OUR MINING RESOURCES

planchéite

Calcite cobaltifère sur dioptase

sphérocobaltite

The colbalt

Congo is since close to 40 years most important producer of cobalt of the world.
The Gecomin produced 10.549 metric tons of it in 1968, what represents about 62% of the world production.
The cobalt presents itself partner intimately to the copper in many layers, as oxidized compounds or sulphurized. The species oxidized the most current of the hétérogénite (hydroxides of copper and cobalt partners) of black color; the sulphurized shapes are the carrollite and the linnéite, of steel grey color. The cobalt recovers itself like by-product of the treatment of the copper and is extracted by lixiviation, purification and electrolysis that give a very pure metal.

Several completely unknown minerals before their identification in the Katanga have been found in the concessions of the Gecomin; they constitute the main appeal of the museum geological Sengier-Cousin, created in Likasi, where one can, otherwise, to see a very complete collection of magnificent specimens coming from the different layers of the society.

Zinc

In the layer filonien of Kipushi that differentiates itself of all others by his/her/its nature, we told it, the copper is accompanied by zinc. Ore sulphurized of zinc is mainly the blende. The sulphides of copper and zinc separated by differential concentration. A part of the sulphides of zinc extracts will be grilled in order to extract the sulfurous gas and to use this one to the manufacture of sulphuric acid necessary to the lixiviation. The extracts of zinc grilled are treated by electrolysis in the very Katanga to withdraw some from zinc metal.

The cadmium

Satellite of zinc, the cadmium passes during the operations of concentration in the extracts of copper and zinc. One will recover it in the dusts filtered of the gases of the ovens of wire fencing of the extracts of zinc and the ovens of fusion of the copper extracts.
Cadmium metal is gotten by electrolytic treatment of these dusts and céments cadmifères.

Germanium

Germanium is present to very weak contents in some ores sulphurized cupro-zicifères of Kipushi. He/it presents himself/itself of it as reniérite (sulphide of copper, iron, germanium and arsenic). A part of germanium can meet in extracts enriched in reniérite, the other in the dusts cadmifères in the gases of the foundry of Lubumbashi.
These dusts must be concentrated strongly before being delivered to highly specialized foreign factories for the extraction and the reffinage of germanium. This one will be pushed until one degree of extraordinary purity, tolerance for the impurities being the order of the billionth.

The precious metals

The precious metals, money, however, possibly turntable and palladium, contained in some ores of copper of Kipushi, finally meet in the vestigial muds of the electrolytic refinement.
The precious metals must be recovered in suitable, abroad factories, the quantities produced to the Katanga being too weak.

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