PROCESSING

OZ looks to cobalt technology

OZ Minerals looking to optimise Carrapateena output.

This article is 5 years old. Images might not display.

Cobalt Blue has a technology that can recover cobalt from pyrite. It has been applied to its Broken Hill cobalt project.

Its 2018 pre-feasibility study reported cobalt recoveries of 85% to 86% from ore to final cobalt sulphate product.

OZ Minerals is working to commission its Carrapateena copper-gold project in South Australia in the fourth quarter of 2019.

It is also looking at optimisation opportunities and that is where Cobalt Blue comes in.

Cobalt Blue will complete testwork to assess whether copper, gold and cobalt can be recovered from pyrite concentrate using its proprietary technology.

Discussions between the parties have identified possible similarities between the cobalt-pyrite minerals at the Broken Hill cobalt project and at Carrapateena.

The initial testwork will focus on the technical viability of the Cobalt Blue technology rather than optimising metal recoveries. That may be the subject of further studies.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence: Future Fleets Report 2025

MMI Future Fleets Report 2025 looks at how companies are using alternative energy sources to cut greenhouse gas emmissions

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence: Automation and Digitalisation Report 2024

Exclusive research for Mining Magazine Intelligence Automation and Digitalisation Report 2024 shows mining companies are embracing cutting-edge tech

editions

ESG Mining Company Index: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The ESG Mining Company Index report provides an in-depth evaluation of ESG performance of 61 of the world's largest mining companies. Using a robust framework, it assesses each company across 9 meticulously weighted indicators within 6 essential pillars.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2024 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of exploration trends and technologies, highlighting the best intercepts and discoveries and the latest initial resource estimates.