| Company | Xstrata Copper |
| Mine | Osborne Mine |
| Date | 2012 |
| Region | Queensland, Australia |
| Commodities | Copper, Gold |
Executive Summary
This section of the 2012 NI 43-101 Technical Report details the recovery methods for the Osborne Mine, operated by Xstrata Copper. The primary commodities recovered are copper and gold, derived principally from sulphide minerals such as chalcopyrite. The processing circuit is a conventional sulphide flotation plant commissioned in 1995, which has historically treated ore from both open pit and underground sources, as well as material from the Trekelano deposit.
The recovery process involves comminution through crushing and grinding, followed by flotation and dewatering. The crushing section utilizes a primary gyratory crusher and HP300 cone crushers in closed circuit. Grinding is achieved via a rod mill in open circuit followed by a ball mill in closed circuit with hydrocyclones. The flotation circuit is unique in its single-stage design without regrinding, achieving high recovery rates for both copper and gold.
Gold recovery is supplemented by a Knelson centrifugal gravity concentrator, which produces doré bullion. The final copper-gold concentrate is thickened and filtered to 9% moisture before transport to a rail siding. The report notes that while the plant operated until 2010, the existing infrastructure remains available for future processing, with potential for reactivating a cleaner flotation circuit to ensure performance across all ore types.
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Report Date: 2012
Region: Queensland, Australia
Project Status:
Commodity: Copper, Gold
Throughput:
Mine Life:
Mine Type:
Ore type:
