Recycling Process of Copper and Cobalt Waste Rock in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The copper grade of the waste rock in the Sicomines copper-cobalt mining area in Congo (DRC) is 1.01%, and the cobalt grade is 0.045%, which has the recycling value. However, the waste rock has problems of high oxidation rate and severe mudding. To determine a suitable recycling process, a comparative exploration experiment of the sulfide-yellow medicine direct flotation process and the heavy-floating combined process was carried out. The results showed that the heavy-floating combined process was superior to the sulfide-yellow medicine direct flotation process in terms of indicators, and a comprehensive concentrate with a Cu grade of 5.19% and a recovery rate of 72.82% could be achieved. The process could also reduce the mud formation caused by over-grinding, reduce reagent consumption and energy consumption, and has good comprehensive economic and environmental benefits for processing the waste rock.