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The Use of Computer Simulation for the Design of a
Bioheap Leach for Sphalerite
Todd J. Harvey Jean Joubert,
GeoBiotics, LLC Willem Van Der Merwe
12211 W. Alameda Pkwy, Suite 101 Kumba Resources (PTY) Ltd
Lakewood, CO, USA 80228 PO Box 9229
Ph:303-277-0300 Pretoria West, Gauteng 0001
Fax: 303-277-1772 South Africa
Tharvey@[Link] Ph:+27 (012) 307-7359
Fax:+27 (012) 3077728
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ABSTRACT
GeoBiotics, LLC and Kumba Resources (Pty) Ltd are jointly developing the GEOCOAT® heap bioleaching
technology and downstream processing technology for recovery of zinc from tailings at the Rosh Pinah Mine in
Namibia. This paper outlines the development of a computer simulation for the bioleaching of sphalerite and the
downstream processing. Computer modeling has shortened the product development cycle by allowing many
flowsheet scenarios to be analyzed negating much of the expensive and time consuming laboratory testing. A
model was developed using the Limn® system which is an Excel® Add-In flowsheet drawing and solution engine.
Given that most engineers are familiar with Excel® this software is extremely easy to use and has less hidden
calculations making model verification much easier.
Keywords: simulation, modeling, biooxidation, sphalerite
INTRODUCTION
The development of new technology for the extraction of metals is an extremely complicated process generally
involving years of laboratory testing, pilot scale proving and hopefully commercial application. Many processes
never manage to pass the laboratory stage, even fewer make it to pilot testing and rarely, is a new process
introduced commercially. For the extraction of zinc from sphalerite only two commercial processes currently exist
namely roast-leach-electrowin (RLE) and pressure hydrometallurgy. Pyrometallurgical extraction methods have
been in existence since the 1800’s. Hydrometallurgical methods, although developed in the 1950’s, did not see
wide scale commercial applications until the 1980’s. GeoBiotics, LLC and Kumba Resources (Pty) Ltd are jointly
developing the GEOCOAT® heap bioleaching and downstream processing technology to recover zinc from
tailings at the Rosh Pinah Mine.
The GEOCOAT® process involves the coating of concentrates onto a suitable substrate, usually barren rock, then
stacking the coated material in a conventional heap fashion. The heap is irrigated with acidic solutions containing
iron and nutrients while low pressure ambient air is applied at the heap base. Biological activity oxidizes the
sulphide minerals. In the case of sphalerite concentrates, the oxidation product is a solution carrying with it the
solubilized zinc which is then extracted from the solution using one of several existing technologies. Several
papers have been published outlining the GEOCOAT® technology in more detail, Harvey, Holder, and Stanek
(2002), Harvey, Holder, and Stanek (2002), Harvey and Potter, (1999).
Given the time generally required to develop new process routes, particularly processes such as biooxidation
where a single test can take several months, the only method feasible to shorten the product development cycle
is computer modeling. Computer modeling of the GEOCOAT® process flowsheet has allowed the project team to
quickly identify potential process pitfalls and modify laboratory experiments to test the hypothesis. In this manner
laboratory testing is optimized and full scale plant simulations can be created with much less data. Of particular
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importance for this system is the modeling of solution flows. The bioleaching of sphalerite is a relatively
straightforward exercise but the winning of the zinc from the pregnant leach solution (PLS) is much more
complicated. The presence of a variety of impurities can cause significant problems. Elements such as fluorine,
chlorine, manganese, cobalt, copper and iron need to be closely monitored particularly in circulating solutions.
The use of computer simulation allows for these deleterious elements to be monitored in a closed loop system
reducing the need for full scale lock-cycle laboratory or pilot testing.
This paper outlines the development of a computer simulation for the bioleaching of sphalerite and the
downstream processing. A model was developed using the Limn® system which is an Excel® Add-In flowsheet
drawing and solution engine. Given that most engineers are familiar with Excel® this software is extremely easy
to use and has less hidden calculations making model verification much easier.
FLOWSHEET TOOLS
One of the keys to a good flowsheet design and thus, a successful plant operation, is good information. Good
information manifests itself in a variety of ways in the metallurgical industry but the most important being sample
representativeness and the ability to optimize the unit processes through testwork. Unfortunately several factors
work against the metallurgist in obtaining good information; the cost of extensive testwork can be prohibitive and
the costs of the required samples even more so. The pressure is on the metallurgist to maximize the information
obtained from testwork while minimizing the amount of sample consumed.
Several things can aid the metallurgist in these endeavors such as proper experimental design, sufficient
experience, and computer modeling. Modeling is not a replacement for experience but it can aid in the
development of the proper experimental design for unit operation testwork. Models should always be validated
and the user must always know the boundary conditions. Having said that, process models can drastically reduce
the number of laboratory tests required and can simplify the “what if” scenario testing.
There are a variety of process tools available for modeling metallurgical processes, most of which with a very
steep learning curve. The authors choose to use the Limn® system for a variety of reasons. Limn® is based on
Excel®, a tool which the vast majority of engineers know intimately, a variety of program Wizards make
constructing a flowsheet very straight forward and finally the calculations are not hidden.
Excel® on its own is increasingly being utilized for everything from metallurgical data analysis, reagent databases,
DCS data analysis, and more and more engineers are employing it to model their plant flowsheets. Excel® on its
own, however, can be cumbersome to utilize. It is a very powerful program but tracking all of the links and
formulas can lead to built-in mistakes. Additionally, it is a very poor drawing tool for graphical representation of
flowsheets. Limn® automates much of the process thus reducing the chances for errors.
“Limn: The Flowsheet Processor for Microsoft Excel, uses the drawn flowsheet metaphor as the basis of a tool
to provide the structure necessary to make efficient use of the Excel spreadsheet in flowsheet solution or
simulation tasks. In Limn: The Flowsheet Processor, the structure of the process - the process connectivity - is
derived directly from the user drawn process flowsheet. Discrete, uniform spreadsheet cell ranges are used to
define process stream information, and discrete spreadsheet cell blocks, with defined input and output ranges,
are used to define process units. Automated procedures (or "wizards") are provided to assist in setting up these
stream data ranges and process unit model blocks. Since all of the calculation power of the spreadsheet is still
available within the unit model block, a range of models, from the very simple, to the extremely complicated can
be implemented in this environment.” Wiseman, (2000)
Many papers have been published outlining the use of simulation/modeling for the design of mineral/chemical
flowsheets, Wills (1986), Merks (1999), Cleary (2001), Bailey, Patel and Kumar (2001), Abilov and Zeybek,
(2000), Lynch and Morrison, (1999). Most of these papers have shown that the chosen software worked well to
achieve the task at hand. The authors of this paper believe that the Limn® system, with its commonly used Excel®
interface and its ready made Wizards, is one of the easiest systems to learn and use and has many other
advantages over many of the much more expensive “black box” systems. The balance of this paper is dedicated
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to illustrating how this software was employed to solve a unique metallurgical system and the advantages of
modeling in process development.
PROCESS DESIGN
The process under development involves the extraction of zinc from a sphalerite concentrate using the
GEOCOAT® biooxidation technology, Harvey, Afewu and Van Der Merwe (2002). The solution from the heap
biooxidation is processed via conventional downstream processing routes. The downstream process consists of
solution purification, solvent extraction and electrowinning. Zinc downstream process optimization is notoriously
difficult in that there are multiple purification circuits (iron, copper, cadmium, cobalt, etc.), the use of DEPHA for
solvent extraction does not have high extractions, and electrowinning is sensitive to low levels of impurities and
fairly inefficient. The result is many recycle streams that have to be carefully balanced and controlled.
The GEOCOAT® Process
The GEOCOAT® process incorporates elements of two successful and commercially proven technologies: heap
leaching and biooxidation. Zinc-bearing sulphide minerals are concentrated by flotation and thickened. The
resulting slurry is thinly coated onto crushed, screened support rock, stacked on a lined pad, and allowed to
biooxidize. Coating is accomplished by spraying the concentrate slurry onto the support rock as it discharges
from the end of a stacking conveyor onto the biooxidation heap. The coating solids density is highly dependent
on the slurry viscosity and densities of 50-65% have been successfully coated at scale. The support rock is
relatively uniformly sized, in the range of 6 to 30 millimeters in diameter and the concentrate coating is relatively
thin, less than one millimeter in thickness. The weight ratio of support rock to concentrate is in the range of 5:1 to
10:1.
The hydrophobic nature of the concentrate assists in the formation of a coating on the support rock. No binding
agents are required. The concentrate naturally adheres to the support rock and does not wash out of the heap
during solution application or during heavy rainstorms.
Depending on the desired temperature of operation, the heap is inoculated with naturally occurring sulphide-
oxidizing bacteria, such as the mesophiles; Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Thiobacillus thiooxidans, Leptospirillum
ferrooxidans or moderate thermophiles; Acidothiobacillus caldus, Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans, and the
extreme thermophiles; Acidianus brierleyi, Acidianus infernus, Metallosphaera sedula, Sulfolobus acidocaldarious,
Sulfolobus shibatae and Sulfolobus metallicus.
Nutrients are added to the heap via recirculating solutions. As biooxidation progresses, the sulphides in the
concentrate are oxidized and the solubilized zinc, iron and sulphate are carried from the heap by the recirculating
solution. A portion of the solution stream is bled from the circuit for purification and metal recovery.
The relatively uniform size of the support rock leads to large interstitial spaces within the heap and subsequently a
low resistance to air and liquid flows. Sufficient air for biooxidation and heat removal is supplied to the heap by
low-pressure blowers through a system of perforated pipes laid in the drain rock below the base of the heap.
After biooxidation, additional lifts may be placed on the pad or the coated rock may be unloaded from the pad and
the oxidized concentrate removed by trommeling or wet screening if precious metal recovery is warranted. The
concentrate residue would be neutralized and then subjected to conventional precious metal recovery methods.
The support can be recycled or, in the case of low grade sulphide ore, a portion can be bled out for disposal and
replaced with fresh zinc bearing ore.
The simplicity of the GEOCOAT® process offers lower operating costs and capital costs compared to other
oxidation processes. Lower operating costs are achieved by reducing energy consumption, reducing
maintenance requirements and lowering manpower costs. The very simple unit operations of conveying material
and solutions in the heap bioleaching configuration substantially reduces capital costs. The GEOCOAT®
technology has been proven in a wide variety of column tests (10cm to 1m diameter) and has been successfully
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demonstrated in two field trials. A GEOCOAT® operation for a refractory gold application is scheduled for
commercial operation in early 2003.
Downstream Processing
The key to downstream treatment is the maximization of the zinc tenor while limiting the level of impurities.
Purification of the PLS must take place to remove the contained iron, copper, cobalt, cadmium, manganese,
magnesium, chlorine and fluorine.
The removal or iron takes place via the addition of lime. The solution is then filtered and passed into a further
metal removal stage where copper and cobalt are removed via zinc powder. Preacidification of the concentrate
feed allows for the removal of a large portion of the magnesium with minimal zinc losses. A sufficient bleed
stream is maintained to keep the Mg levels below 10 gpl with the balance of the solution returned to the circuit.
The circuit is complicated by the variety of recycle streams and bleed streams that must all be balanced to
maintain the concentrations of impurities at acceptable levels while maximizing the zinc tenor to solvent
extraction. Furthermore, if the zinc tenor can be increased sufficiently, solvent extraction can be bypassed
completely and direct electrowinning employed. This also depends on the levels of chlorine and fluorine in the
PLS.
The model developed with Limn® reflects the basic circuit design and allows for many scenarios to be developed
and analyzed for both the biooxidation and downstream processes. Each scenario, once optimized, is supported
by laboratory testwork and the results tested against the model.
MODEL DEVELOPMENT
The current model evolved over a period of several months. Each iteration of the model added a new level of
complexity to the system but also allowed a new level of analysis. These revisions where the result of both model
refinement and process testwork. Figure 1 shows the current process model. The current model simulates both
the bioleach and downstream process and has the following features included:
1. The ability to track all metals in solution throughout the process and follow tenor build up of elements in
the system.
2. Simulates the use of one or two solution ponds, PLS (pregnant leach solution) and ILS (intermediate
leach solution).
3. Simulates the bioleach reactions and acid recycle to provide a net acid balance.
4. Allows for the variation of solution bleeds to the following unit operations:
a. Purification – iron, copper, cobalt, cadmium removal,
b. Bleed treatment (basic zinc sulphate precipitation),
c. Preacidification (can either precipitate basic zinc sulphate or not in the process).
5. Tracks gypsum precipitation in all the processes.
6. Provides a complete balance to allow equipment sizing and material of construction selection.
The current model uses multiple cells to produce the desired heap effluents. Since the GEOCOAT® heap is a
continuous process with material being added and removed constantly, the solution tenors from each heap section
will be different. Instead of using an average solution tenor, the models flexibility was enhanced by breaking the heap
into sectional cells each of which represent a portion of the heap at a different lifecycle. Additionally, the use of these
cells splits the PLS solution into a variety of streams that can now be directed to either a PLS pond or an ILS pond,
further enhancing the models flexibility and better simulating the true heap design. Based on model results the
production heap will have the ability to route solutions to either pond and will be broken down into 5 cells. The use of
multiple ponds allows the zinc tenor of the PLS to be maximized.
The current model revisions are focusing on utilizing the data from the model to automatically develop capital and
operating costs for each scenario. The model will now become intimately linked to the project financials thus allowing
better project optimization.
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90
Intermediate solution
Pregnant solution
4 5 14 22 23 31 32 40 41
13
Air Residue
Sec 1 Sec 2 Sec 3 Sec 4 Sec 5
H2SO4 Air
Conc
9 18 27 36 45 Recycle
8 17 26 35 44
47 46
49 50
48
51
H2O
92 Pregnant Solution
Intermediate Pond
Pond
52
On recycle
57
H2SO4 Concentrate
81 Concentrate
Rafinate Acidification
split 59 Feed To Heap
H2SO4
Recycle Stripped Recycle 60
Raffinate Organic Raffinate
Mg bleed
EW SX strip SX load
SX Mg, Mn Solution
Reagents 91
S
L
Bleed
Effluent
Adv Electrolyte Loaded CaO treatment S/L
77
Organic Purified Zn
Solution 75
Zn Metal
Effl bleed
Cu, Co, Cd Free
Solution 73
S
L
67 Cu, Co, Cd S/L
PPT H2O
70
Pur bleed Purification
68
Fe Free
Solution
L S
Zn Powder
Fe precipitation 63 S/L FE PPT
Bleed
H2O
CaO Basic Zinc
Sulphate
Figure 1
Zinc Bioleach Model
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Many metallurgical flowsheets are developed in isolation from the overall project economics. Frequently, process
flowsheets are developed and optimized to a local maxima (typically maximum recovery) as a result of the
complexity and cost of performing multiple flowsheet scenarios in conjunction with the development of the overall
project economics for each case. The use of a comprehensive model allows scenarios to be tested quickly and
cost structures developed immediately. Obviously, scaled cost factors are employed which lack the resolution of
detailed estimates but they do provide enough detail to quickly determine the best overall process option from a
total project standpoint.
FLOWSHEET DEVELOPMENT IMPLICATIONS
The application of computer models has been shown to allow the rapid analysis of process scenarios. It has been
found that linkage to the overall project economics has the ability to maximize not only the process economics but
also the project economics. There are other equally important gains to be made from process modeling. The
ability to test the validity of various process scenarios allows the amount of laboratory work to be minimized while
maximizing the results. This has significant cost advantage both in terms of testwork and sample consumption. It
also results in significant time savings. Being able to more rapidly determine the final process goals reduces the
time to develop the final process flowsheet.
From the standpoint of GeoBiotics, who are in the business of selling biooxidation technologies, reducing the time
to market for biooxidation technologies is a significant and vital achievement. Rapid development reduces testing
and thus cost, increases speed to market and thus market opportunities. A typical product life cycle is shown in
Figure 2. From this figure it is evident that if Stages 1 and 2 can be reduced (conceptualization and development)
then Stages 3 and 4 (acceptance and market share growth) can proceed sooner, thus, increasing income
opportunities. Additionally, the ability of competing technologies to erode market share is greatly decreased,
increasing the length of Stage 5. The overall effect is to not only increase revenue streams earlier but to also
extend them longer.
From the standpoint of users of biooxidation technologies such as Kumba Resources, being able to bring projects
on stream earlier and at reduced costs has obvious advantages.
CONCLUSIONS
One example of how computer modeling has been employed to aid in the development of a new process has
been shown. From this example it can be seen that modeling can result in many benefits: the process can be
quickly optimized to a global maxima ensuring maximum overall project economics, the costs of testwork can be
reduced, valuable samples can be conserved and the project can progress more rapidly.
From a product development standpoint, the advantages are obvious:
“Regardless of the project in question, the goal is the same: to get the best possible product to market ahead of
the competition in order to extend the product's life cycle and increase profit. To be successful with both product
quality and fast time to market, iterate, iterate, iterate at every stage of the design process. Build strong
multidisciplinary teams, and use every rapid prototyping and tooling trick in the book to cut the time it takes to get
these iterations into as many hands as possible.“ Evans, (1997)
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Stage Stage Stage Stage Stage Stage
1 2 3 4 5 6 Market
Market Acceptance and Growth
Income
Technology Development
Normal Market Cycle
Product Development
Market Introduction
Conceptualization:
+ve
Time
Introduction
Of Competing
-ve Technologies
Figure 2
Typical Product Life Cycle
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REFERENCES
1. Harvey, J.T., Holder, N. and Stanek, T., 2002, “Thermophilic Bioleaching Of Chalcopyrite Concentrates with
GEOCOAT® Technology,” Proceedings ALTA 2002 Nickel/Cobalt 8 – Copper 7, Perth, Australia
2. Harvey, J.T., Holder, N. and Stanek, T., 2002, “Thermophilic Bioheap Leaching Of Chalcopyrite Concentrates,”
European Journal Of Mineral Processing and Environmental Protection, Special Issue – Biotreatment and
Biosorption, Vol. 2, No. 3
3. Harvey, J.T. and Potter, G., 1999, “GEOCOAT® At Ashanti Goldfields Obuasi Operations,” Proceedings Randol
99, Denver CO
4. Wiseman, DM., 2000, “Spreadsheet Based Tools For Practical Flotation Data Analysis,” Presented at
Flotation 2000, Minerals Engineering International, Adelaide Australia
5. Wills, B.A., 1986, “Complex Circuit Mass Balancing - A Simple, Practical, Sensitivity Analysis Method,”
International Journal of Mineral Processing, Vol. 16, pp 245-262
6. Merks, J.W., 1999, “Process Simulation With Spreadsheet Software,” Minerals & Metallurgical Processing, Vol.
16, No. 2, pp 29-36
7. Cleary, W., 2001, “Recent Advances In DEM Modelling Of Tumbling Mills,” Minerals Engineering, Vol.14, No.10
8. Bailey, C., Patel, M., Kumar, S., 2001, “Computational Modelling-A Key Component In Materials Processing,”
Trans. Institution Mining & Metallurgy, Sec. C, Vol. 110
9. Abilov, A. , and Zeybek, Z., 2000, “Use Of Neural Network For Modeling Of Non-Linear Process Integration
Technology In Chemical Engineering,” Chemical Engineering and Processing, Vol. 39, No.5
10. Lynch, A.J., and Morrison, R.D., 1999, “Simulation In Mineral Processing History, Present Status And
Possibilities,” Journal South African IMM, Vol. 99, No. 6
11. Harvey, T.J., Afewu, K., and Van Der Merwe, W., 2002, “The Development Of The Geobiotics GEOCOAT®
Biooxidation Technology For The Treatment Of Sphalerite At Kumba Resource’s Rosh Pinah Mine,” Proceedings
BioHydromet ’02, Cape Town, South Africa
12. Evans, B., 1997, “Accelerating The Product Development Cycle,” Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry
Magazine, Sept., pp.80
