Sustainable Mining and Metallurgy

The proved copper reserves in Tibet account for more than half of the national copper reserves, which makes it an important strategic reserve base of copper resources of China.The copper resources in Tibet are concentrated in the Yulong copper metallogenic belt in eastern Tibet, the metallogenic belt in the eastern section of Kailas from Lhasa to Nikazi, and the Bangong Lake-Nujiang River copper metallogenic belt from Bangong Lake in Ngari area to Nujiang River Source in Nagqu area.Based on the analysis of industrial basis, development priorities, the construction conditions and transportation costs of resources in each metallogenic belt area, it was suggested that all the copper concentrate of Yulong Copper Mine be smelted and processed in Qamdo Industrial Park in East Tibet, the copper concentrate from Lhasa area and Ngari area be transported to Tibetan-Qing Industrial Park in Golmud for smelting and processing.And finally, planning was made in terms of plant scale, metallurgical process, use of by-product sulfur, pollution prevention and control, etc.It was suggested that a copper smelter with smelting scale of 350000 tons/a should be built in Qamdo, the smelting process should be oxygen-enriched bottom blowing and side blowing, and SO₂ in smelting flue gas should be used to prepare sulphuric acid.