The Extraction Process for Nonferrous and Noble Metals Reaches New Levels

15:38, July 8, 2024

University scientists improve the Russian mining and metallurgical complex

Developments of scientists of the Ural Federal University in the field of extraction of non-ferrous and precious metals from complex polymetallic raw materials are more and more in demand by mining and metallurgical enterprises.

The youth scientific laboratory of promising technologies of complex processing of mineral and technogenic raw materials of non-ferrous and ferrous metals at the Institute of New Materials and Technologies of the Ural Federal University is at the forefront of key developments in this area. The work here is carried out within the framework of the Ural Interregional Research and Education Center for Advanced Production Technologies and Materials.

The laboratory conducts extensive research into developing modern, highly efficient technological processes for extracting nonferrous and precious metals. In particular, over the past year and a half, research and pilot tests have been conducted at the RUSAL Krasnoturyinsk plant on the technology of using active inoculum aluminum hydroxide to increase the productivity of aluminate solution decomposition.

"Based on the analysis of the results and taking into account the factors identified during the pilot tests, we recommended the introduction of an industrial plant with an automatic mode of dry reagent supply and dosing of active inoculum into the decomposition batteries at RUSAL Krasnoturyinsk. We also plan to continue research into improving the productivity of aluminate solution at the RUSAL Kamensk-Uralsky plant", says Denis Rogozhnikov, head of the laboratory.

In addition, within the framework of the contract, unique research is being conducted on the possibility of including complex sulfide gold-bearing ores of double persistence of the Republic of Uzbekistan into the production cycle in the interests of the Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Combinat, which is the fourth gold producer in the world. High efficiency of the developed process has been achieved, and optimization of modes for further pilot testing is being carried out together with specialists of the Combinat and Navoi State University of Mining and Technologies. Scientists have achieved a gold recovery rate of 90 percent. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year and industrial testing will begin.

Denis Rogozhnikov emphasizes that the demand for such technologies is continuously growing. There is great interest from the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, Svyatogor, Bashkir Copper, Pervouralsk New Pipe Plant, and Kyrgyzaltyn.

In the past year alone, the laboratory staff has won four grants from the Russian Science Foundation. A total of six grants are currently being implemented, all of which will significantly improve the level of research and attract new industrial partners. The work areas under the grants are very broad - from processing alumina production waste and gold-bearing ores to using displays and batteries to extract valuable metals from them.

The laboratory's work is particularly important because the world's reserves of high-quality raw materials are running out. As a result, companies have two options - either to develop new deposits or to process the existing raw materials, and production waste.

"It is in principle a big problem for Russia - accumulation of a large volume of waste. It is extremely important to reduce the environmental load on the territory. By reducing the harm that is already there, as well as creating new technologies to minimize the formation of new waste," says Denis Rogozhnikov.

The laboratory consists of 20 employees and actively involves students in its work.

"Based on their work, students defend their diplomas and enter Master's and PhD programs. Many of them receive higher scholarships, for example, the scholarship named after Stanislav Naboychenko or the President of the Russian Federation. We have a very strong, modern material base. In particular, thanks to the support of the university administration, we recently purchased an optical emission spectrometer and a laser particle size analyzer. Sometimes we have to work with gold, which is present in nanoscale particles, it is also called "invisible gold". With our knowledge and available equipment, we can concentrate and extract such gold", Denis Rogozhnikov says.

Eduard Nikulnikov

The news article was translated by UrFU International Marketing Office.
info.international@urfu.ru, +7 (343) 375-45-19