle sales are predicted to reach 31.1 million units, and the Indonesian government is targeting production of 600,000 four-wheeled electric vehicles and 2.45 million two-wheelers. “Indonesia has sufficient resources and reserves of nickel and cobalt, supported by other minerals such as copper, aluminium and tin which will become vital for the electric vehicle industry,” said Luhut in his official statement.
The HPAL plant will process lower grade nickel ore (limonite) to produce Class 1 nickel mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) in the form of nickel sulphate and cobalt sulphate.
INDIA
Chemetics wins new acid plant contract
Chemetics Inc. has been awarded a contract by Bodal Chemicals Ltd for a new 1,050 t/d sulphuric acid plant using solid sulphur as feedstock. The plant will produce both 32-33% oleum and 98.5% Sulphuric acid for the production of dye intermediates. Because Bodal Chemicals was seeking to conserve water use and maximise energy recovery, the new acid plant will be designed using an air-cooled cooling water system and an enhanced boiler feed water preheating system with SARAMET® acid coolers.
Vancouver-based Chemetics, part of the Worley Group, says that this project award continues the company’s success in serving the Indian sulphuric acid market; in the last three years Chemetics has signed contracts for three new sulphuric acid plants and several sulphuric acid concentration plants in India.
