Why GeoMetallurgy Matters To Teck

April, 30th, 2019

Dr. Anelda van Staden, Program Lead, Mineralogy
CIM, Montréal, 2019
Contents: Today’s Presentation

Why does GeoMetallurgy put more money in my pocket?

GeoMetallurgy in a nutshell
The GeoMet Curve

A case-study: Red Dog

From Main Pit to Aqqaluk: an integrated textural, mineralogical and chemical approach

Surpassing grade and recovery models: integrated recovery, grinding and throughput

Stockpiles for ore blending

From Aqqaluk to the present-day

Why GeoMetallurgy matters to Teck

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Why does GeoMetallurgy put
more money in my pocket?

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 The GeoMet Curve
GeoMet Integration: Unlocking Value At Different Scales

100µm
1cm
10cm
10m
100m
Realized Value

Km’s

0.5cm

0.5cm

Time: Increasing Geomet Knowledge and Risk Quantification

Diagrammatic illustration of multiscale analysis. Modified after Pearce, 2017; Diagrammatic illustration the GeoMet Curve. Modified after Vann et al., 2011
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Importance of GeoMetallurgy
Unlocking Value / Risk Quantification

Tonnage Rock strength

Enough rocks Hardness for
with contained Comminution
valuable Block size for
minerals Mining Needs
in rite
Ge hale
Recovery Penalty/ sp
payable elements
Adequate separation
of valuable minerals The elements
from gangue contained in valuable
minerals

Stewardship
Grade Tailings management
Value Deleterious elements
Enough valuable
minerals ite $ = knowledge
aler
sp
h foundation
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A Case Study: Red Dog

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 GeoMet Evolved from Main Pit to Aqqaluk:
The Universal Zinc Recovery Model for Main Pit
1989 1998 1999 2004
Zn and Pb recovery Initiated stockpile Fe included in Zn
models blending recovery models New ore type Universal Zn recovery
Visual sphalerite grain Refined visual ore Mineralogical analyses definitions equation
size types of pyrite and marcasite

Aqqaluk
Main Pit
Zn recovery =
Const. * %Zna * %Pbb * %Fec * %SiO2d

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 GeoMetallurgy at Aqqaluk
An Integrated Ore Characterization Program

Objectives
• Define impact of Aqqaluk ore Cross-section
types on the existing concentrator through Aqqaluk
with major ore types
• Refine metallurgical models for
production forecasting and mine Ore Type, Grade Photo
planning Siliceous Low Fe
~5-35% Zn; ~2-10% Pb
Methodology
Siliceous High Fe
• Ore Type Distribution: Chemical
~5-15% Zn; ~2-7% Pb
Analyses
Vein
• Metallurgical and Geometallurgical ~5-28% Zn; ~0.5-3% Pb
testing
Baritic
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~5-18% Zn; ~2-9% Pb
 Aqqaluk Sampling and Testing
Improved Engineering and Proxy Tests
Comminution/physical
• Sag Mill Comminution (SMC) test,
Bond Work Index (BWI), abrasion,
Equotip hardness, RBT Gem-Lite, RBT MLA: grey level intensity image

JK Comminution Index (JKCI)

Mineralogical
• Mineral Liberation Analysis (MLA):
textural analysis and flotation feed MLA
liberation
MLA: false colour mineral image
• X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRD),
Rietveld Refinement
Flotation
Flotation cell
• 9Rougher kinetics and cleaner testing
 Mineralogy, Comminution and Flotation
Integrating Ore Types, Processability and Recovery
Comminution/physical
• Siliceous Ore Type:
– Silicified matrix
– Moderately hard (by SMC)
Bond Work Index Ball Mill
• Vein Ore Type:
– Variable depending on the
amount of silicification
• Baritic Ore Type:
– Abundant barite
– Softer (by SMC, abrasion and
ImprovedBWI)
prediction of hardness in the block
model
Increased throughput
10 Improved stockpile blending criteria
 Mineralogy, Comminution and Flotation
Integrating Ore Types, Processability and Recovery
Mineralogical
• Mineral Liberation Analysis (MLA):
textural analysis and flotation feed
liberation
• X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRD),
Rietveld Refinement

Compositional growth
Flotation Ang
Zoning in sphalerite

• Sulphides are locally replaced by Gn

sulphates
0.25cm 0.25cm
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 Mineralogy, Comminution and Flotation
Improve Concentrate Quality
Mineralogically limiting grade-
recovery model
• Predicted: 95% recovery of Zn at
55% Zn Legend:
Updated universal recovery Sphalerite
Impacted modelby: applied to Galena

• Main
Soluble Pb (anglesite)
Pit and Aqqaluk ore in feed
types
Barite
Fe-sulphides

•• Explicitly
Sphaleriteincorporates
activiation to Pb Ro Silicates

MLA Sphalerite particle line-up from most to least liberated

Concentrate impact of
metallurgical
• barite
Liberation: e.g. sphalerite to Ro
and anglesite
tailings, galena to Zn Ro/Cl
concentrate
• Pyrite and marcasite dilution in Zn
12Ro/Cl concentrate
3-D Predictive Models
From Recovery → Grind Optimization → Throughput

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Red Dog: Stockpiles For Ore
Blending

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 Aqqaluk Deposit:
Stockpiles for Ore Blending
W E
Aqqaluk Deposit

• Stabilize mill feed for Black Shale –

extended duration Key Creek Plate
Baritic
• Ore Type consolidation Siliceous
High Fe to massive
• It takes 14-16 days to process sulpide

through the plant

• Result of our growing
understanding of the impact of
ore type variability on
metallurgical behaviour

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Red Dog Stockpiles:
Current Initiatives
For improved stockpile building criteria:
• PortaMetrics Fragmentation Analysis: aims to alleviate mechanical wear
while increasing throughput without additional grinding energy required
• Blast Movement Monitoring: aims to decrease dilution, increase ore recovery
and better constrain stockpile grades to avoid mill swings

IES

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From Aqqaluk to Now:
Geometallurgy is now part of Teck’s ethos

On-going
Ag and Pb
GeoMet
recovery model Qanaiyaq Waste Programs for Next?
for: Rock Study
Red Dog
Aqqaluk Deposit
Deposits

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 The Evolution of the Red Dog Concentrator
The value of regular terminal stream monitoring of stockpiles
• Mill process changes related Jameson cell
to ore type variability:
– Jameson Cell
– Isamills
– Modified flotation conditions
/ reagents
• Diagnostic metallurgy due to
changes in the predicted feed
blend criteria
• Terminal stream monitoring will
continue to guide the mill
IsaMill
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Why GeoMetallurgy Matters to
Teck

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Why GeoMetallurgy Matters to Teck
Similar Approaches are used to Unlock the Value of Diverse Deposits
Zinc

1
Copper

2 3
The model was generated by Paul
Galore Creek
San Nicolas
Shaft Creek
Zafranal
Nueva Union
QB2

Steel making coal

Stacey of MapIT using Target 3D geology software

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Diagrammatic illustration modified after Baumgartner, 2018
 Many thanks!
Acknowledgements:
It’s all about the multi-disciplinary team!

• ART: Beth Bromley, Dan Matthews, Catherine Carreiro,

Paul Simonetta, David Lin, Karl Reimer
• Mining Technology: Mark Richards
• Exploration: Betsy Friedlander
• Project Development & Engineering: Cassandra Spence, Many thanks!
• Advanced Projects: Jelena Puzic, Regina Baumgartner Taikuu!
• Red Dog: Brigitte Lacouture, Nikki Pidgeon
• AMIRA P843, GeM3
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