L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...

eing developed in the Urals. However, the general grade of these
deposits is low, averaging only 1.5% copper. Four broad categories
of ore are mined and processed. The Dzhezkazgan No 1 and No 2
plants, and the Kafan and Turjin concentrators, treat copper-only
ores; the Almalic and Balkash concentrators process coppermolybdenum
ores; the Nickolsk (Dzhezkazgan No 3) complex processes
copper/lead/zinc ore; while ten plants – Akhtal, Bashkir, Buribai,
Gai, Kirovgrad, Krasnouralsk, Madneuli, Sredneuraslsk, Urup,
and Uchali – treat copper/zinc ores. Copper concentrates are also
produced as a by-product at a number of plants treating ores mined
primarily for lead/zinc, wolfram/molybdenum and tin. 12
During the period 1985–1993 a number of new plants were put
into operation, namely Nickolsk, and a section of the Almalyk concentrator,
while refurbishing and reconstruction were carried out at
the Kranouralsk and Bashkir plants. However, most of the concentrators
were built in the 1930s and because of this a number of them
are in poor condition, with obsolete equipment. Because of their age,
and also in some cases a lack of ore, a number of concentrators have
been shut down, namely Karabash, Pyshma, Akhtal and one section
of the Sredneuralsk plan. Norilsk’s copper production is sourced
from its operations at its Norilsk and Urals mining and beneficiation
complexes. The Oktyabrskiy mine in the Norilsk complex produces
70% of Norilsk’s copper output, producing an average 240 000 tons
copper each year.
In January 2003, Severonikel, a member of the Norilsk Nickel
group from the Kola peninsula, commercially launched a Rb480
million hydrometallurgical facility to produce copper. The facility
will be in a position to produce 15,000 tons/y of copper by the end
of 2003. It will probably produce 15% of all copper produced by
Kola Mining and Metals Co., which directly controls Severonikel.
The facility is currently producing about 20 tons/d of copper. Minproc
supplied and built the facility. The company is also introducing
cascade leaching to process burnt copper cinders and metallurgical
dust. The new facility should greatly reduce production costs and
stages of production, and also reduce environmental pollution. Copper
production reached about 364–365 thousand tons in Russia and
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