OREANDA-NEWS. December 01, 2015. Pyrite cinders are waste products of burning of pyrites, previously used in the production of sulfuric acid. After the launch of the new sulfuric acid plant employing advanced technology, such wastes are no longer generated; however there are about 4.5 million tons of cinders left over thirty years of operation of the previous plant at the production site of PIMCU.

"In the broadest sense of the word, pyrite cinders cannot be called a waste in general sense. They consist of 80% of iron oxide, copper, zinc, gold, silver and other base metals. Therefore, our task is to divide the cinders into the components and sell them. That is, the essence of the project is to eliminate the dumps, making profit at the same time"- explains the head of the Central Research Laboratory of PIMCU Alexander Morozov.

The project is funded by Rosatom. The technology is being developed by PIMCU Central Research Laboratory involving scientific institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in particular, the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Currently, a pilot plant for the extraction of precious metals from pyrite cinders has been manufactured and installed. Subsequently, upon completion of the laboratory stage of technology development, the pilot plant will be supplemented by equipment for extraction of iron compounds from cinders.

The plant will produce nonferrous and precious metal concentrates, wastewater treatment chemicals, red iron oxide pigments. It is expected that at the end of 2016, the terms of reference for the design of industrial plant will be prepared.