Lead Metal Production at Paroo Station
Mine Using Leach-Electrowinning
Process in Methane Sulfonic Acid
Solution
David Dreisinger, Ken Baxter, Andrew Worland, Tom Cooper, Tony Cau
and Nick Waters
Abstract The Paroo Station lead mine, located in Western Australia and owned by
LeadFX, has historically produced a lead flotation concentrate from a lead carbonate
(cerussite) orebody. The shipment of the 67% lead concentrate from the mine site
to smelters is subject to strict environmental controls and high product handling,
logistics, treatment, and refining charges due to the transport distance and the lack of
intrinsic fuel value and by-product elements. An innovative solution was required to
process the concentrate on-site to reduce environmental risk and cost. A hydrometallurgical process has been studied at bench, pilot, and demonstration plant scale.
The process involves leaching and electrowinning of lead in a methane sulfonic acid
solution. A Definitive Feasibility Study has been prepared for production of up to
80,000 tonnes per annum of lead metal at Paroo Station lead mine over a 17-year
mine life. The results of the testing and the engineering study are presented.
Keywords Lead · Methane sulfonic acid · Electrowinning
Introduction
The Paroo Station lead mine, located in Western Australia and owned by Rosslyn
Hill Mining Pty Ltd., has historically produced a lead flotation concentrate from a
predominantly lead carbonate (cerussite) containing orebody. The existing flotation
plant, which operated intermittently between 2005 and 2015, typically produced a
concentrate of 64–71% lead grade from a ~7% lead head grade at 70–80% lead
D. Dreisinger (B) · K. Baxter · A. Worland · T. Cau · N. Waters
LeadFX Inc., First Canadian Place, 100 King St. West, Suite 5700, Toronto, ON M5X1C7, Canada
e-mail: david.dreisinger@ubc.ca
T. Cooper
Rosslyn Hill Mining Pty Ltd., Parmelia House, 191 St. Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia
6000, Australia
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_12
135
Mine Using Leach-Electrowinning
Process in Methane Sulfonic Acid
Solution
David Dreisinger, Ken Baxter, Andrew Worland, Tom Cooper, Tony Cau
and Nick Waters
Abstract The Paroo Station lead mine, located in Western Australia and owned by
LeadFX, has historically produced a lead flotation concentrate from a lead carbonate
(cerussite) orebody. The shipment of the 67% lead concentrate from the mine site
to smelters is subject to strict environmental controls and high product handling,
logistics, treatment, and refining charges due to the transport distance and the lack of
intrinsic fuel value and by-product elements. An innovative solution was required to
process the concentrate on-site to reduce environmental risk and cost. A hydrometallurgical process has been studied at bench, pilot, and demonstration plant scale.
The process involves leaching and electrowinning of lead in a methane sulfonic acid
solution. A Definitive Feasibility Study has been prepared for production of up to
80,000 tonnes per annum of lead metal at Paroo Station lead mine over a 17-year
mine life. The results of the testing and the engineering study are presented.
Keywords Lead · Methane sulfonic acid · Electrowinning
Introduction
The Paroo Station lead mine, located in Western Australia and owned by Rosslyn
Hill Mining Pty Ltd., has historically produced a lead flotation concentrate from a
predominantly lead carbonate (cerussite) containing orebody. The existing flotation
plant, which operated intermittently between 2005 and 2015, typically produced a
concentrate of 64–71% lead grade from a ~7% lead head grade at 70–80% lead
D. Dreisinger (B) · K. Baxter · A. Worland · T. Cau · N. Waters
LeadFX Inc., First Canadian Place, 100 King St. West, Suite 5700, Toronto, ON M5X1C7, Canada
e-mail: david.dreisinger@ubc.ca
T. Cooper
Rosslyn Hill Mining Pty Ltd., Parmelia House, 191 St. Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia
6000, Australia
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_12
135