| TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION |
| Hindustan Copper Limited has to its
credit some major contributions towards technological
improvements in mining, beneficiation, smelting,
hydrometallurgy and by-product recovery. Some of the
areas where Hindustan Copper Limited has introduced new
technology are |
| |
| TRACKLESS MINING |
| Trackless mining has helped in rapid
development of mines enabling higher levels of
production and productivity comparable to international
standards. |
|
| DROP RAISING |
| Raising is one of the most difficult
of mining operation, HCL has developed and perfected the
concept of drop raising over 60m intervals. This has
resulted in increased-safety and higher progress. A
pattern of five 6” diameter holes has been standardized
for the crater method of blasting the raises
sequentially. |
|
| LARGE DIAMETER BLAST HOLE
STOPING |
| HCL has developed single sub-level
method of stoping using large diameter (162 mm) blast
holes over level intervals of 50 to 60 meters. Need to
have intermediate sub-level for drilling has been
eliminated in this method. Excellent fragmentation has
been achieved. Benefits of new stoping method compared
with the conventional sub-level stoping methods
are: |
| • |
Reduction in quantum of
developments, drilling cost and explosive
cos |
| • |
Overall reduction in the cost of
mining |
| • |
Reduction of manpower and |
| • |
Reduction in stopes preparation
time. The new method of stopping has
revolutionized mining
technology. |
|
|
| ROCK BOLTING |
| For mining flat dipping ore bodies,
timber support was common in early days. With the need
to mine over a large width. HCL developed very simple
but effective methods of rock bolting using cement
grouted steel rods. This has resulted in the improvement
of ground conditions ensuring higher safety
standards. |
| |
| POST PILLAR STOPING |
| HCL has developed the post-pillar
method of mining for adoption in flatly dipping wide ore
bodies in ICC group of mines. This mining method has
enabled the production rates to go up as compared to
room and pillar stopes. Electrically operated LHD 's
have been introduced at ICC for operating in these
stopes. The output per man shift has increased and the
stoping cost has come down substantially. Hydraulic
filling of stopes with classified mill tailings has been
established as a standard practice at the ICC resulting
in regional improvement in ground conditions. |
| |
| OXYGEN ENRICHMENT |
| HCL has also taken the lead in
introducing oxygen enrichment in the converters at KCC
and ICC resulting in effective control of accumulation
of secondary products in smelting. HCL has also
introduced oxygen enrichment in process air in flash
furnace to effectively increase the capacity of the
existing smelters for meeting increased production
commitments. |
|
| HYDRO-METALLURGY |
| Occurrences of large quantities of
oxidized ore and lean grade sulphide ore at Malajkhand
has impelled the company to extract copper values in the
ore by dump leaching otherwise uneconomical by
conventional methods. The dump is sprayed with dilute
acidified solutions to dissolve copper minerals. The end
products of this leaching operation is a pregnant liquor
of copper sulphate. The leached liquor is then treated
to recover copper metal. |
|
| BY-PRODUCT RECOVERY |
| HCL has established well equipped
R&D facility at KCC and ICC. The R&D section is
fully responsible for improvement in quality of the
products, control of quality of raw materials,
improvement of recoveries and for maximizing the
recovery of by-products, HCL has developed its own
Precious Metal Recovery plant which is now operating at
ICC successfully. A Tellurium Recovery Plant has also
been developed by R&D Wing. Extensively trails are
going on for recovering cobalt, nickel and copper powder
from converter slag. Attempts are also being made for
reducing the losses from slag. |
| |
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