The technical report outlines the recovery methods employed at the Cozamin Mine, though the provided excerpt is incomplete. Below is a detailed breakdown of the available information and inferred technical details:
1. Processing and Recovery Methods:
– The report references the mill’s configuration as being consistent with prior technical reports, suggesting continuity in the processing methods.
– The mill processes ore from the San Rafael resource, with increasing tonnages noted since mid-[year not specified].
2. Technical Specifications and Equipment:
– No specific equipment details (e.g., crushers, grinders, flotation cells) are provided in the excerpt, but the mention of a “mill” implies standard comminution and concentration circuits.
– Historical reports likely describe equipment such as:
– Primary and secondary crushing units.
– Ball or SAG mills for grinding.
– Froth flotation cells for copper and other metal recovery.
3. Process Flow and Operational Parameters:
– The flow sheet is not detailed here, but typical operations for copper-zinc-lead-silver ores (common in San Rafael) would include:
– Crushing → grinding → flotation → thickening → filtration → tailings management.
– Operational parameters (e.g., grind size, reagent dosages) are not specified.
4. Recovery Rates and Efficiencies:
– The excerpt does not provide recovery rates, but prior reports may cite:
– Copper recovery: Likely >85% via flotation.
– By-product recoveries (e.g., zinc, silver): Dependent on ore grade and circuit optimization.
5. Innovative Techniques:
– No innovations are mentioned, but the note about “increasing tonnages” suggests potential debottlenecking or throughput improvements.
6. Capacity and Throughput:
– The mill’s capacity is unspecified, but the reference to “increasing tonnages” implies scalability or expanded feed from San Rafael.
7. Key Technical Challenges and Solutions:
– Challenges may include:
– Ore variability from San Rafael, requiring adaptive process control.
– Tailings management due to higher throughput.
– Solutions are not detailed in the excerpt.
—
Note: The summary is limited by the incomplete content provided. A full analysis would require access to the entire report, particularly Section 17 and its subsections.
Technical report and processing history
The following archived source profiles have been consolidated here to preserve the project’s processing history and study context.
Cozamin Mine — 2023 Technical Report
Cozamin Mine — 2023 Technical Report
| Company | Capstone Mining |
| Mine | Cozamin Mine |
| Date | 2023 |
| Region | Durango, Mexico |
| Commodities | Copper, Zinc, Silver, Lead |
Executive Summary
This NI 43-101 Technical Report section details the recovery methods for the Cozamin Mine, focusing on the processing plant’s capacity to handle projected throughput requirements between 2020 and 2030. The mill processes ore primarily from the MNFWZ and San Rafael resources, with zinc ores from the 10 Vein scheduled for late 2024. Validation tests in 2019 and 2020 confirmed the flowsheet can sustain an average throughput of 3,780 tpd with minimal debottlenecking.
The processing circuit includes a crushing plant with primary jaw and secondary/tertiary cone crushers, followed by ball mill grinding in closed circuit with cyclones. Flotation recovery targets copper, zinc, and silver, utilizing tank cells, rougher/scavenger banks, and column cells. Concentrate dewatering employs thickeners and pressure filters, while tailings are transitioning from slurry deposition to a filtered tailings system in 2023.
Processing Overview
Website: https://capstonecopper.com/operations/cozamin/
Report Date: 2023
Region: Durango, Mexico
Project Status:
Commodity: Copper, Zinc, Silver, Lead
Throughput:
Mine Life:
Mine Type:
Ore type:
Cozamin Mine — 2021 Technical Report
Cozamin Mine — 2021 Technical Report
| Company | Capstone Mining Corp. |
| Mine | Cozamin Mine |
| Date | 2021 |
| Region | Mexico |
| Commodities | Copper, Zinc, Silver, Lead |
Executive Summary
This section of the NI 43-101 Technical Report details the recovery methods and processing plant capabilities for the Cozamin Mine. The mill has historically been constrained by mining rates, but improved materials handling and reserve geometry now allow for increased throughput. The report confirms the current flowsheet is capable of delivering projected throughput requirements for the 2020 to 2030 fiscal year periods, with a target average plant throughput of 3,780 dry t/d.
Operational reviews and test periods in 2019 and 2020, including ore from the San Jose extension, confirmed that the plant can sustain peak milling rates with minor debottlenecking. Key modifications identified include the installation of higher efficiency screening in the crushing circuit, replacement of Ball Mill No. 2 heads, and scheduled replacement of Ball Mill No. 1 heads. These upgrades are critical to handle harder ores from the MNFWZ and maintain the projected mine life.
The processing circuit includes crushing, grinding, flotation, and dewatering. Flotation circuits recover copper, zinc, and lead, with specific attention to zinc circuit operability thresholds. Future plans include transitioning from slurry tailings to a filtered tailings system by 2023 to increase storage capacity. The Qualified Person recommends completing these upgrades before Q2 of 2021 to ensure consistent production rates.
Reports
Website: https://capstonecopper.com/operations/cozamin/
Report Date: 2021
Region: Mexico
Project Status:
Commodity: Copper, Zinc, Silver, Lead
Throughput:
Mine Life:
Mine Type:
Ore type:
Cozamin Mine — NI 43-101 Technical Report
Cozamin Mine — NI 43-101 Technical Report
| Company | Capstone Mining Corp. |
| Mine | Cozamin Mine |
| Date | 2021 |
| Region | Zacatecas, Mexico |
| Commodities | Copper, Lead, Zinc |
Executive Summary
The Cozamin Mine is an underground operation located in Zacatecas, Mexico, producing copper, lead, and zinc concentrates. The process plant utilizes a conventional crushing and grinding circuit followed by selective flotation to produce three separate concentrates. The primary grinding circuit consists of two 3.65 m diameter x 4.27 m long ball mills operating in parallel, with an original ball mill also recommissioned to achieve a combined mill feed rate of approximately 3,200 to 3,500 tonnes per day. The grinding product has a P80 of 100 mesh, with each ball mill operating in closed circuit with 0.66 m diameter cyclones.
The flotation circuit includes flash flotation for initial copper and lead recovery, followed by rougher and scavenger flotation cells. A column cleaner has been installed to improve copper-lead concentrate grade. The zinc circuit includes a regrind stage and two stages of cleaning with a column cell to improve zinc concentrate grade. The mine employs a cyanide detoxification circuit for tailings management, with tailings pumped to a pond area where cyclones separate sands for dam construction.
Processing Details
Crushing Circuit
- Primary Jaw Crusher: 0.5 m x 0.9 m
- Secondary Crusher: 1.22 m standard head cone crusher
- Tertiary Crusher: Metso HP4
- Screen: 1.52 m x 3.66 m (secondary), 1.83 m x 4.88 m (tertiary)
- Fine Ore Bins: 2 x 1,100 tonne capacity (approximately 20 hours storage each)
Grinding Circuit
- Primary Ball Mills: 2 x 3.65 m diameter x 4.27 m long, 1,500 hp motors each
- Original Ball Mill: 2.8 m diameter x 1.6 m long (recommissioned)
- Mill Speed: 16.59 rpm (75% of critical)
- Operating Power: 960-1,040 hp per mill
- Cyclones: 0.66 m diameter
- Product Size: P80 100 mesh
Flotation Circuit
- Flash Flotation Cell: Initial copper and lead recovery
- Rougher/Scavenger: 6-OK 16 cells
- Copper-Lead Cleaning: Two-stage system with column cleaner
- Zinc Circuit: Rougher flotation, regrind, two-stage cleaning with column cell
Reagents
- Lime (pH control in grinding circuit)
- Zinc sulfate
- Collector: S-7583
- Sodium cyanide (for copper-lead separation)
- Cyanide detox circuit
Concentrate Handling
- Copper Concentrate: 16 m thickener, Larox pressure filter, ~10% moisture
- Zinc Concentrate: 8 m thickener, 1.3 m x 4 m disc filter, ~10% moisture
- Lead Concentrate: 4 m thickener, 1.3 m x 2 m drum filter, ~8% moisture
- Trucking: ~600 km to port
Key Observations
The report notes that modifications to the crushing circuit and replacement of the Omnicone with the HP4 have provided sufficient flexibility to manage ore variability. The grinding circuit shows operational flexibility based on power draw. The plant residence times are considered sufficient for managing ore variability, though modification to the zinc cleaner circuit may be required for San Rafael ore.
Website: https://capstonecopper.com/operations/cozamin/
Report Date: 2021
Region: Zacatecas, Mexico
Project Status:
Commodity: Copper, Lead, Zinc
Throughput:
Mine Life:
Mine Type:
Ore type:
Cozamin Mine: Copper-Zinc Mineral Processing Circuit
Overview
The Cozamin mill processes copper-zinc ores from the San Rafael and MNFWZ deposits, with increasing throughput since 2018. The circuit has been optimized to handle projected throughput requirements through 2030, including harder ores from the San Jose extension. The plant features parallel grinding lines, differential flotation circuits for copper and zinc, and is transitioning to filtered tailings disposal.
Key Process Stages
- Crushing Plant: Three-stage crushing circuit (jaw + cone + HP4) with 230 tph capacity. Recent upgrades include high-efficiency tertiary screens and bypass systems for underground ore.
- Grinding: Two parallel ball mills (3.65m x 4.27m) operating at P80 of 230 µm, with cyclone classification and increased power draw capacity up to 1,500 HP.
- Flotation: Differential Cu/Zn flotation with tank cells for copper roughers, two-stage cleaning, and zinc regrind circuit with column cell for final cleaning.
- Concentrate Handling: Larox pressure filters for copper (10% moisture), disc filters for zinc, and drum filters for future lead production.
- Tailings: Transitioning from slurry deposition (40-42% solids) to filtered tailings system in 2023.
Critical Data
| Parameter | Value | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Average Throughput | 3,780 | dry tpd |
| Mill Availability | 90.0 | % |
| Bond Work Index | 18.5 | BWi @212 µm |
| Mill Feed Size | 6,300 | µm |
| Mill Product Size | 230 | µm |
| Copper Concentrate Grade | 25 | %Cu |
| Water Consumption | 0.82 | m³/t |
Circuit Upgrades
Key modifications implemented to sustain increased throughput:
- Installation of high-efficiency tertiary screens (Oct 2020)
- Mill discharge modifications for higher power draw (2021)
- Addition of column cell to zinc cleaning circuit
- Planned grizzly installation at primary crusher
- Transition to filtered tailings system (2023)
