65% VPA filter capacity increase at Julong Copper Mine, China, with Metso upgrade

About

Julong Copper Mine has a world-class, large-scale, and low-grade porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit. The mining area also contains a significant amount of low-grade refractory mineral resources, with promising potential for exploration and resource growth.

The Julong Copper Mine is located in the Lhasa region of the Tibet Autonomous Region and is majority-owned by Zijin Mining, holding a 58.16% stake. The project is currently in production while simultaneously undergoing expansion.

Mining is carried out using open-pit methods, followed by processing techniques that include comminution, flotation, and dewatering. In 2024, the mine reported impressive production figures: 166,300 tonnes of copper, 109.1 tonnes of silver, 7,099 tonnes of molybdenum, and 0.5 tonnes of gold.

Challenge

Julong Copper Mine is developing one of the world’s largest low-grade porphyry copper-molybdenum deposits, with significant refractory mineral resources and further exploration potential. However, the original dewatering system using a VPA1040 filter press with 24 chambers was no longer sufficient to meet production expansion goals.

The VPA1040 filter press had a low filtration capacity of just 1.875 tonnes per hour, which limited throughput and created a bottleneck in the dewatering process. Additionally, the filtration area was limited to only 31.2 square meters, further constraining efficiency.

These constraints hindered the mine’s ability to expand operations to keep pace with growing production demands from the ongoing expansion, underscoring the urgent need for a stronger, more scalable solution.

Solution

To address the filtration bottleneck and support the mine’s production growth, Julong Copper Mine undertook a major upgrade of its VPA1040 filter press. The number of chambers was increased from 24 to 40, significantly expanding the unit’s capacity. As a result, the total filtration area was boosted from 31.2 to 52 square meters, allowing for greater processing volume per cycle.

This upgrade resulted in a substantial 65% increase in throughput capacity, increasing the system’s output from 1.875 to almost 3.2 tonnes per hour. The enhanced performance ensures the filtration system is now well aligned with the demands of Julong’s expanding operations.

Results

The filter press upgrade at Julong Copper Mine delivered a range of impactful benefits across productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. The substantial increase in dewatering throughput now supports higher volumes of copper and molybdenum production, directly contributing to the mine’s overall productivity.

By expanding the filtration area, the upgrade also minimized operational bottlenecks, resulting in smoother and more efficient processing. The enhanced system is now fully scalable, aligning with Julong’s long-term expansion plans and the potential for future resource development.

Additionally, the use of high-quality OEM components ensures consistent performance, even under the demanding conditions of the mine’s high-altitude location. Ultimately, the enhanced filtration process improves water recovery, aligning with Julong’s commitment to more sustainable and environmentally responsible mining practices.