Experiences with Zinc Pressure Leaching of 100% Red Dog Zinc Concentrate at Teck Cominco's Trail Operations

The zinc pressure leaching (ZPL) plant at Teck Cominco's Trail Operations was started up in 1981 and represented the world's first commercialization of the technology. From the outset, the process was designed to operate using iron-rich Sullivan Mine zinc concentrate. When the Sullivan Mine reached the end of its life in 2002, the ZPL plant underwent a significant process change with the treatment of 100% Red Dog zinc concentrate. Through careful improvements to existing plant processes, controlled changes to plant operating parameters and a rapid adjustment to the modified process by operations personnel, the plant has been successfully converted to processing a feed of 100% Red Dog zinc concentrate. This paper discusses the challenges faced during the conversion and describes the modifications to plant operating procedures, as well as changes to plant processes.