VSF®X SOLVENT EXTRACTION

FOR SICOMINES PHASE II PROJECT

Claudio Rodríguez
Content
- General Information
- Metso VSF®X solvent extraction technology
- Design Parameters
- Cu SX Process Configuration
- Metso VSF®X Solvent Extraction Delivery
- Process Performance Guarantees
- VSF®X Cu SX Plant Design and Layout
- Project Schedule
- SX Plant Performance
- Conclusions
Sicomines Phase II Project
Sicomines Phase II Project
• Plant owner: Sicomines SARL
• Plant location: 7 km southwest of Kolwezi in DRC
• Sicomines Cu processing plant is constructed in two
phases
• Phase I: Train 1 (58 kt Cu) & Train 2 (24 kt Cu),
conventional SX technology
• Phase II: Train 3 (59 kt Cu) & Train 4 (28 kt Cu),
Metso VSF®X technology
Metso VSF® Solvent Extraction Technology
World’s largest Cu SX plants use VSF® SX technology:
• Design PLS flow of 4 500 m3/h per SX Train, Minera Escondida,
Chile
• Total design PLS flow of 11 500 m3/h, Grupo Mexico, BVC ESDE
III, Mexico

VSF® differentiators:
• Highest guaranteed settling rates – up to 8 m3/h/m2 settling
rate for copper SX
• Lowest guaranteed entrainment values – e.g. 20-30ppm O in A
Metso VSF® Solvent Extraction Technology
Metso VSF® and VSF®X Solvent Extraction Technology
Metso VSF®X Solvent Extraction Technology

Width : 2438mm
Lenght : 12192mm (40 feet)
Height: 2438mm
Volume: 56m3
Weight: 9125 kg
Design Parameters - PLS
Description Train 3 Train 4 low-grade Train 4 high-grade

PLS Flowrate (m3/h) 692 824 521

Cu concentration (g/L) 16.3 3.2 3.8
Total Fe concentration (g/L)
5 6 11

Cl− concentration (g/L) 0.05 0.05 0.05

H2SO4 concentration (g/L) 9 10 8

Total solids (mg/L) 100−200 100−200 100–200

Density (kg/L) 1.05 1.05 1.05

Design Parameters - Plant
Description Train 3 Train 4
Number of extraction stages 2 2 for LG, Ep for HG
Number of stripping stages 2 1
Number of washing stages 1 1
Organic flowrate (design) (m3/h) 1107 1236
External O/A 1.6 1.5
Internal O/A 0.8–1.2 0.8-1.2
Mixing time in E & S (s) 133 120
Settling rate (m3/h/m2) 6.8 7.6
Extraction (%) ~77 ~ 92
Total dispersion flow (m3/h) 2490 2780
Residence time in the RE AS (620 m3/h) (min) 19 19
Reagent / Vol-% LIX 984N / Vol-25% LIX 984N / Vol-25%
Diluent Non-aromatic / Not flammable >70°C Non-aromatic / Not flammable >70°C
LE flow (m3/h) 360 360
Cu SX Process Configuration
Train 3 Train 4
Metso VSF®X Solvent Extraction Delivery

Core Basic Engineering

Modular VSF®X Equipment Deliveries for TRAINS 3 & 4

• DOP Pump & Spirok Tanks, Turbines, Mixers, Gears and Motors
• Settler and After Settler Modules
• DDG and Coalescing Fences

Site Advisory Services (Installation, Commissioning and Start-up)

Process Performance Guarantees

Performance Guarantee Parameter Guaranteed Value

PLS and Organic Flows Design Flows

Organic entrainment in Raffinate [ppm] ≤ 30

Organic entrainment in Rich Electrolyte [ppm] ≤ 20

Aqueous entrainment in Loaded Organic [ppm] ≤ 250

VSF® X Cu SX Plant Desing and Layout

Train 1 & 2

Train 3 & 4
VSF® X Cu SX Plant Design and Layout
VSF® X Cu SX Plant Design and Layout
Project Schedule
SX Plant Performance
• Total copper transfer capacity Train 3 + Train 4:
31,5% above design copper transfer capacity
• High Cu in PLS regulating the flows
• O/A and A/O entrainments are below the guaranteed values

Train 3 Design Actual Train 4 Design Actual

PLS flow (m3/h) 692 400 HG PLS flow (m3/h 521 800
Organic flow (m3/h) 1107 900 Organic flow (m3/h 1236 950
Cu in PLS (g/L) 16.3 19.5 Cu in HG PLS (g/L 3.75 6.33
Cu in raffinate (g/L) – 1.17 Cu in HG raffinate (g/L – 1.33
pH of PLS 1.2–1.8 1.3–1.6 LG PLS flow (m3/h 824 400
Solids in PLS (mg/L) 100–200 50–100 Cu in LG PLS (g/L 3.22 4.8
Continuity Organic Organic Cu in LG raffinate (g/L - 0.47
RE flow (m3/h) 360 400 pH of HG/LG PLS 1.2–1.8 1.3–1.7
Solids in PLS (mg/L) 100–200 50–100
Continuity Organic Organic
RE flow (m3/h) 360 400
Conclusions
• Sicomine phase II copper solvent extraction trains 3 and 4 are based on
modular Metso VSF®X technology
• Equipment installation period was very short
• Less work at site (70-80% less lamination/welding) and Less people at
site
• Savings from construction and installation, ~23-25% lower CAPEX for a
Conventional (VSF®)SX Plant Project
• Process ramp-up was fast, smooth and succesful
• Both SX trains have been in stable operation since the start-up.
Notes: Easily expandable modular concept => Ideal for phased development
Conceptual Model  Significant residual value