The mining company's newly built Panxi vanadium titanium magnetite cobalt nickel resource recovery demonstration line has been put into operation for more than a month. The production has been stable and has achieved the expected results. This is the first production line to recover cobalt and nickel products from vanadium-titanium magnetite resources in the Panxi area. This production line can effectively recover the cobalt and nickel resources associated with vanadium-titanium magnetite, with a cobalt recovery rate of more than 80%, providing strong technical support for the extension of the industrial chain for the comprehensive utilization of Panxi vanadium-titanium magnetite resources.

As an important strategic metal, cobalt has good high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and magnetic properties, it is an important raw material and strategic resource for manufacturing high-temperature alloys, cemented carbide, ceramic pigments, etc. The vanadium-titanium magnetite in the Panzhihua area is accompanied by considerable reserves of sulfur, cobalt, nickel, copper, etc. Through research and exploration, in 2004, the mining company officially built a sulfur (cobalt) concentrate production line and realized the industrial recovery of sulfur. By 2023, the sulfur (cobalt) concentrate production capacity will reach 45,000 tons/year. However, due to the low cobalt content in sulfur (cobalt) concentrates, when sold as products, only sulfur is priced and cobalt is not priced, resulting in a waste of cobalt resources.

Starting in 2021, the mining company will cooperate with the Institute of Mineral Comprehensive Utilization of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences to carry out the "Research on Recovery Technology of Cobalt Resources Associated with Panxi Vanadium Titanium Magnetite" project. After a large number of experimental studies, in view of the technical difficulties of comprehensive recovery of cobalt and nickel from the sulfur and cobalt resources associated with Panxi vanadium titanium magnetite, a sulfur and cobalt separation technology plan was formulated to develop new flotation reagents, adjust formulas and flotation processes. Optimization achieves efficient separation and recovery of cobalt-rich minerals. Through separation, the cobalt grade in the sulfur (cobalt) rough concentrate has been increased from 0.3% to more than 1.0%, the nickel grade has been increased from 0.7% to more than 2.0%, and the cobalt recovery rate has reached more than 80%.

Based on laboratory reagent development and flotation process optimization, the mining company will begin to independently design and construct a cobalt and nickel resource recovery demonstration line in 2022. In October this year, through systematic research and implementation of technology integration transformation, the company built a cobalt and nickel resource recovery demonstration line in Xinbaima Company that can process 30,000 tons of sulfur (cobalt) rough concentrate per year. Up to now, more than 100 tons of cobalt-nickel concentrate have been produced. The company is vigorously promoting the transformation of scientific and technological achievements and promoting the application of the results to high-density real estate lines as soon as possible.