Other Operations

The first acid plant was commissioned in 2005 with a capacity of 100tpd at Usoke Ave. The sulphuric acid produced at the Usoke compound is used in the leaching of mined ore for the production of copper cathodes and cobalt carbonate.

The acid is the catalyst in Solvent Extraction (SE), which draws out the copper or cobalt oxide from the crushed ore. When used in conjunction with Electro-Winning (EW) the process is completed to produce copper or cobalt cathodes.

A by-product of the acid is SO2 gas, which is required in the cobalt production process to reduce Cobalt3+ to Cobalt2+; this significantly lowers costs as it means expensive sodium metabisulphate does not need to be imported. Production at the sulphuric acid plant has been consistent with demand and has fluctuated with changes in the market. Any excess sulphuric acid is sold via long term contracts at market prices to local consumers.

In addition to this first acid plant, a new plant with capacity of 165,000tpa equivalent to 500tpd has been commissioned at Etoile in August 2010. Its purpose is to facilitate leaching for output from HMS II (heavy media separation) plant.

SAP II has produced 21,892 tonnes of sulphuric acid in the year 2010 (Aug to Dec) and 58,100 tonnes in the first half of 2011. Though SAP II has successfully operated at its designed capacity it is currently operating at a lesser level to fulfil in house consumptionand some external contracts.